In Brief:

• A tidy example of an E46 generation Alpina B3 S Cabriolet
• Finished in Titan Silver Metallic over a Light Silver Nappa leather interior with a Black soft top
• Owned by the current keeper for the last 10 years
• 5 former keepers
• Accompanied by a strong history file including stamped service book

Auctioneer's Notes:

A lovely example of the desirable E46-based Alpina B3 S Cabriolet, combining the elegant proportions of BMW's E46 Convertible with Alpina's trademark blend of performance, refinement and exclusivity. Finished in Titan Silver Metallic over a Light Silver Nappa leather interior with a Black soft top, this example has been owned by the current keeper for the last 10 years and records just five former keepers. The original order sheet highlights an impressive factory specification including Dynamic Stability Control, Alpina's hand-built 3.4-litre 'S' engine, Deco-Set deletion, Alpina model badging, electrically folding mirrors, graduated tinted windscreen, wind deflector, Black soft top, heated seats, Bi-Xenon headlamps, television, satellite navigation, Bluetooth functionality, Harman Kardon Hi-Fi and High Gloss Shadow Line trim. With its understated styling, classic Alpina multi-spoke appearance and discreet performance credentials, the B3 S Cabriolet represents a particularly appealing alternative to the more overt E46 M3 Convertible.

Maintenance & Condition:

The car presents as an attractive and well-specified example, with the Titan Silver Metallic paintwork complemented by its Grey leather cabin and Black electrically operated soft top. It should be noted that the engine is currently running lumpily, although this does improve slightly as the car reaches operating temperature. Prospective purchasers should therefore allow for investigation and any associated remedial work. The accompanying service booklet contains nine stamps recording maintenance between 2006 at 22,147 miles and 2024 at 95,920 miles. The history file also contains invoices for servicing, parts and maintenance amounting to almost £13,000, demonstrating a considerable level of expenditure throughout the car's life.

History:

Accompanying the car is a particularly good history file, including the original leather-bound Alpina bookpack, MOT certificates dating back to its first test in 2004, the original order sheet and a substantial collection of invoices. The Alpina bookpack contains the Owner's Handbook, Supplementary Owner's Handbook, Operating Instructions for the On-Board Computer, Dealer Warranty and Emergency Service Handbook, Dealership Directory for Europe 2003/2004 and the Service Booklet. The Service Booklet itself contains nine service stamps covering the period from 2006 at 22,147 miles through to 2024 at 95,920 miles. Of particular interest is the original order sheet, which provides a detailed record of the specification selected when the car was new and further reinforces the provenance of this individual example.

The Model:

Introduced in 2002, the Alpina B3 S represented the ultimate development of Alpina's E46-based B3 range and offered a distinctly different proposition to BMW's contemporary M3. Where the M3 was developed with a more overtly sporting character, Alpina concentrated on creating a rapid yet refined grand tourer, combining strong performance with greater emphasis on comfort, torque delivery and long-distance usability. At the heart of the B3 S was Alpina's hand-built 3.4-litre straight-six engine, producing approximately 305 bhp and 362 Nm of torque. This represented a significant development over the earlier 3.3-litre B3 and endowed the car with effortless performance throughout the rev range. Most Cabriolet examples were equipped with Alpina's Switch-Tronic automatic transmission, allowing manual gear selection via buttons positioned on the steering wheel while retaining the relaxed nature expected of an Alpina. The B3 S also benefited from Alpina-specific suspension tuning, designed to offer a more compliant ride than an M3 while maintaining impressive body control and high-speed stability. Externally, the B3 S remained suitably discreet, typically distinguished by its Alpina front spoiler, subtle rear detailing, signature multi-spoke alloy wheels and restrained badging. The cabin received equally distinctive Alpina touches including unique instrumentation and model-specific trim. Out of the total 224 B3 S models allocated to the entire UK market, only 161 were convertibles, making it vastly scarcer than its contemporary BMW M3 counterpart.

Sale Insight:

The Alpina B3 S Cabriolet occupies an appealing position within the modern classic market, combining genuine performance pedigree with low-volume production, distinctive Alpina engineering and the everyday usability of the E46 platform. This example is further enhanced by its attractive colour combination, lengthy current ownership, strong specification and comprehensive supporting history, including its original Alpina bookpack and order documentation. The current running issue will naturally warrant investigation, but for an enthusiast prepared to address this, the car represents an interesting opportunity to acquire one of the more exclusive and understated performance convertibles of the E46 era.

Estimate:
£10,000 - £12,500