BMW Alpina B5 GT

With a 205mph top speed and M5 CS-rivalling outputs, this limited-edition, V8-powered 5-series is Alpina's fastest and most powerful model ever

- SAM JENKINS

BEGINNING IN 1976 WITH THE ULTRA-RARE BB2, Alpina has been putting its stamp on BMW's 5-series for almost half a century, fettling dynamics, design and performance to produce some of the finest fast saloons we've seen. The limited-edition G30 B5 GT, and accompanying G31 B5 GT Touring, is Alpina's final take on the 5-series in its current form and is also the firm's most potent model to date, with more power than any car in its current or back catalogue.

Step inside its uniquely upholstered interior, thumb the starter button, and the deep, reassuring tones of BMW's 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged N63 V8 fill the cabin. While this is the same unit found in the M550i, Alpina has made numerous changes in order to achieve the B5 GT's headline 625bhp figure. In addition to the standard B5's uprated cooling system, pistons, turbochargers and transmission, the GT is equipped with a less restrictive, flow-optimized intake, a modified exhaust centre section and an ECU update. The result is a 13bhp uplift from the regular B5 and a 75bhp advantage over the M550i, bringing the GT's output to just a single horsepower shy of the hardcore M5 CS's. Peak torque stands at 627lb ft between 3500 and 5000rpm, some 74lb ft more than the CS offers.