Disappointing XD3 review in Car

Post by **neil** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 8:39 am

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Sea ... AR-review/

3/5 but pretty scathing review

GuyW · Post by **GuyW** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 10:34 am

Odd review. CAR mag's issues are not so much with the ALPINA per se, but with the concept of a fast SUV.

And yet Porsche make a mad Cayenne Turbo and Diesel S, and BMW make the X5M and X6M.

And this is the first time anyone has described the ALPINA ride as 'cattle grid'. I've not driven the XD3 but no other review has complained (indeed most have complimented the ride/handling balance).

Sounds like a journalist who doesn't agree with fast SUVs.

dodgyken · Post by **dodgyken** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:18 am

Trust the in house reviews

Alpina XD3

I had a plan. A grand vision of what the future would be. Saturday was going to be the beginning. The genesis of the realization. And yet between midday on Friday and 9am on Saturday things all went wrong.

The plan was simple: Part exchange the B3X against a B6S convertible - and buy an X5 3.0D - which is capable of hauling the race-car and trailer round the country.

The plan was blown out of the water when a long standing client bought the B6S on the Friday - and the X5 was also sold. The salesman was keen not to let my trip go to waste. He found out the XD3 could tow 2,400kg - and threw me the keys to the "sold" car saying "Be careful"

For me, an SUV is a bad idea, it offers worse on road dynamics, economy and performance to its normal touring cousin. The only point it could win on was the towing capacity - 2,400kg against 1,800kg for the D3. My initial test route heads out through town - with far from perfect tarmac. I knocked the suspension into SPORT mode and got the chance to experience just how stiffly set up the XD3 can be. The answer is very stiff indeed - and even later knock it down to COMFORT wasn't enough to round off the edges quite as much as I would like for an Alpina. The 8 speed gearbox might well be excellent - but in a diesel, with 700nm, you begin to get lost in the ratios - especially as you escape the 50kmh limit and gun it. Acceleration is beyond brisk - and is accompanied by an engine note which is distinctly undiesel. That is not to say you complete escape the reminder of its compression based power production - but it is a long way from being a Massey Ferguson.

The road winds up out to Trubbuch, over a small ridge and then down into Maienfeld - the home of Heidi. The road has a hairpin, a couple of fast off camber corners, plenty of undulations and a chance to really test the XD3. Even by the hairpin the XD3 was already demonstrating very car like handling properties. The lateral grip it generates is hugely impressive - and the way it will put down 700nm - especially out of low gear corners - is hugely impressive. The engine spins round past 4,500rpm with ease - and the sonorous delivery makes chasing the redline an enjoyable experience. Not something you hear very often about a diesel. Despite the XD3s size it feels relatively compact on the road, it doesn't feel bloated - and will happily nip through smaller than expected gaps.

By the time we parked back up the computer read under 10l/100km, which was remarkable considering the hammering it had taken.

The XD3 is a positively likeable all rounder. It is oddly more characterful than the B3 - perhaps that is the unexpected mix of scary back road capabilities and awesome all round practicality - but I suspect it is more to do with the engine being rather special indeed.

The stumbling block is that specced to the same level as a B3 Touring xDrive will leave your wallet equally empty.

ali · Post by **ali** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:25 am

Not the best review but you can't please all the people all of the time

jolls · Post by **jolls** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 1:57 pm

There's only one way to find out whether it's for you and that's to test drive it.

Post by **neil** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:55 pm

It made me question whether anyone had actually driven it !

Post by **neil** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:56 pm

GuyW wrote: And yet Porsche make a mad Cayenne Turbo and Diesel S, and BMW make the X5M and X6M.

Or the Range Rover Sport or etc etc.

It's not like ALPINA have done something new - other than mate probably the best engine for performance and economy into the already well established sector !

mac · Post by **mac** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:22 pm

TBH....I thought PistonHeads review was worse!!

From the text in that I got the distinct impression that PH looked at it and said 'I am not driving that' then gave a totally sh1t review.

If you look @ the video review Neil did he stated it was a 'Marmite Car', the reviewer from the magazine obviously does not like Marmite!

When I get 20 minutes I will sit down and give my opinion but with just having moved house I have not had the time.
It has a few things I am not keen on but as an overall package I think it is blinking fantastic.

At the Alpina meet I was a bit disappointed to hear some derogatory comments from a one or two regarding my choice of car!
But hayho I was with specialists who know more about motors than I will ever know.

Each to their own!
Otherwise we would all be driving exactly the same.

Follow an F30 and you have to take a double take to see it is not an E90, side on it looks very similar also, if you have a casual glance it does imho but if you follow an XD3 you know it is an XD3. I wanted something a bit different. I do not drive like a loon everywhere I go, although I have had my moments of madness, so do not require sublime handling over every road on every journey.
The XD3 does me fine!

Mac.

big blue · Post by **big blue** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:50 pm

mac wrote:The XD3 does me fine!
Mac.

I agree that the XD3 is a marmite car but arn't all Alpina's? People react to the alloys, decals, colours, rarity, values, insurance and yaddayadda ya etc in different ways.

When a new model is launched it is always marmite until it gets bedded in. I remember when the first D3 came out and some of the purists and petrol head diehards were aghast - A low spec chip pan which was officially an Alpina!!!!

The first Alpina to really catch my eye was a green E46 B3 which I had the privilege to see brand new. Green is not my colour but in some respects it hits the spot in a way that a standard bimmer does not.

Look forward to seeing you and your Alpina at a meet in 2014 Mac

big blue · Post by **big blue** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 12:19 am

neil wrote:It made me question whether anyone had actually driven it !

Just read this review again and I would agree with this statement. The review is almost like it is from someone who has read about the XD3 already and not actually driven it.

Also the images on the review are 100% taken from Alpina stock photography rather than the actual test mule. There are also inaccuracies in some of the data on the review such as incorrect Co2 emissions, top speed AND mpg info (yes the really important stuff) which is a bit lazy of the reviewer.

I give the review itself a 2/5.............No in fact as I have only half read it, not purchased the mag and approached things in a really lazy casual manner I will give it a 1/5

dodgyken · Post by **dodgyken** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:59 am

mac wrote: The XD3 does me fine!

Mac.

I rather liked it. I am not an SUV fan (although I now have a Disco - for towing) and so I really wanted to dislike the XD3.

700nm is never boring!