ALPINA has always had a special place in the hearts of BMW enthusiasts. With their timeless cool looks, increased performance and impressive luxury, ALPINAs have always struck a great balance between performance and comfort. They’ve also always been far more exclusive than anything from BMW’s M Division and just a bit more special. So it’s no surprise to hear that the new ALPINA B4 S is actually a better daily driving sports car than the BMW M4.

According to this new review from Auto Express, the B4 S is just as fast as the M4, yet far more comfortable, easier to live with everyday and far more luxurious. It’s also rarer and less ostentatious.

Based on the newly-facelifted BMW 440i, the ALPINA B4 S doesn’t have any sort of fancy bespoke engine or motorsport-inspired technology. Instead, the folks at ALPINA simply just tune the 4 Series to be far better than the standard car while adding their own bit of flash. So under the hood lies BMW’s older N55 3.0 liter I6 engine that gets another turbocharger, making it bi-turbo, and some other ALPINA-specific modifications. That gives it 434 hp, or almost ten horsepower more than the BMW M4. Though, the ALPINA packs a lot more torque than the M Division product, making a whopping 486 lb-ft. That helps the B4 S get from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, which is about exactly the same as a BMW M4 Competition Package, despite being heavier.

It also sounds better than the BMW M4. While the M4 sounds okay, it’s just not a great sounding car and that ruins a lot of the excitement. Not only does the B4 S have a better sounding engine to begin with, as the N55 sounds much better than the M4’s S55 as it is, the ALPINA B4 S gets its exhaust system from Akrapovic.

On top of its impressive thrust and performance, the ALPINA B4 S is also beautifully trimmed and gorgeously appointed. The leather inside is far nicer than anything a standard 4 Series could provide. It also looks incredible, thanks to its ALPINA-specific livery and those classically gorgeous wheels.  Combine all of that together and you get a car that’s more well-rounded than the BMW M4. Sure, the M4 is the better pure sports car and is still incredibly usable everyday, but the ALPINA B4 S might just be a bit better at splitting its time between performance and comfort.

[Source: Auto Express]