2012 BMW Alpina B3 GT3

‘NX62 HZU’ was bought new by a private owner in Japan – and those of you who’ve been paying attention over the years will know by now we have nothing but good things to say about cars that have spent their lives there as they’re invariably beautifully curated in addition to having lived without the corrosive influence of road salt.

Finished in Alpina Blue II and number 13 of the 99 built, it has been in the UK for just over two years now and is being offered with a long and advisory-free MoT.
 

This Alpina B3 GT3 could be THE poster car for buying a car from Japan: At 12 years old and having covered 167,000kms (or 104,000 miles) it looks like a car that’s covered half that.

Sure, there are the usual stonechips, including to the Alpina badge on the front splitter, but there are fewer than you’ve got any right to expect given its age and use. Even better news comes with the fact that there are no dents, dinks, or other damage either. It’s also got great shutlines, and the flanks run straight and true.

The Alpina badges are all present and correct, not that you really need them to tell the world they’re looking at something very special as the carbonfibre splitter, door mirrors, and rear wing are not only all in an excellent condition but add considerably to the car’s massive street presence. (They probably help with track aero too, but that’s probably by-the-by, eh?)

The forged wheels are also quite the event because they’re not only unmarked and free of any serious scrapes, they’re also ridiculously light, marked ‘front’ and ‘rear’ in case your pit crew get confused, and fitted with new and matching Continental SportContact 7 tyres.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

As for work you will need to do, there is some loss of lacquer from the front bumper near the same lamp.

That’s it.
 

The interior is every bit as special and, dare we say, OTT as the exterior.

The Alpina-trimmed leather ‘n’ Alcantara Recaro seats are backed up by a Alcantara dashboard – and the flappy-paddles for the six-speed gearbox mean you can keep both hands on the gorgeous Alcantara-covered Alpina steering wheel, enabling you to concentrate on keeping your lines inch-perfect.

And what seats they are. Proper racing bucket seats to hold you firmly during the sort of high-G jinx the Alpina revels in, they’re heated too. As comfortable to sit in as they are joyous to behold, they might be our favourite seats of 2024. (So far; we’d love to hear from you if think you’ve seen better!)

The door cards are not only in an excellent condition but feature the Alpina logo on their Alcantara inserts. Ditto the dashboard insert in front of the passenger – and you’ll find even more Alcantara on the gearknob, handbrake, and centre console.

This is a very tactile car.

The dashboard is Alpina blue, and there is plenty of blue and green Alpina stitching throughout the cabin plus a plaque confirming its build number of 13/99 at the front of the (very good) headlining.

A SuperCat Z955si radar detector has been fitted. We aren’t sure how useful it will be over here but there’s no denying it’s a pretty cool talking point.

As for the boot, it’s not only clean and well presented but even the netting luggage restraint is taut and undamaged. Another reassuring sign is the presence of the first aid kit in its recess: With cars of this rarity, it’s the little things that separate the excellent cars from the ones that are merely good.

There is some work to do to bring it back to its former glory though because the plastic trim around the start button has lost some paint. 
 

July 2022 saw the car being fettled by Darren Wood, the work including having the two front JW coilovers rebuilt by Cornering Force.

We are told this builds on servicing in Japan that is “a perfect BMW/Alpina service history from the Nicole Automobiles, the supplying dealer and sole Alpina concessionaire in Japan.”

As for the rest, the engine and underbonnet area is as clean as you’d expect given the care with which this example has been maintained and then prepared for sale. The KW camber plates are also in situ still, as is the Alpina chassis number with the BMW one crossed out.

The underside also shows twin Akrapovic exhaust tailpipes, which bodes well for it still being in possession of the correct lightweight exhaust system.
 

The Alpina’s MoT certificate, which is valid until March 2025, was issued with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar markers for being an imported car and being untaxed.

The history file has an invoice for the recent work by Darren Wood along with paperwork from its time in Japan.
 

Autocar again: “It could still be the best handling 3 series of its generation”, which makes our guide price of between £30,000 and £35,000 look like a real bargain given its performance and collector potential.

With a “more theatrical power delivery” than an M3, this Alpina melds some of the best engineering in the business with meticulous curation.

You’ll be its first UK keeper, too, which is always nice to see on the V5, isn’t it?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Weeton, Lancashire. To arrange an appointment to view this vehicle 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’.