F30 D3 performance

[Tommyt2]

Hi guys so here goes , I have my Alpina 5 years now , it’s a 2014 f30 D3 with 50k miles I’ve done 5k since July 2017. So my question or observation is this . I came from a 2013 f30 330d and at the time the main thing I noticed between the two cars was the lack of instant throttle response from the Alpina , of course it is an awful lot faster but felt different . I asked the dealer and they ran some tests and all came back perfectly Normal. The car is very very fast but that instant punch when on and off the throttle is not the same as a 330d. Fast forward to yesterday I drove a 2018 430d and the throttle in that has made me think about this again. It’s super responsive and instantly punchy . Almost like a petrol . If you leave off the accelerator and jump back on it again , there is no wait/lag just instant punch . So I’m wondering is this down to Alpina linear mapping or because there is two turbos on the D3 and one on the 30d engine so it can’t be as punchy ? Is a 335d noticeably less punchy to a 330d?I’m hoping someone here can relate having driven both like me .thanks

[Jonnywishbone]

Having not driven either, I can’t help you.

However, a general observation having driven a few turbocharged BMW’s of recent vintage is that I have to drive them with the gearbox in sport or manual mode, keeping the car in a lower gear so the engine revs keep the turbo(s) on boost and with the drivetrain in its sportiest (SPORT or SPORT+) setting. Anything else and the response feels ever so slightly sluggish to me and that includes in B58 and S58 equipped cars (the former is a single twin scroll turbo and the latter is a twin turbo).

[Yad3100]

I have had or driven a number of modern bmw and the throttle mapping can be different between cars.the distance you push the pedal in relation to throttle butterfly being opened. This is a manufacture trick to make cars either feel fast or slow. Some “tuners” also exploited this to make cars feel faster when they hadn’t done that much to the fuelling and boost maps.

For example the XD in comparison to my previous F30 seems a bit more relaxed in relation to pedal travel vs push, but conversely the resume on the cruise is much more forceful.

My M240 on the other hand was nearly undriveable in traffic in sport mode as the slightest movement would fire you off down the road or leave black lines out a junction.

There is also a secondary button under the pedal, push the button down with some added effort and there can be a period of overboost for overtaking.

[Grumpyjohn1957]

Go to https://www.thealpinaregister.com/powertorque and have a look at the curves.
There are plenty of graphs (stock and otherwise) google will find for the F30 330D.
Interesting reading.

[Tommyt2]

I know what you mean about pedal travel and the lockdown button under the pedal which if possible will drop a gear to allow faster overtaking . This however feels so noticeable even in park just tapping the throttle of the 30d creates an instant rev rather than a softer gentle increase in revs in the Alpina . I guess the best way to tell would be to drive another but that’s not easy as you all will know Alpina’s are few and far between

[churchie386]

The throttle on an Alpina, to my mind at least, seems to be "measured" very well. I'm only a week into my F31 D3 and I think I know what your getting at, but mostly I've driven on A roads in comfort with the box in D. However, in my limited experience of Sport with the transmission in S (and using the gear change buttons), it is not deficient. Certainly comparible to my G21 D3S.

Similarly the brakes, servo'ed just right. Every time I drive an Audi the brakes are feel grabby ... "that's because they are powerful, sir". Really? Alpina's seem weighted spot on. Porsche aren't grabby either - if anything they're under assiated - but always mighty.

[Tommyt2]

Your f31 should be identical to my car , if I change the settings from comfort to sport there is a noticeable difference in throttle response , however the 30d I drove was sharper more sudden /urgent . Not as fast no but a fast stab of the throttle pedal in the 30d had the car surging forward whereas the Alpina seems to think about it and then start to roll in the power gradually

[MikeR]

I remember a few discussions on F30 Bimmerpost around this (330d v 335d). Some owners fitted aftermarket "pedal boxes" gizmos which apparently could adjust the response to "how you like it".

[Cooknerkid]

I seem to remember reading somewhere -dont know where- that the Alpina throttle was different to the majority of cars in as much as : With other cars they were at '' full throttle'' at half way down the pedal movement. With Alpinas they are more responsive to the pedal position. On my F30 D3bt I tried pushing the pedal right down to the floor and it does seem to react quicker . It might be just subconscious mind games though by Alpina ?? !!!
As Churchie stated, using the buttons on the steering wheel does the job for me ....

[Tommyt2]

I think we’re talking about different things here . I’m not talking about the dripping of gears or shift speeds . I’m saying car in park even and tap the throttle pedal and the 330d and 430d appear to rev more instantly with no delay

[Cooknerkid]

Ahh , OK understood I thought you meant throttle response when driving - I have not revved the 330d or 430d .....

[Ali_cat]

To wade in here I think that the pedal feel in the alpina is a lot different to other cars. You can get a device which plugs into the pedal and speeds up the pedal response if you wanted to bring it more to the feel of a 330d etc. I have one for sale, will put the link below.

https://global.cksperformance.com/produ ... -2004-2011

Let me know if you’re interested.