455bhp Alpina B3 Touring priced from £67,950

Though last year’s Frankfurt show provided us with some questionable BMW design, Alpina offered us some faith with its take on the G21 340i Touring. The German manufacturer added its usual subtle design touches, whilst increasing power and tweaking components for better performance.

Priced from £67,950 (£66,450 for the saloon), the model is powered by the BMW’s 3-litre, in-line six-cylinder, turbocharged B58, and thanks to Alpina’s work, now produces an M3-rivalling 455bhp and 516lb ft of torque – that’s up around 87bhp and 148lb ft over standard. Top speed is now in excess of 186mph, and although no 0-62mph time is quoted, we’d imagine it would sit around the four seconds mark.

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Under the skin is BMW’s xDrive system, giving it the ability to put power to whichever axle needs it most – whilst this increases safety, it also helps provide the model with its M-esque acceleration. An electronically controlled rear differential lock comes as standard, but you can opt for a limited-slip differential for those back-road blasts, should you desire. The 340i’s excellent ZF eight-speed transmission has also been tuned for snappier shifts and more efficient operation.

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As for design, Alpina has given the 3-series its trademark treatment, with 19-inch wheels coming as standard, and 20-inch multi-spoke pieces at an additional cost. Larger Alpina-branded calipers sit around uprated discs, while a new front bumper and diffuser set add aggression at the front. The rear also sees tweaks, with a new rear bumper and diffuser surrounding the quad-tip exhausts.

The design touches continue in the cabin, with Alpina branding throughout, and every conceivable option ticked to make sure you’re in ultimate comfort. The model shown is finished in a rather exquisite green on white leather combination, but there are plenty of options to choose from on the configurator...