Alpina has taken the wraps off their new B4 BiTurbo Coupe at the Tokyo Motor Show. Based on the BMW 4-Series Coupe, the Alpina B4 BiTurbo has an understated appearance that looks classically elegant. Despite the restrained design, the model has been equipped with front / rear spoilers, a stainless steel sports exhaust system and 20-inch Alpina Classic wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. Interior changes are limited but include Lavalina leather upholstery, special floor mats and the obligatory Alpina badging. Power is provided by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 410 HP (301 kW) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission which enables the coupe to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and hit a top speed of 305 km/h (189 mph). In terms of efficiency, owners can expect to average 7.6 L/100km (30.9 mpg US / 37.1 mpg UK) with CO2 emissions of 177 g/km. Speaking of performance, the model has also been equipped with a sport-tuned suspension and a high-performance braking system with discs that measure 370mm front / 345mm rear. The Alpina B4 BiTurbo Coupe will go on sale in May and an all-wheel drive variant will be available in certain countries.
Among the main exterior changes are headlights with black inserts, smoked taillights, GTS lettering on unique matte-black side strips, a gloss-black roof spoiler, and flat-black-finished tailpipes. For wheels, the GTS gets flat-black (or silver, as seen here) RS Spyder Design alloys measuring 20 脳 9 inches in front and 20 脳 10 inches in back wrapped in 265/45R20 and 295/40R20 tires respectively. Opening the driver-side door, we slide behind the heated steering wheel and find one of the most outstanding interiors we鈥檝e ever encountered in a Porsche. Every square inch of Nappa leather, aluminum, and plastic is of high quality and finished to virtual perfection. While all contemporary GTS models get nicely trimmed Alcantara-laden cockpits, our tester has an even nicer setup. 4,790 Leather Interior with Alcantara and the GTSInterior Package, which adds leather to areas like the door panels and dash. While it may not sound like much, it manages to make the interior even more inviting. The standard eight-way power seats are comfortable, but they take a lot of adjusting to reach a suitable seating position. When we lower the seat for a more sports-car-like feel, the cavernous space created above our head feels awkward.
When we raise the seat up higher, we feel more comfortable but also less like we鈥檙e in a sporty vehicle. This may sound like excessive nitpicking, but it takes some time to feel comfortable with the seating position in the Macan. And this is something we鈥檝e not really experienced in other new Porsche models. Next, we put our foot on the brake pedal and fire up the GTS. The turbocharged engine comes to life with the raspy sort of buzz from the standard Sport exhaust you鈥檇 expect from high-performance V6. It鈥檚 not an unpleasant sound, but it is also not as sweet as the notes you鈥檇 hear from a naturally aspirated or even turbocharged flat-six-powered Porsche. As far as V6s go, though, this one sounds tough. Accelerating down an onramp, the Macan鈥檚 engine output feels acceptable but honestly rather unexciting. While this SUV can, according to Porsche, run from 0-60 mph in 5.0 seconds on its way to a 159鈥坢ph top speed, it doesn鈥檛 feel particularly thrilling. As we make our way along the first 20 miles of our drive, we rotate the mode dial mounted on the steering wheel hub at the four o鈥檆lock position to different settings.
In Normal mode, the ride is generally comfortable, but the air suspension produces a floating or slow bouncing sensation. In some instances at around 50 mph and above, it feels like the car is subtly rocking from front to back as it floats. In fairness, this isn鈥檛 something we encountered at slower speeds, and just turning the mode dial to the firmer Sport mode can quickly iron it out. Even so, this is an unexpected quirk. After a stop for dinner, we鈥檙e headed on a 110-mile drive east to California鈥檚 Gold Country. This leg of the trip entails about 40 miles on state highways and backroads with the rest on the freeway. Before leaving, my wife and I load the Macan up with the usual sort of long weekend getaway luggage: two suitcases, two backpacks, a few grocery bags, and a fishing pole and small tackle box. While the Macan accommodates this gear with ease, its sloping rear hatch鈥攚hich gives this SUV a sportier profile鈥攎akes fitting taller items near the back of the loading area more difficult. Back on the road, the freeway portion of this drive with the GTS in Sport mode yields a relaxed and uneventful experience.
1,380 Lane Keep Assists (LKA) & Lane Change Assist (LCA) option package is useful. LKA automatically corrects steering and gives an acoustic and visual warning if it senses you鈥檙e straying from your lane. LCA illuminates small lights on the inside part of the side mirrors when sensors detect a vehicle in your blind spot. Both are useful, but the latter comes in handy a lot more often. As we reach some windier sections of road, we switch between Sport and Sport Plus modes. When driving at about seven-tenths onto an onramp, we鈥檙e surprised by the amount of understeer the Macan produces. 鈥攚hich controls power distribution to the wheels in a way that results in more agility鈥攜ou can really feel the Macan鈥檚 4,178 lbs through the corners. It鈥檚 important to note that this machine came specially equipped with Michelin Latitude Alpin Winter tires, as we are headed towards a snowy area.
No comments:
Post a Comment