It’s the default conclusion that all those who review the latest Alpina D3 arrive at: it’s not as fast as an M3 outright, but it’s still rapid, more efficient and usable.
You can still drift it and smoke a few cars at the lights (does 0-100 km/h / 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds) yet it can also return a claimed 5.3 l/100km or 44.4 mpg US / 53.3 mpg UK.
This means that it’s more suitable for more people – it has a wider appeal. It also looks more like a normal BMW, which is desirable since some may shy away from an M car just because it’s so obvious. I`m not saying either approach is the right one, just that they cater for different kinds of needs and owners / drivers.
The D3 you see in the video below is AutoExpress’ newest addition to its long term fleet. Steve Sutcliffe takes it for a drive on both road and track, sharing his (kind-of predictable) conclusion.