So the time has come...

[bal]

Have you looked at Alpinas? Much more exclusive and more torquey than An M product. However if a more focussed car is what you're after then M is the way to go..

I had an Alpina B5 for 2 years before I picked up my RS6 a couple of months ago and I never really got on with it. It had a lot of power (4.4l Supercharged V8 - 493bhp) but you couldn't really push on with it on the corners. As Steve say's I think M is definitely the way!

Few piccies of the B5

[stevo55]

Nice! The B5 S was quicker and more powerful than the E60 M5 (Alpina always downplayed their performance figures to avoid clashing with their donor), however I hear you when it comes to the cornering etc. I owned an Alpina Roadster from new for 2 years and it was a great bit of kit. Then in 2006 the Z4M came out and on paper looked pretty much the same. Then I test drove one! Totally different beast and a lairy handful. Was smitten so immediately ordered one and keeping it for 4 years (although I got absolutely hammered when the recession came in). M cars are more sharper and hardcore-especially in the bends. Depends on the type of driver you are I guess but you can't go far wrong with either Marque.

[Shinobi675]

The alpina is lovely, but it's just not an m3 and it doesn't handle like an m3....

The compromise is a b8 rs4 and I'm going to see one (hi Ross) on Sunday... So it's going to be interesting!

[Surrey Sam]

... but the 335d is in many ways a better car than the M3 and with just a simple remap will match one for pace

Had both and strongly disagree.

The only products that rival the ///M power ones are ACS and Hartge.