New Alpina B5 Biturbo Promo Video Makes Us Really Jealous
We can’t help but wonder why wagons aren’t popular in North America.
The new Alpina B5 Biturbo actually made its debut earlier this year at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, but the company has released a new video showcasing the wagon variant. Based on the new BMW 5 Series Touring, the Alpina B5 Biturbo is powered by a 4.4-liter V8 engine generating 608 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. With a zero-to-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 3.6 seconds, it’s one of the fastest family cars in the world, but unfortunately it’s not sold in North America. Oh yeah, it also has a top speed of 202 mph (325 km/h).
SEE ALSO: Alpina’s Latest Creation is its Quickest One Yet
Those that desire a high-performance wagon will have to look at the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon, which is available in the U.S. Sporting a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, the Mercedes-AMG entry packs 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, figures comparable to the Alpina B5 Biturbo. There’s also the upcoming Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo to look forward to, which will likely satisfy the luxury, high-performance wagon crowd with its 542 horsepower twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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"We cant help but wonder why wagons arent popular in North America." I don't. 1) NHTSA and DOT regulate wagons as passenger vehicles. 2) As minivans get popular, automakers take advantage of the fact that they are still regulated as trucks, and convince car buying Americans that wagons are seriously uncool. 3) As minivans are increasingly built based on cars, some regulations are tightened on those vehicles. 4) Automakers begin pushing SUVs, which are still regulated as trucks, and advertise minivans as uncool, while no longer even mentioning station wagons. 5) Automakers gradually stop building or importing wagons to the U.S. citing the low demand they basically drove.