The new BMW 5 Series has not launched yet nor any official photos made their way into to the hands of the anxious BMW fans, but the automobile manufacturing company based in Buchloe, Alpina, is already testing its own version of the 5 Series, codename B5.
Some of you might be surprised to see the Alpina B5 being so far into the testing process, but truth is that BMW’s ties with Alpina are very strong and their close collaboration has been known for years.
Sporting the same funky camouflage seen on the BMW test mules, Alpina B5 is already showing a more aggressive rear-end with wider side skirts. Now many of you might wonder how one can distinguish between this test mule and the BMW ones, and is it truly an Alpina car?
Well, there are a few things that gives it away. One, the oval shaped quad exhaust tips specific to Alpina. Second, no flared fenders and third, the license plate code says “OAL” which stands for Ostallgäu where the headquarters is located.
Unfortunately our detective skills only get us so far and we have no other information, but with the first spy photos out already, photographers will now keep an eye on these test mules as well.
[Source: Motor-talk.de ]
Author: Horatiu B.
Source: http://www.bmwblog.com/2009/09/29/spy-p ... 5-spotted/