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BMW Alpina B5 vs Jaguar XF

What's the difference?

VS
BMW Alpina B5
BMW Alpina B5

2020 price

Jaguar XF
Jaguar XF

$36,990 - $38,350

2018 price

Summary

2020 BMW Alpina B5
2018 Jaguar XF
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Twin Turbo V8, 4.4L

Diesel Turbo V6, 3.0L
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded Petrol

Diesel
Fuel Efficiency
10.9L/100km (combined)

5.9L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • Cleaning the wheels
  • Room and storage space could be better
  • Not the most engaging car to drive

  • The cost
  • No Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
  • Not really a five seater for long trips
2020 BMW Alpina B5 Summary

The BMW Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo is not actually a BMW. Not according to the German Federal Motor Transport Authority, at least.

Nope, the modifications applied by tuning house Alpina to the 5 Series are deemed so significant that if you open the bonnet and look inside the engine bay, you'll see that the BMW VIN has been struck through twice and an Alpina vehicle number stamped underneath it. 

The B5 is not the first model to be recognised in this way, either; the German government has recognised Alpina as a seperate car manufacturer since 1983.

The B5 has other ‘B' siblings, too. There's the B3 S Bi-Turbo, which is based on the BMW 3 Series, the B4 S Bi-Turbo (the BMW 4 Series) and the B7 Bi-Turbo (I don't need to tell you what this is based on, right?) which I've reviewed, too.

So just what has Alpina done to this unsuspecting BMW 5 Series? Is it really worth the extra money? How does the B5 compare to an M5? Could it actually be superior? And did they really take the speed limiter off to let it warp-speed to beyond 300km/h?

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2018 Jaguar XF Summary

If a Jaguar owner fell through a wormhole from 2003, the company they bought their car from would be   almost unrecognisable. Back then, it was a bewildering mess making an odd assortment of cars, yet to emerge into the light after Ford's confused and debilitating period of ownership. 

Why 2003? Fifteen years is a nice round number and pre-dates the arrival of the brand-saving XF.

Today, Jaguar has three SUVs, and the gorgeous F-Type, the XE, its second-generation XF and the big XJ. It has three SUVs (the F-Pace, E-Pace and I-Pace) because without them Jaguar would be a niche manufacturer before long, because big sedans, formerly the brand's trademark, are continuing their gentle decline. Oddly enough, one of the market segments contracting even faster than sedans is wagons

So what better time to launch into a draining pool from the three-metre board than now? Jaguar has bravely taken that risk and brought us the puzzlingly named XF Sportbrake.

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Deep dive comparison

2020 BMW Alpina B5 2018 Jaguar XF

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