ALPINA B3 / D3

ALPINA B3 / D3 sits in the rare corner of the car world where comfort, speed, and restrained looks are trying to coexist. By our assessment, that balance is the point: these are the cars for drivers who want a fast BMW-based saloon or estate with a more discreet character than the usual performance badge. The upside is effortless torque and the feeling of a long-legged grand tourer rather than a shouty sports car. The downside is that this sort of polish does not come cheap in running costs, and the softer, heavier character is never as sharp as a smaller hot hatch or a track-focused machine. In daily use it is the kind of performance car that can pass quietly in traffic and still cover ground with real pace.