While it is true that for most enthusiasts, the BMW M3 and especially, the rare M3 convertible, is the most sought after E30, the Alpina models rank very high on the desirability scale.
Produced in just 67 examples, all exclusively for the Japanese market, the Alpina B6 2.7 is indeed one of the rarest E30s out there, and one of them, has landed State-side. You can thank the 25-year import law for that.
Pictured here is chassis #40, which first saw the light of day back in 1986, when Alpina took a stock 325i and crafted it into the B6 2.7.
The 325i’s stock 2.5-liter straight-six engine was enlarged to 2.7-liters, adding another 40hp for a total of 210 HP and 195 lb-ft (264 Nm) of torque, transforming it into one of the fastest production E30s of the time, with a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h). And if you’re wondering, it has a five-speed manual.
RMSothebys says the car has only 35,539 km (22,083 miles) on the odometers and it shows, with the auction house describing overall condition as ‘astounding’, with zero signs of rust or corrosion.
Now, for the bad news; RMSotheby’s expects the Alpina B6 to fetch between $50,000 and $70,000, when it hits the Phoenix, Arizona, auction, next week, which are near M3 prices.
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