BMW has officially taken control of Alpina, launching it as a standalone brand under the BMW Group umbrella.
Alpina is a tuning company famous for developing high-performance versions of select BMW models.
The name has some history in South Africa, as Alpina played a role in the development of the iconic BMW 333i made exclusively for our market back in the 1980s.
Alpina was founded in Bavaria, Germany, in 1965 and has maintained a close relationship with BMW, operating as a tuning business to extract more power from high-end BMWs, such as the 7 Series.
In 2022, the BMW Group announced its intention to acquire the Alpina brand, though the transfer of the trademark would only be finalized by the end of 2025.
This has finally come to pass, as BMW recently announced that the transfer of the Alpina trademark rights took place on 1 January 2026.
As a result, BMW Alpina is now classified as a standalone brand under the BMW Group alongside BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce.
The company stated that the initial focus will be on brand activation, noting that key elements of the Alpina brand are an emphasis on maximum performance and superior ride comfort.
It added that Alpina’s portfolio will distinguish itself through its bespoke options and custom materials.
“Given the storied history of the brand, the BMW Group is aware of its tremendous responsibility and committed to making the new BMW Alpina chapter one that meets the highest expectations,” said the automaker.
“It is consciously inspired by the brand’s asymmetrical wordmark from the 1970s. The elegant, contemporary design provides a link between history and future.”
What’s next for Alpina?
Unfortunately, BMW has not provided any concrete details about its plans for Alpina thus far, so we’ll have to wait and see what the “new” brand’s first car will be.
Given that a core aspect of Alpina is performance, it will be interesting to see how BMW intends to differentiate Alpina from its M racing division.
Taking the company’s history into account, one possibility might be an even more exclusive version of BMW’s ultra-luxurious 7 Series.
This also raises the question of whether Alpina will feature cars with an electric powertrain.
The only information BMW has provided is that buyers will be able to choose from a “remarkable” portfolio of bespoke options, indicating a high level of personalisation.
“These ensure that every BMW Alpina has its own, unmistakable character. Each vehicle will be an exclusive object for connoisseurs in pursuit of the extraordinary, without compromises on performance, comfort and individuality.”
The last time Alpina appeared in South Africa was when the company launched five examples of the BMW Alpina B3 50 Years of BMW South Africa Edition at the end of 2023.
Each of those units cost a minimum of R2,960,341, which gives us an idea of how rare these cars will be.
With that in mind, it’s possible that Alpina will serve a similar role that Maybach does for Mercedes-Benz, creating even more luxurious versions of its existing catalogue.
2023 BMW Alpina B3
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