LHD and RHD specs differences. Why?

[440]

Hi all. I was looking an Instagram post about the new Alpina XD3/4 and someone spotted the LHD and RHD have different specs, ie. 394/355 bhp and 800/730Nm. Why do RHD lose so much power/torque? It's a loss of around 10%!

Is this a common thing with Alpina engines?

[Bob]

It’s been an ‘issue’ since the G3x D5S and G01 XD3/4.

The LHD cars get the U1 & U3 engines which are based on the 550d quad-turbo engine but due to the location of turbos it’s not possible to fit that engine to RHD’s. So they got the U2 which is based on the 540d twin turbo engine.

[AG]

and if you look over the past cars that have been sold in the UK our RHD set up did have an impact on stuff like header locations and turbo positions on various BMW's and Alpina's

[Jules Sunleu]

Another bit of Alpina trivia I didn't know - every day is a learning day!

[Bob]

Another bit of Alpina trivia I didn't know - every day is a learning day!

Even more fun trivia: on the U1 & U3 engines ALPINA actually bin the quad-turbo setup for their own tri-turbo configuration. One low pressure and two high pressure turbos.

[Jules Sunleu]

Another bit of Alpina trivia I didn't know - every day is a learning day!

Even more fun trivia: on the U1 & 3 engines ALPINA actually bin the quad-turbo setup for their own tri-turbo configuration. One low pressure and two high pressure turbos.

Love it. We need an 'Alpina Diploma' course for all this stuff!

[330d]

Another bit of Alpina trivia I didn't know - every day is a learning day!

Even more fun trivia: on the U1 & 3 engines ALPINA actually bin the quad-turbo setup for their own tri-turbo configuration. One low pressure and two high pressure turbos.

Is that correct? I don't think it is as the UK D5s is a twin turbo setup just like the 540d.

[Bob]

Another bit of Alpina trivia I didn't know - every day is a learning day!

Even more fun trivia: on the U1 & 3 engines ALPINA actually bin the quad-turbo setup for their own tri-turbo configuration. One low pressure and two high pressure turbos.

Is that correct? I don't think it is as the UK D5s is a twin turbo setup just like the 540d.

The statement is correct for D5S and XD3’s with the U1 and U3 engines which were based on the 550d. The RHD/UK cars had the U2 engine which was based on the BiTurbo 540d engine

[440]

Thanks all for your comments. Really interesting to know these facts. Now, in my opinion these models should be named different to "standard" cars, for example, XD3 in the normal configuration and XD3S for RHD models. Specially when the base engines are completely different and so are the engine specs.

[Swizzer2020]

Another point, why oh why won’t they make the current D5 available as a Touring?! Clearly they can see demand given the number of new 3 series Tourings sold. I don’t know anybody who buys saloons these days.

I’d buy one in a flash!

[Bob]

Now, in my opinion these models should be named different to "standard" cars, for example, XD3 in the normal configuration and XD3S for RHD models. Specially when the base engines are completely different and so are the engine specs.

That would make sense and is something ALPINA have done previously.

The 'S' moniker has previously been used for the mid-life cycle updates such as the E46 B3 3.3 & B3 S or E9x B3 BiTurbo to B3 S BiTurbo but they seem to've abandonded that with the pre-LCI G2x D3S & G3x D5S.

There was the F10 D5 Turbo which was specifically for the Japanese market and differed from the D5 BiTurbo in that it was based on the 530d's N57D30B (O1) single turbo engine rather than the 535d's N57D30B (T1)