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You guys in the States will never get this get, and I mean understand it not receive it.
Most BMWs are sold through finance and through company polices, for a company car we get taxed a benifit in kind tax.
To buy a 335i coupe with the same spec as the Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo you are looking at £680 a month in BIK Tax, that is the extra tax you pay each month for having a company car, in comparison the Alpina D3 is around £300 a month.
If you were taxed an extra $760 a month for owning the 335i over the D3, so around $1350 a month for the 335i, you would also consider the D3.
Consumption is another factor.
The D3 will return pretty much 50mpg, the 335i will return around 25mpg.
We are paying $11.70 a gallon at the moment (that is a UK gallon so around $9.50 a US gallon) so for someone doing 20k miles a year that is another saving of $300 a month.
Running a car in the States costs peanuts compared with just about everywhere else on this planet. The D3 makes perfect sense.
Also when you see the Alpina in silver with the classic wheels etc. in teh flesh it looks terrific.
The stripes are almost a bit tongue in cheek, but on the right colour they do work.
You also have to drive one, the ride is just sublime, they use the Bilstein M-Sport strut with the SE springs from a 335xd car and oversized tyres like on the M3. The grip, handling and comfort is unreal compared with the equivilent BMW.
And then there is exclusivity, only 100 D3 BT coming to the UK.
It is over priced as you can't get a discount, so you can buy a 335d se for pretty much the same price, but as a quick everyday car (which it is with all its torque as 0-60mph times mean nothing here) it is a bit special and worth the money I reckon.
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