Alpina B10 and B12 for sale
4 cars in stock right now, inspected in the European country where they are located, priced landed at a US port with the import paperwork done.
1998 Alpina B10 V8
duty at rate in effect
1998 Alpina B10 3.2
duty at rate in effect
1992 Alpina B12 5.0
duty at rate in effect
1990 Alpina B10 BiTurbo (E34)
duty at rate in effect
Alpina is a manufacturer in its own right in Germany, not a tuner: it buys BMW bodies in white and builds its own cars, with its own VIN series. The B10 BiTurbo (1989–1994) was the fastest sedan in the world at launch with 360 hp; the B10 V8 and B10 3.2 followed on the E39; the B12 5.0 put a 350 hp V12 in the 7 Series. None was sold through BMW North America.
Why Americans want it
An M5 is a car people recognise. An Alpina is one almost nobody does, and it is rarer: 507 B10 BiTurbos were built in five years. The hand-finished interiors, the twenty-spoke wheels and the deco stripes are unmistakable to anyone who knows, and invisible to everyone else.
What the US never got
- B10 BiTurbo (E34), 1989–1994, 3.5-litre twin-turbo six, 360 hp.
- B10 V8 and V8 S (E39), 4.6 and 4.8-litre, 340–375 hp.
- B10 3.2 (E39), 272 hp naturally aspirated six with a manual gearbox.
- B12 5.0 and 5.7 (E32, E38), V12 flagships.
Eligible years (25-year rule)
Cars built up to 2001 are eligible now. The B10 BiTurbo and the E32 B12 have been legal for years; the E39 B10 V8 and 3.2 follow build month by build month through 2026.
What to look for
- Alpina documentation: the build number plaque, the Alpina VIN and the factory certificate. Without them the car is a converted BMW, worth a fraction.
- BiTurbo specifics: turbos, the cooling system and the Alpina-specific engine management. Parts come from Buchloe and are expensive.
- V12 maintenance: the B12 is two engines’ worth of ignition and cooling. Budget accordingly.
- Rust: E34 jacking points and rear arches; E39 front wings and the rear subframe mounting area.
- Originality: correct Alpina wheels, interior and steering wheel. Replacements exist but cost real money.
Typical landed price
Europe: roughly €21,500 for an E39 B10 V8 to €167,500 for a collector B12 5.0, with the B10 BiTurbo around €99,000. Landed at Newark or Baltimore with duty at the rate in effect on entry: roughly $38,500–$253,000.
Registration notes
- California: built after 1967, gasoline; CARB lab certification applies, not guaranteed.
- Fuel: gasoline.
- Title: the car carries an Alpina VIN, not a BMW one. A US VIN decoder will return nothing, and some DMVs hesitate. The CBP entry package is the source document; we supply the Alpina build certificate with it.
Our take
Buy the paperwork first and the car second. An Alpina without its build certificate and matching VIN is a BMW with stripes, and the gap between the two is the whole value of the car.
FAQ
Were Alpinas sold in the United States?
Not these. BMW of North America has offered a handful of Alpina-badged models in recent years, but the B10 BiTurbo, B10 V8, B10 3.2 and B12 of this era were European-market cars.
Is Alpina a tuner or a manufacturer?
A manufacturer. Alpina is registered as a car maker in Germany and its cars carry Alpina VINs, not BMW ones.
Will a US DMV accept an Alpina VIN?
Yes, working from the CBP entry package rather than a VIN decoder. We supply the Alpina build certificate to go with it.