If the magnificent BMW X4 M40d doesn’t offer enough steam, you can stop by Buchloe. Alpina gives the powerful mid-size SUV even more beefy wings.
It can hardly be assumed that the BMW X4 M40d with its 250 kW / 340 PS is really too weak on the chest for an interested party. But if you want more, you can also get more. Because Alpina, dynamic refiner from the Allgäu, gives the XD4 a decent boost in performance. 290 kW / 394 PS and a gigantic torque of 800 Nm from a low 1,750 rpm ensure, thanks to the quadruple charge, gigantic driving pleasure that can even be felt on a racetrack. We did the test with a pre-production model at the Salzburgring and are – once again – impressed by an Alpina athlete.
Because once again it is the perfect mix that makes the music at Alpina. The Buchloers do not simply make the already excellent BMW models faster, sportier or even less compromising. On the contrary, because the overall package is a real show, even with the near-series prototype. On the start and finish straight of the fast Salzburgring, the 2.1 tonne crossover sprints off like a bull hungry for sacrifices. The sprint potential is huge and that doesn’t just refer to the image sprint from 0 to 100 km / h in a strong 4.6 seconds, which in reality hardly anyone is interested in. Once again it is the extensive, sporty drivability of the family model, because of course only those who have lost their way at the exit to the parking lot turn onto the racetrack with such an SUV.
But once you are out on the track, the tall muscle man beats himself impressively sovereign. In the fast corners, the ambitious pilot measures a strong roll compensation, which presses springs and dampers upwards in fractions of a second during dynamic steering and ensures a more stable horizon in the interior of Bavaria. In this class, however, a bit too much high-tech and so the electronically adjustable dampers have to fix it, which work harder or softer depending on the selected driving mode. The steering of the Alpina XD4 works together with the chassis and the 20-inch wheelset with 255 tires at the front and 285 tires at the rear with impressive precision and excitement at the same time. In addition to the standard limited-slip differential on the rear axle, the Alpina XD4 is equipped with a so-called Performance Control, which minimizes understeer with targeted braking interventions on each wheel – works excellently and is really good fun. The sound of the six-cylinder in-line engine – splendid.
The drive of the XD4 with the almost 400 hp common rail diesel is a real stunner and puts any gasoline engine in the shade. This applies not only to the standard consumption of 8.5 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers, which is befitting in view of the generous engine power, but also to a top speed of 268 km / h, which leaves most of the competitors behind. With the 68-liter tank, tours of 900 kilometers without refueling are possible. The comfort level of the 4.75 meter long SUV is such that you feel in good hands in well-contoured seats and the usual good control elements even on endless kilometer passages and you can comfortably take at least two passengers in the rear with you. The load space behind the electric tailgate swallows 525 liters, which can be expanded to 1,430 liters by folding down the rear seats – that’s enough. The load space of the identically motorized BMW Alpina X3D, which can pack up to 1,600 liters, has a little more space. A lot of driving fun for a stately price of 89,100 euros, because the BMW X4 M40d costs almost 15,000 euros less with its 340 hp and thinner equipment.
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
