Big plans for BMW Alpina to sit below Rolls-Royce as an exclusive performance brand

BMW has given us the clearest indication yet of what it plans to do with the famous Alpina sub-brand, confirming it will operate in the gap between BMW and Rolls-Royce in terms of luxury and personalisation. 

The German giant’s acquisition of Alpina, which formerly operated as a post-factory manufacturer that sold its own range of modified BMW models, was finalised in March 2022. 

For many BMW fans, the brand is considered iconic, and it enjoyed sustained success as its models offered more exclusivity and performance than series-production BMWs. 

However, the plan to bring Alpina in-house had enthusiasts worried, and with hardly any information available many feared it would be dissolved into little more than a trim level. But BMW has now banished those fears, as chairman of the board of management Oliver Zipse confirmed in an earnings call that the brand would be spun off into an entirely different entity called BMW Alpina, operating in the space between BMW and Rolls. 

The brand will focus on high levels of luxury and performance, as before, but also increase the amount of personalisation available on each of its new models. No official information has been revealed about specific prospective models, or how much they’ll differ from the BMW on which they are based, but their core appeal will remain BMW M-like performance, with a focus on comfort, personalisation and more sophisticated design. 

Some rumours from within BMW suggest that future Alpinas will be far more visually differentiated than before, with distinct styling that goes beyond just offering the unique wheels, bodykits and rear spoilers of previous Alpina models. 

In a previous statement, BMW had said 2026 “marks the launch of BMW Alpina as an exclusive standalone brand under the BMW Group umbrella”. As part of the launch, the new BMW Alpina name will be carried on the rear of all models, with the lettering “inspired by the asymmetrical wordmark from the 1970s”, according to BMW. 

“Key elements of the BMW Alpina brand are its unique balance of maximum performance and superior ride comfort, combined with hallmark driving characteristics. This is complemented by an exclusive portfolio of bespoke options and custom materials along with unmistakable details,” BMW continued. 

The final Alpina was last year’s limited-edition B8 GT, based on the 8 Series Gran Coupe with BMW’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine tuned to put out 625bhp and 850Nm of torque. In true Alpina fashion, its unrestricted top speed means it topped out at 204mph, 14mph faster than the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe – used examples of which are available on the Auto Express Buy a Car service. 

Alpina hasn’t yet produced an all-electric car, but now it’s formally integrated into BMW, it will surely be a matter of time before we see a pure EV from the Buchloe-based firm. In the meantime, we should expect Alpina-branded versions of BMW’s larger, more expensive offerings such as the all-new X5 and upcoming facelifted versions of the 7 Series and X7 

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