ALPINA DIALS UP THE DROOL...

When production of the BMW Z8 ceased in ’02, responsibility shifted from Munich to Buchloe. Alpina’s take was subtly different, turning it into a US-focused GT car. The big change was dropping the S62 V8 and manual ’box in favour of a 280kW/520Nm 4.8-litre F5 engine from the Alpina B10 V8 S mated to a five-speed ZF auto. Alpina had wanted to fit a BMW V12 but ran into space issues. BMW North America ordered 450 cars from a run of 555 globally. With their multispoke 20in wheels, blue-faced dials and Switchtronic gear shift buttons, the more sybaritic Alpina Roadster V8 was perhaps the road car the Z8 should have been all along.