BMW Alpina B7 Turbo/1 '1984-1987

Shark nose as its best. Source: forums.mwerks.com

Merry Christmas! As a present here comes the BMW's finest. E28 is already a cool thing with it's perfect shark nose, elegant lines, perfect proportion, and center exit exhaust. In addition it's the backbone of the first M5 -mother of all Wolf cars. First M5 might be the fastest production saloon of it's time, but in the wolf car world of "not always so production cars" Alpina B7 Turbo ate its lunch.

Actually B7 Turbo (based on 535i) was born before M5 already in 1979 and holded the world fastest sedan title with a top speed of 163.9mph (263.8Km/h) until 1984. Alpina modifications include lighter Mahle pistons, a modifeid cylinder head, 264 degree cam, and KKK -turbo with intercooler with adjustable boost control from the cockpit! Besides the massive power increase the Alpina's are built to handle too with upgraded chassis which was not always the case with modified E28's of the era. Check out this über B7 Turbo project.

 

In details:

 

Treasure from Sweden. Source: unknown

Engine
In-line 6, 3430cc, 20-valve, Bosch Motronic (M106)
compression ratio 9.00:1

KKK “K27” turbo (0,7 bar)
air-to-air intercooler

Alpina modified cylinder-head

Mahle pistons

Alpina camshafts (264)

Alpina exhaust manifold

The boost knob. Source: davintosh.com

Alpina engine bay plaque
Numbers (depends on year, best figures listed here)
320hp/5800rpm
509Nm/3000rpm
Top speed: 260+km/h

0-100km/h: 4,8s!!!

0-160km/h: 12,8s

0-200km/h: approx. 17s

0-400m: 13,4s (168km/h)

0-1km: 24,4s
1410kg

Cd 0,39
Transmission
Getrag ‘265’ 5 speed manual, RWD
Strenghtened differential with pump-driven oil cooler
Chassis

Alpina-Bilstein suspension with progressive springs and gas-pressure dambers

Alpina sway bars

Girling Ventilated disks/disks, 4/1 piston calibers

Alpina 7 and 8x16” alloys with 205/45VR16 (f), 225/50VR16 (r) tires
Exterior
Alpina front spoiler

Alpina rear spoiler

Alpina contour line decoration

Alpina front grill and trunk badges
Interior

Recaro sport seats with Alpina upholstery

Alpina leather 3-spoke steering wheel 360mm

Alpina gear knob

Alpina instruments ->300km/h

Alpina digital boost gauge

Alpina dashboard plaque
Turbo boost selector in center console
Other
Total of 236-278 E28 Alpina B7 Turbo’s was built between 04/1984-12/1987

Tickford Capri '83

'Ultimate 80'

When I was a child our family friends had a golden mk1 Capri that I jused to drool over. It still is a cool car drawing its styling cues from US, extremely long hood, somewhat odd dimensions, rear wheel drive and classy air vents in rear fenders. Somehow Capri always looks extremely British for me. Well, the mk2 wasn't that cool...dimension and characteristics are there, but classy and light impression was totally gone. If the cool cars bad transformation was not enough in the beginning of the 80's, Aston Martin's subsidiary Tickford was offering ultimate kit to convert Capri to little Aston!

This car is almost too 80's! Source: storm.oldcarmanualproject.com

Perhaps the intention was great, when Victor Gauntlett from Aston took the crazy idea of transforming Capri to almost Aston. Aston Martin tweaked the engine by adding turbo, tailored 'luxury' retrim and made minor chassis changes, but the bodykit they added is just awful. "at that time the design side was not valued" -John Miles (chassis development engineer working in a project)

In details

 

Engine

V6, 2972cc, fuel injection

Compression 9.2:1

IHI 'RHB6' turbocharger

Garrett intercooler

Large bore stainless steel exhaust

Transmission

Modified 5-speed manual, RWD

Ford RS -limited slip differential

Numbers

205hp/5000rpm

352Nm/3000rpm

0-100km/h: 6s

Top speed: 225Km/h

1245kg

Drag coefficient lowered from original 0,39 to 0.37 with the bodykit

Chassis

Bilstein dampers 

Additional locating 'A' links rear

Polymer pushes

Upgraded brake pads front and 10.43" rear disks

7x15" alloys with Pirelli 'P7' tires

Exterior

Front air dam and grille blank

Side skirts

Rear spoiler

rear lower valance

Coach finish paint in any sincle plain or metallic colour or special pearlscent white paintwork

Wheels painted in body colour

Interior

Connolly leather interior

Wilton interior and boot carpet

Grey wool headlining

Walnut panels and matching center console

Boost gauge and quartz clock

Other
Electrically operated door mirrors and adjustable rear wiber delay
Digital electronis stereo cassette system
approx. 100 cars were manuafactured