MODERN CLASSICS 77
This is a car designed purely as a
GT,nota supercarinGTfinery.That
meansthatthetorquewaveis instant,
andwhenthesuperchargerspools
you’recatapultedforwardswiththe
forceof a comethittingyourback.
Thegearbox,thoughnot idealfor
B-roadthrill-stylesharpchanges,is
perfectforthoselong-rangeslingshots
pastdawdlers.It’slessintelligenton
the tight,hillyroadsthrough
Castleton’svillages,strugglingto
workoutwhento changedown,but
that’swhatyourleftthumb’sfor...
You’re likely to be less busy with the
steering–thoughtheAlpinacanbe
hustledalongtighterroads,that’snot
whatthiscaris allabout.Thesteering
feelsheavier,slightlylessdirect–
exactlywhatyouwantat three-figure
speedsontheautobahn.It’sthekind
ofcarthatcouldsitat 140mphfor
hours,longsweepersdispatchedwith
nonchalantease.It doesn’tletitself
downwhencornering,butthereisn’t
the M6’simmediacy,noritsrigidlack
ofroll.In manywaysthat’sa goodthing
- the Alpinadoesn’tfeellikeit’sabout
to be skewed sideways by mid-corner
bumpsor corrugations–it feels
thoroughlyplantedina waytheM 6
simplydoesn’t.
Alpina’smasteryof suspensionis
legendary–foryearsthey’vehoned
the sweetspotbetweensportiness
andcomfort.There’sa pure
assurednessto thewaytheAlpina
soaksupthemorecorrugatedsections
ofBlakeyRidge.Alpinadidoffertwo
settingsforthedriverto choosefrom,
one predictablyharderthantheother,
but bothdo a farbetterjobof
Alpina
wallops M6
for torque.
Alpina B6 S
3
UK cars left