4.6 How rare and what's so different from the 4.4

[Hit Redline]

Ok, so how rare are the 4.6? Anybody know the production numbers?

I am just curious what makes the difference in the 4.6 vs the 4.4 engines. Where is the extra power coming from? As I understand the engine is either built or speced out by Alpina and built by BMW.

[killcrap]

Originally Posted by Hit Redline

Ok, so how rare are the 4.6? Anybody know the production numbers?

I am just curious what makes the difference in the 4.6 vs the 4.4 engines. Where is the extra power coming from? As I understand the engine is either built or speced out by Alpina and built by BMW.

The Car is an Alpina High Performance Vehicle, on the Vin Placard, You'll see X5 Ahp Vehicle. It is not marketed as an Alpina though. Extra power comes from the Alpina Modified Engine.

Aside from optional packages from the 4.4i, the 4.6 has
Bigger Front Brakes
Different Instrument Cluster
"" Mufflers
"" Front and Rear Bumpers
"" Rear Fender Flares
"" Engine and Trans
"" Rear Red/Clear Turn Signal Lamps.

All 4.6is comes with
Cold Weather Package
Antricite Headliner
Power Folding Mirrors
Glossy Black Exterior Trim
Xenon Headlamps
DSP

Optional Packages Were
Comfort Seats
Slide Loading Trunk Floor
Navigation
Heated Rear Seats
Aluminum Running Boards
Interior Trim Colors

[eDoug]

Originally Posted by killcrap

Power Folding Mirrors

Mine doesn't have power folding mirrors. (2002 X5 4.6is)

[chilliwilli]

~3000 were built.

Originally Posted by Popular Mechanics

With a list price of more than $66,000, BMW has set production for only 1500 a year, a small percentage of X5's annual output of 40,000.

Reports From Around The World - Popular Mechanics

[Hit Redline]

Originally Posted by eDoug

Mine doesn't have power folding mirrors. (2002 X5 4.6is)

Same here, no power, as far as I can tell.

[Hit Redline]

Thanks for the info. But what exactly is modified on the engine?

Originally Posted by killcrap

The Car is an Alpina High Performance Vehicle, on the Vin Placard, You'll see X5 Ahp Vehicle. It is not marketed as an Alpina though. Extra power comes from the Alpina Modified Engine.

Aside from optional packages from the 4.4i, the 4.6 has
Bigger Front Brakes
Different Instrument Cluster
"" Mufflers
"" Front and Rear Bumpers
"" Rear Fender Flares
"" Engine and Trans
"" Rear Red/Clear Turn Signal Lamps.

All 4.6is comes with
Cold Weather Package
Antricite Headliner
Power Folding Mirrors
Glossy Black Exterior Trim
Xenon Headlamps
DSP

Optional Packages Were
Comfort Seats
Slide Loading Trunk Floor
Navigation
Heated Rear Seats
Aluminum Running Boards
Interior Trim Colors

[chilliwilli]

Originally Posted by Hit Redline

Thanks for the info. But what exactly is modified on the engine?

There are many articles online...some more in-depth than others, that can answer your question.

[Hit Redline]

Originally Posted by chilliwilli

There are many articles online...some more in-depth than others, that can answer your question.

Care to share any? I have searched and can't seem to find anything specific. Why is this info not here on this forum?

[jsears]

The Alpine 4.6l V8 engine is Alpinas own design and porting/polishing/assembling is being done by hand at the Alpina factory in Buchloe.
The BMW engine is identical (i.e. Alpinas design) apart from it being assembled at BMW and the fact that BMW doesn't port and polish the heads, balance the combustion chambers or the crankshaft.
So the BMW engine actually has lower power output and worse efficiency than the Alpina engine. Even though the specs are identical. Shorther lifespan of the crankshaft bearings are also to be expected for the BMW engine.
But these differences are the usual differences between craftmanship and mass produced goods.

Original Article: X5 4.6is engine - Alpina or BMW - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

[chilliwilli]

Originally Posted by eDoug

Mine doesn't have power folding mirrors. (2002 X5 4.6is)

Mine does... ... (4/2003)