2005 BMW Alpina B5

We believe this to be one of just 77 Alpina B5s allocated to the UK.

This ‘Orient Blue’ example has had one owner – the vendor – from new and is showing 140,769 miles on the odometer today.

The vendor used the car mainly for motorway miles (80%), and has used it little since he retired in 2019.

We have driven the car and can attest to its still-thunderous performance and ability to casually despatch the miles without breaking into a sweat.

It starts on the button and offers a rare blend of comfort and refinement on the one hand and tidal waves of torque and acceleration on the other.

Like all proper Alpinas, it is bewitchingly Jekyll and Hyde-like in its multi-faceted persona.

It’s also very well screwed-together and wafts along serenely in a manner that belies both its age and its mileage.

The condition of the bodywork is really pretty good, and there are no cracks, holes, creases, ripples, dinks or dents of any real significance anywhere. 

The doors close with plenty of weight, authority and precision, and the shut-lines and panel gaps are clean and consistent. 

From a few metres away the car looks very decent indeed.

Get a little closer, however, and a number of cosmetic issues begin to make themselves known.

Firstly, your attention will be drawn to the wheels, which are suffering alloy corrosion and have acquired numerous scuffs and nick over the years. The centre cap for the o/s/f wheel is missing and can be found hiding in the boot.

There are scratches, stone chips, scuffs and blemishes on every panel, with the worst of the scuffs being on and around the rear bumper.

There is a small indentation on the n/s/r wing. 

There are plenty of stone chips in evidence on the bonnet and front valance.

Much of the exterior rubber trim is cracked, perished and/or missing.

The headlamp cowlings have turned rather green and murky.

The BMW badge on the boot lid seems to have some bubbling beneath its outer surface.

While the interior is intact and perfectly serviceable, it is rather tired and a grubby. 

It could do with being shown a variety of effective cleaning products and plenty of elbow grease.

Grubbiness aside, the perforated ‘Beige Nasca’ leather is in good condition.

The seats, front and back, are comfortable, supportive and, as far as we can ascertain, fully functional.

The same can’t be said of the dashboard cup holders, which have decided that they no longer want to emerge from their recesses.

The headlining is fine (but grubby), as are the carpets and mats.

The steering wheel is following the same script as the rest of the interior in that it is not damaged but is distinctly tired-looking and in need of a good clean and feed.

There is a small nick to the leather on the driver’s door card. 

The plastic shroud housing the window and mirror controls on the driver’s door is scratched and scuffed.

The wood veneers have resisted the vicissitudes of time with commendable stoicism.

Some of the top layer of the plastic around the CD slot has scuffed away.

We didn’t press every button, flip every toggle or tweak every knob, but those we did press, flip and tweak did as they were instructed without misbehaving. 

The dashboard display is showing the generic ‘exclamation mark’ warning. Which could, of course, just mean that the windscreen washer reservoir is low, or something similarly benign.

The impressively capacious boot is in very good order.

The impressive 4398cc 90 degree V8 has 500bhp to offer.  Which should be enough.

The engine bay is dry and tidy, and everything looks to be in its right and proper place. 

The undersides of the car appear to have a good deal of structural integrity. 

As you might imagine of a one-owner-from-new car, its history is comprehensive and well documented.

Serviced variously at HR Owen Chiswick, Berry BMW Chiswick, Marshall BMW Salisbury and Dick Lovett Melksham, it has also visited local (to the vendor) garages for more mundane, routine service jobs such as wheel alignment, tyres, oil changes, MoTs, etc.

It was serviced in February 2024, and had the integrated supply module replaced and new bonnet struts fitted in May 2024. 

It has an MoT certificate that’s valid until 7.2.25.

A few cosmetic issues aside, this is an authentic and original example of what remains a particularly potent and refined autobahn-stormer from the Meister Ingenieure of Ostallgäu.

And this particular example comes with the inestimable bonuses of single-owner provenance and plenty of solid, main dealer history.

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £10,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.