Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo sedan and wagon debut at Frankfurt motor show

Leave it to BMW's most pinstripe-stickered tuner to come up with a car just for automotive journalists. That's right: Alpina has built a diesel BMW 3-series sedan and wagon duo and has taken them to the Frankfurt motor show to taunt scribes whose countries will probably not be getting them, and that likely includes the U.S.

Even though the D3 Bi-Turbo is diesel powered, fuel economy was not the first thing on Alpina's mind. Instead, the company focused on getting the 3.0-liter twin-turbo diesel inline-six to produce 345 hp and an almost ridiculous 516 lb-ft of torque. As these figures suggest, all-wheel drive might be a good option box to check, as well-balanced as BMW's standard rear-wheel drive layout might be.

Perhaps the most impressive figure associated with this car is its ability to get to 62 mph in just 4.6 seconds. We'll save you from looking up the outgoing BMW M3's numbers -- the D3 Bi-Turbo is quicker by a tenth. If that's not upsetting enough (for North American BMW fans, that is), the mpg figures are smack in the middle of those offered by gas-saving hybrids on this side of the pond: up to 44.3 mpg U.S., 53.2 mpg U.K. And this is in a wagon that will do 173 mph.

We're pretty sure we can get the wagon version in brown to complete the journo dream trifecta, but Alpina's signature blue looks fantastic, too.

By Jay Ramey