Alpina is dead, long live BMW Alpina!
BMW originally bought Alpina in 2022, but the condition of the sale was that the tuner continued to operate independently until the end of 2025.
Now that all the New Year’s fireworks have been lit, the BMW Group is taking full control of the tuner, which has been renamed BMW Alpina, and will continue to live as an independent brand alongside BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce.
The company has unveiled the new BMW Alpina wordmark, based on a design from the 1970s. The factory logo will be used in the center of the rear of the brand’s future vehicles.
It is not yet known whether BMW Alpina will have a new round emblem or what kind of branding will be seen on the front and inside. Recently, Alpina spelled out its name on the front spoiler and stuck its emblem on the steering wheel airbag cover.
According to the Bavarian car manufacturer, BMW Alpina will continue to offer a “unique balance of maximum performance and superior driving comfort, coupled with typical driving characteristics”. This is paired with an “exclusive portfolio of bespoke options and bespoke materials as well as distinctive details”.
The new subsidiary is currently in the “brand activation” phase and it is unclear when the first new vehicles will be unveiled. It will be interesting to see how BMW manages with Alpina, ensuring it stays true to its heritage and also doesn’t stumble over M’s performance characteristics.
Founded in 1965 by Burkard Bovensiepen in the shell of his old typewriter factory, Alpina began tuning carburetors and other components to get more power out of BMW engines. The company subsequently expanded into racing and the production of retuned and retrimmed BMW vehicles.
Over time, Alpina’s manufacturing process would result in the revised engines being sent to BMW factories for installation in their vehicles. These fully built cars would then be shipped to the Alpina factory for interior upgrades.
MORE: Discover the BMW Alpina showroom
