BMW is currently examining whether the Vision ALPINA Concept should go into series production. According to sources close to the company, a final decision has not yet been made. The report comes from Autocar, whose sources describe the possible step as an "M1 moment" for ALPINA, meaning a turning point comparable to the development of the M1 at BMW M.
The concept is a 5.2-meter two-seat coupé with a V8 engine and a 2+2 configuration, clearly aimed at luxury. The study is based on the platform of the discontinued 8 Series Gran Coupé. The goal would be to place ALPINA above BMW's regular model range and below Rolls-Royce. Mike Reichelt, head of the Neue Klasse, has hinted that models in limited numbers are also planned. According to the report, the designers have posed challenges for the engineers because public interest in the study is exceptionally high.
The background is a fundamental restructuring of the brand. BMW acquired the ALPINA rights in 2022 from the Bovensiepen family, which had run the company for decades. At the beginning of this year, the group then took full control of ALPINA. In parallel, further models are planned: the 7 Series G72 is set to appear as an ALPINA in 2027, with either a V8 or electric drivetrain. Later, an ALPINA version of the second X7 (G69) will also follow.
Historically, ALPINA focused on comfort and refinement over long distances, rather than the sporting dynamics for which BMW M stands. A luxury V8 coupé would continue this tradition, but at the same time it would enter a segment that has so far been dominated mainly by Rolls-Royce. Whether this step will be economically viable remains open, since series production has not yet been decided.
The possible expansion comes at a time when BMW is cutting costs, reducing jobs and discontinuing models. The Bovensiepen family is simultaneously planning to establish its own car brand. However, after the sale they lost the production and chassis-number advantages that ALPINA had previously used. Small series are therefore planned for their future vehicles, such as a 99-unit Spider. The separation between the group and the family thus runs in two directions: BMW is expanding the brand, while the Bovensiepens are starting anew with their own, much smaller projects.