Powertrain families
ALPINA C2/B3 naturally aspirated inline-six
B3 / D3 (E30) — Cabriolet
1987–1992
Editorially reviewedReviewed 2026-08-10; market and model-year scope is stated in the record sources.
- Internal code
- ALPINA B3 E30 Cabriolet
- Production
- 1987–1992
- Body style
- 2-door convertible
- Platform
- longitudinal layout · rear- or all-wheel drive
Body variants
B3 / D3 → E30 → Cabriolet
B3 / D3 E30: history, design and engineering
How this generation came about, what made it different and how the selected cabriolet fits into the family.
E30 is the first 3 Series generation in this catalog to use the B3 name, led by the B3 2.7 from 1987. It belongs to a wider period ALPINA family that also included C2 2.7 and B6 derivatives, so a search result must preserve the badge actually carried by the car.
The B3 2.7 was based on the 325i and appeared as two- and four-door saloon, Touring, Cabriolet and all-wheel-drive variants. Body availability, production dates and performance differ; they cannot be represented by one sedan specification even though the ALPINA engine type is shared.
E30-era ALPINA type designations and individual conversion histories are essential for authentication. Later owner-built replicas, engine conversions and BMW cars wearing ALPINA wheels or stripes are not automatically complete ALPINA automobiles.
1987–1992generation lifecycle
4body branches
1engine/drive families
3range designations
E30factory code
longitudinal layout · rear- or all-wheel drivearchitecture
Cabriolet: dimensions and packaging
Dimensions can change with body, market and model year, so this page keeps them tied to the exact factory branch.
Length4,325 mm
Width1,645 mm
Height1,370 mm
Wheelbase2,570 mm
Luggage≈ 300 L
Fuel tank55 L
Seats4
Doors2-door convertible
| Body | Code | Production | Doors / seats | Length | Luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | ALPINA B3 E30 Sedan | 1987–1992 | 4-door sedan / 5 | 4,325 mm | 425 L |
| Two-door Sedan | ALPINA B3 E30 2-door | 1987–1992 | 2-door sedan / 5 | 4,325 mm | 425 L |
| Touring | ALPINA B3 E30 Touring | 1987–1992 | 5-door wagon / 5 | 4,325 mm | 370–1,125 L |
| Cabriolet | ALPINA B3 E30 Cabriolet | 1987–1992 | 2-door convertible / 4 | 4,325 mm | ≈ 300 L |
Engines and powertrains
The generation could span very different engines and drivetrains. The table keeps output, gearbox, market and production period together.
Factory modification matrix
Documented cabriolet applications; output and availability remain market- and model-year-specific.
| Model | Years | Engine | Output | Transmission | Drive | Market | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C2 2.7 | 1986–1987 | ALPINA 2.7 L inline-six | 204 PS | 5MT / 4AT Switch-Tronic | RWD | Global range | BMW 3 Series E30: ALPINA model history |
| B3 2.7 | 1987–1992 | ALPINA C2/2 2.7 L inline-six | 204 PS | 5MT / 4AT Switch-Tronic | RWD / AWD | Global range | BMW 3 Series E30: ALPINA model history |
Factory designations
B3 2.7 · C2 2.7 · B6 3.5 S
High-performance powertrain
Engine, cooling, exhaust, software and transmission form a distinct M or ALPINA specification rather than an option package on the base model.
Diesel derivatives
Where diesels were offered, output, injection generation and emissions hardware are recorded market by market.
How power reaches the road
Gearboxes, driven wheels and final-drive hardware changed with engine, market and production date.
Transmissions
Gearbox type and unit code follow engine, market and production date. Gear count alone does not identify the transmission.
Driven wheels
Catalog architecture: longitudinal layout · rear- or all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive availability and hardware remain derivative-specific.
Final drive
Ratio, differential type and electronic control belong to the exact derivative and can differ on performance models.
What changed underneath
Suspension, brakes, safety systems and electronics evolved across the range, even when cars shared the same basic architecture.
Body-branch dimensions
- ALPINA B3 E30 Sedan: 4,325 mm × 1,645 mm × 1,380 mm
- ALPINA B3 E30 2-door: 4,325 mm × 1,645 mm × 1,380 mm
- ALPINA B3 E30 Touring: 4,325 mm × 1,645 mm × 1,380 mm
- ALPINA B3 E30 Cabriolet: 4,325 mm × 1,645 mm × 1,370 mm
Body & suspension
- Mounting points and geometry follow the body branch
- Springs and dampers follow axle load and chassis package
- Wheels and permitted loads follow the factory label
Brakes & steering
- Brake size follows engine and equipment
- Assistance type and steering ratio can change
- ABS/DSC generation follows model year
Passive safety
- Airbag count varies by market and year
- SRS parts are VIN-specific
- Structural repairs require factory procedures
Electronics
- Vehicle-bus generations changed during production
- Control-unit software levels must remain compatible
- Retrofits are recorded separately from factory equipment
How the generation evolved
The important launches, additions and updates did not always happen at the same time for every body or market.
B3 2.7 production
The period-correct B3 badge entered the E30 range on a 325i basis.
Body range broadens
Two- and four-door, open and estate programmes created distinct production branches.
All-wheel-drive derivative
Selected B3 2.7 cars used the 325ix base and require their own drivetrain record.
E30 ALPINA production ends
The B3 2.7 programme ended as E36 derivatives took over.
The versions that stood apart
Performance models, option packages and regional editions may look related, but their engineering and production identity can be very different.
Sedan
ALPINA B3 E30 SedanB3 / D3 ALPINA B3 E30 Sedan is a distinct E30 body branch. The conventional four-door passenger-car body, balancing rear-seat access, luggage space and the generation’s core chassis layout. Engines/drive: ALPINA C2/B3 naturally aspirated inline-six.
Two-door Sedan
ALPINA B3 E30 2-doorB3 / D3 ALPINA B3 E30 2-door is a distinct E30 body branch. A two-door three-box body: visually close to a coupe, but catalogued within the model line’s sedan family. Engines/drive: ALPINA C2/B3 naturally aspirated inline-six.
Touring
ALPINA B3 E30 TouringB3 / D3 ALPINA B3 E30 Touring is a distinct E30 body branch. The long-roof estate body adds a large rear opening and folding load area while retaining the passenger-car platform. Engines/drive: ALPINA C2/B3 naturally aspirated inline-six.
Cabriolet
ALPINA B3 E30 CabrioletB3 / D3 ALPINA B3 E30 Cabriolet is a distinct E30 body branch. An open body with a folding roof and generation-specific structural reinforcement, seating and luggage packaging. Engines/drive: ALPINA C2/B3 naturally aspirated inline-six.
Inside the car
Cabin technology and standard equipment changed by country and year; a build sheet remains the best guide to one individual car.
Cabin & comfort
- Trim and seats follow option codes
- Climate systems vary by market
- Audio and navigation changed by model year
Lighting & assistance
- Lamp technology and modules follow production date
- Driver assistance cannot be inferred from buttons alone
- Regional rules affect lighting and warnings
What to check today
A practical starting point for inspecting and maintaining a car from this generation — not a diagnosis of an individual example.
Identify first
- Match VIN on body and documents
- Obtain the factory option list
- Confirm market and production date
Inspect the structure
- Check repairs and corrosion
- Assess suspension, brakes and tyres
- Compare fitted parts with factory specification
Mechanical history
- Read faults with compatible diagnostics
- Verify engine and transmission maintenance
- Separate invoices from unsupported verbal history
| Item | Interval / trigger | Catalog note |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | CBS/factory schedule; time and mileage for historic cars | Oil approval follows the exact engine and market. |
| Brake fluid | Time-based factory schedule | ABS/DSC-compatible bleeding procedure is required after hydraulic work. |
| Coolant | Factory schedule and condition | Fluid specification and bleeding method are generation-specific. |
| Transmission & final drives | Unit type and operating conditions | Use the exact approved fluid; no one interval fits every derivative. |
How to identify the exact car
The badge and registration year tell only part of the story; production date, body code, engine and factory options complete it.
- Factory body codes
- ALPINA B3 E30 Sedan — Sedan; ALPINA B3 E30 2-door — Two-door Sedan; ALPINA B3 E30 Touring — Touring; ALPINA B3 E30 Cabriolet — Cabriolet
- Range designations
- B3 2.7, C2 2.7, B6 3.5 S
- Powertrain families
- ALPINA C2/B3 naturally aspirated inline-six
- VIN
- Identifies model, plant and production branch and keys the parts catalog and factory equipment record.
- Production date
- More useful than first-registration year when choosing parts and locating technical revisions.
- Type code
- Refines engine, body, market and transmission combination.
- Option codes
- Confirm factory equipment; later retrofits are recorded separately.
- Unit number
- Supports engine or gearbox originality checks and component applicability.
Where the information comes from
The story is mapped through English Wikipedia and its bibliography, then important dates and technical claims are checked against BMW material.
- 01AlpinaWikipedia contributors
Secondary company, manufacturer-status and model-line context.
- 02BMW 3 Series E30: ALPINA model historyALPINA Automobiles model archive
Factory model archive with base BMW, production dates, engine type and performance by derivative.
- 03Expanding the portfolio: BMW Group acquires the ALPINA brandBMW Group PressClub
Primary record of the independent ALPINA programme ending after 2025 and the trademark transition to BMW Group.
Notes and limitations
- Research revision dated 2026-08-10: English Wikipedia was used as a subject and bibliography map; key claims were checked against the listed primary BMW Group material.
- Record original ALPINA type and build number; the commercial badge alone is insufficient for authentication.
- Body and xDrive-era 325ix basis need separate rows despite shared B3 2.7 naming.
- Tree years describe the worldwide generation lifecycle; individual market dates may be narrower.
- Exact dimensions, power, weight and emissions belong at body, engine, market and model-year level.
- Known-issue guidance is editorial context and never replaces inspection of the individual vehicle.
3 primary references · market differences documentedPhotography: Dennis Elzinga, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Rights checked 2026-08-10; wikimedia commons 1,800 px derivative downloaded; local 640 px and 1,280 px avif versions created without cropping.Updated 6 August 2026