by Gabrielle DeSantis

There’s arguably never been more Alpina versions of BMW vehicles available to US buyers than right now. In years past, though, the selection was rather sparser. Just like BMW kept some versions of its M cars overseas, some Alpina models never made it here. But this week on Cars & Bids, there’s a chance to own one of those European forbidden fruits: a 2005 E60 BMW Alpina B5.

The E60 BMW Alpina B5 was the luxurious M5 alternative that US customers couldn’t buy

Even before the first M5 hit the streets, Alpina was offering souped-up versions of regular BMWs. However, Alpina eventually shifted its focus away from sharp and sporty cars and onto fast and luxurious GTs. In other words, cars less for carving back roads and more for storming highways. And in 2005, if European customers wanted E60 BMW M5 performance with a more relaxed attitude, there was the Alpina B5.

The E60 M5 is famous for being the only BMW road car with a V10. But while the Alpina B5 is almost as powerful, it doesn’t have a V10. Instead, it has a supercharged, hand-built version of the 4.4-liter ‘N62’ V8 found in the contemporary 5 Series, Autoweek explains. And besides the supercharger, the V8 also has multiple polished parts, stronger pistons and crankshaft, and an intercooler.

As a result, the 2005 Alpina B5 has 493 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. That goes to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic, enough for a 4.6-second 0-62 mph time, Evo reports. In comparison, the E60 BMW M5’s 5.0-liter V10 makes 500 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque routed through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed single-clutch sequential automatic. And while the V10 revs to 8,250 RPM, its 0-62 mph time is only 0.1 seconds faster. That’s because, not only is it less torquey, but its torque peak is higher in the rev range, PistonHeads explains.

To be sure, the E60 BMW M5 is sportier. But as noted earlier, that’s not what the Alpina B5 is about. True, it has larger brakes than the standard 5 Series, and its retuned suspension is slightly sportier, Evo notes. However, the suspension tweaks focus more on long-distance comfort and better ride quality. And the slightly slower steering is another boon for highway cruising. Plus, the Alpina B5’s automatic is less jerky than the E60 M5’s SMG.

You can buy this imported 2005 BMW Alpina B5 on Cars & Bids

Given that the E60 BMW Alpina B5 was never sold in the US, you’re likely wondering how one ended up on Cars & Bids. That’s because it was imported by Maryland-based J.K. Technologies. When the company brought the B5 over, it was legally modified to meet American safety and emissions regulations. And according to the seller, it should pass California smog checks, too.

Other than J.K. Technologies’ mods, this 2005 Alpina B5 is fully stock. But being an Alpina, it comes well-equipped with luxury features. It has leather upholstery, Alpina’s trademark wheels and body kit, adaptive xenon headlights, heated front and rear seats, navigation, and an Alcantara headliner. The sedan also features a heads-up display, sunroof, Logic7 audio system, front and rear parking sensors, and rear sunshades.

To be sure, this 2005 Alpina B5 isn’t perfect. The front bumper is chipped, the rear bumper is dented, the plastic door sills are cracked, and there’s some interior wear. Plus, one of the tire’s sidewalls is torn. But it has extensive service records from its time in Europe and less than 92,500 miles on the clock. Also, the seller recently changed the oil, oil filter, cabin air filter, brake fluid, and front thrust arms.

It’s a bargain-priced, US-legal, Euro-spec, comfier E60 M5 that should be more reliable

As of this writing, this 2005 Alpina B5 is listed on Cars & Bids for $12,000 with four days left in the auction. Being an imported car, it’s difficult to gauge the average market value for a used E60 B5. It’s also a rare car: Cars & Bids claims that Alpina only 428 E60 B5s. However, contemporary Alpinas hover around $30K on Bring a Trailer. So, in comparison, this B5 is a true bargain.

It’s also a bargain compared to the E60 BMW M5, both to buy and to own. E60 M5s are infamously trouble-prone, suffering numerous expensive engine- and SMG-related problems. That’s not to say the N62 engine is completely trouble-free, BMW Tuning explains. In addition to common BMW engine problems like valve cover gasket leaks, N62s can develop cracked valve stem seals as well as coolant transfer pipe and alternator bracket gasket leaks.

However, modern, stronger replacement parts solve these problems. And PistonHeads claims that Alpina’s mods resolved some of the N62’s flaws. In short, this 2005 B5 is an affordably-priced, rare piece of high-speed European forbidden fruit that shouldn’t be a headache to own.

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by Gabrielle DeSantis

Tesla and Panasonic have had a rocky, yet symbiotic relationship over the last eleven years. Panasonic has been making EV batteries for Tesla for ages, and all that time, they’ve held onto their Tesla stocks. Until now. Panasonic just sold all of its Tesla shares at the same time that they’ve vowed to make even more electric vehicle batteries. 

How much of Tesla did Panasonic own?

Back in the day, Tesla could barely convince anyone to make batteries for them. Tesla was the first to put a lithium ion battery in a car. At first, battery manufacturers weren’t sure it was a good idea. Yet Tesla has a way of convincing people that its crazy ideas are actually sound business decisions, and Panasonic agreed to make their batteries. 

According to Electrek, when Panasonic signed the battery agreement with Tesla in 2010, it was optimistic that things would work out. In fact, Panasonic was so convinced that Elon Musk and Tesla knew what they were doing, that they invested in Tesla. Panasonic bought 1.4 million shares at a total cost of $30 million. At the time, it was a substantial investment in what was then a relatively small company. 

Why did they dump them?

Panasonic sold every single share. This is partly because Panasonic wants to reduce its reliance on Tesla. This is an interesting turn of events, as Tesla relied so heavily on Panasonic just a decade ago. 

Panasonic also wants to raise cash so they can invest in their own growth. This makes sense, as Panasonic is buying shares of Blue Yonder, a supply chain software company. They’re also working on expanding their EV battery production. 

Panasonic says that this won’t affect their relationship with Tesla at all. It will be interesting to see whether this is true. Panasonic and Tesla haven’t exactly had a sound relationship to begin with. The two companies have gone back and forth over the years, with Tesla blaming Panasonic for slow battery production and high costs.

How much money did Panasonic make from the sale?

Panasonic sold its entire investment for $3.6 billion. Even deducting the sizable sum of $30 million, it’s a pretty nice profit. And Panasonic isn’t through with Tesla yet. They’re working on a production line to supply Tesla with even more batteries, even as Tesla ramps up its own production line.

Tesla says that they’ve developed a tabless electric vehicle battery, which will make EV batteries even better. Currently the biggest complaints about EV batteries include their size and short range. Tesla claims to have solved this problem.  

As one might imagine, Tesla’s announcement that they’ll be producing their own batteries has left Panasonic less than thrilled. Still, they’re committed to their business relationship (probably because it’s been pretty profitable for them so far). Panasonic is developing a prototype of the new battery that Tesla has designed. If it’s successful, it’s likely Panasonic will continue to develop EV batteries for Tesla. It would also likely sell the batteries to other electric vehicle manufacturers as well. 

The sale of the Tesla shares will be a huge boon for Panasonic. We’ll have to see whether it affects the working relationship between the two companies. And even though Panasonic says it won’t change anything, perhaps it would be better if something did. 

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