Alpina has revealed the new triple-turbocharged D5 S
at the Frankfurt Motor Show marking its public debut. Claimed to be the fastest
series production diesel on the market, the new Alpina D5 S utilizes a
3.0-liter straight six engine with three turbos and common rail high-pressure
direct injection, producing 382 hp and 800 Nm of peak torque
available between 1750 and 2650 rpm.
All this colossal torque is transferred via an
upgraded eight-speed automatic gearbox to all four wheels, enabling the new
Alpina D5 S to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. 0-200 km/h comes in 17 seconds while top speed is set at an impressive 286 km/h.
Right-hand drive markets -including the UK- will get
a lower-powered twin-turbo engine with 322 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, dropping
the 0-62 mph time to 4.9 seconds and the top speed to 171 mph.
Compared to the latest quad-turbo BMW M550d,
Alpina's new D5 S may lack one turbocharger and 7 hp but makes up for it by
offering 30 lb-ft more. And let's not forget that the BMW M550d, as well as
other high-performance diesel models, is limited to just 155 mph - even though
it matches the D5 S' 0-100 km/h time at 4.4 sec.
The chassis, brakes and suspension settings were
transferred essentially unchanged from the petrol B5 Bi-Turbo. The suspension
features adaptive dampers offering a wide range of modes, from Comfort+ to
Sport+. The springs are shorter and lower while the Touring version of the D5 S
comes fitted with a rear air suspension.
As an option, Alpina offers the Sport Plus
suspension package which includes rear-wheel steering and active roll
stabilisation which effectively eliminates body roll. The classic 20-inch
Alpina alloys are wrapped in 255/35s at the front and 295/30s at the back. The first deliveries are expected to start in
2018, with the saloon version priced from € 87,900 and the Touring D5 S starting
at € 90,400. And no, it's not coming to North American shores.
