1999 ALPINA B10 V8 4.6

With just two former keepers, 34,000 miles under its belt, and an astonishing service history, this wonderfully discreet Alpina B10 drives even better than it looks – and it looks even better in the flesh than it does in the photos!

The vendor owned an Alpina B10 like this back in 1998, so when an opportunity arose for him to buy another, he jumped at the chance. After four wonderfully nostalgic years with it (during which time it has always been garaged, just as it was in the previous owner’s hands) he now feels that it’s time to let someone else discover its understated charms.

The metallic Oxford Green paintwork is in fabulous condition, being free of serious scratches, dents and dings. The panel gaps are as tight and even as any we’ve seen on the model, which is a pretty good indicator that it hasn’t suffered any serious accident damage in its life, something that is always a risk in older, high-performance cars of this type.

It still sports both front and rear spoilers, complete with Alpina decals on the front spoiler and model-specific badges on the boot lid. Importantly, the front spoiler hasn’t suffered the fate of so many, falling prey to the ravages of high kerbs or sleeping policemen. 

The unique 18” x 8” Alpina wheels – with their hidden valve cover, remember – are in fine condition, being free of scuffs, dings and other blemishes. They’re shod with high-quality tyres, all of which have good tread. (The rear tyres are new, and the front ones have only covered around 1,000 miles.)

The sunroof still seals tightly and opens and closes - at the press of a button, naturally – as smartly now as it did when the car was new. It even has a removable towbar in the boot, so you could be the proud owner of the coolest caravan towing combination in the country.

Faults are pretty much limited to a tiny – and we do mean tiny – spot of rust just inside the boot opening (please see photo for details). We are pretty sure that this car is still covered in its original paint, in fact our valeter commended the whole car, inside and out, as the best condition car he's seen us auction so far.

The cream leather seats are in incredible condition for their age, having only light creasing and signs of wear, which is hardly surprising as the car has only covered an average of 1,700 miles a year…

The rest of the interior is just as impressive: this thing still smells like a new car, the Alpina steering wheel is present and correct, as is the build plaque with the car’s build number, and the Alpina-fit over-mats, including the one for the boot.

The headlining is clean and taut, and the door cards are free of damage and wear. The extensive wooden veneer trim is in fabulous condition. Hell, it’s even still got its period BMW in-car telephone set in the armrest between the front seats; how cool is that?

The in-car computer still works, and the vehicle has been fitted with a discreet aftermarket Parrot Bluetooth system to operate your mobile phone.

Oh, and it still has its original toolkit and first aid kit in the boot, which is a lovely touch as these things tend to go walkabout as owners look for a momento of their car now that no-one buys Haynes workshop manuals anymore…

The Alpina had a recent service in May 2019, which included two new Pirelli tyres, a new set of spark plugs and coil packs. The owner tells us that the work transformed the car, restoring full power: “it now goes just as well as my other one did when it was new,” he told us. The vehicle also had a new battery in June 2019.

The engine bay is very clean and tidy, and it wouldn’t take a great deal of effort to get it into show-winning condition, should the new owner be that way inclined. The underside is clean too, and free of rust and damage.

The only faults we are aware of are the rear upper suspension ball joints, which the recent MOT test identified as being in need of replacement. That’s not bad for a 20-year-old, high-performance car, is it?

The online MOT history shows nothing that would concern us and confirms the car’s low mileage. The MOT certificate itself expires in May 2020 and the V5 registration certificate correctly shows the car as being registered as an Alpina.

The car comes with its original owner’s handbook and Alpina wallet containing the stamped service history book and instruction manuals, including one for the telephone. It also has a large number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the recent work that has been done to it.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

The Alpina B10 is a much rarer, and some say better, car than the BMW M5 that everyone else bought. As such, it is a much sought after modern classic and one that will always find a ready buyer.

The price of good ones should do well in the medium to long-term, too. While the price of M5s has rocketed in recent years, the Alpina is still a bit of a slow-burner, which means they’re spectacular value at the moment. They’re a safe place to put your money, too, which makes the guide price of £16,000 to £20,000 look like great value.

And please remember that the market only values the very best examples, and this is one of the very best we’ve seen. It is in fabulous condition, drives brilliantly, wants for almost nothing, and has the hard-copy provenance to back it all up.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive. 

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.