[BMWGirlFL]

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Q&A: More information on the Alpina future after the sale to BMW

How did the sale of the Alpina brand to the BMW Group come about? What's next for the traditional brand from Buchloe? Alpina provides the first answers.

Since the sale of the Alpina brand to the BMW Group became knownthere are many questions in the room, which are now at least largely answered by Buchloe. In a long question-and-answer catalogue, which we have included in full at the end of the article, Alpina answers some of the most frequently asked questions in the context of brand sales and in this way tries to provide current and future customers with a little more clarity. Perhaps the most important question for the driver and owner of an Alpina revolves around the future maintenance and service of the vehicle, with the Buchloer fundamentally giving the all-clear: Service and maintenance are also guaranteed after 2025, both in the BMW branches and at the Buchloe site. For older vehicles, the supply of spare parts should even improve

The answers remain somewhat unclear when it comes to the BMW Group's plans for the new Alpina brand. No wonder: what exactly the BMW Group will do with the acquired trademark rights from January 1, 2026 will be decided in the Munich four-cylinder and is not the responsibility of the Buchloer. The only hint: As expected, BMW Alpina will also be located in the luxury segment after 2025, after all, BMW M GmbH will continue to be responsible for the high-performance segment in the future. It goes without saying that this luxury, in the best Alpina tradition, will also include an exceptionally superior engine.”

Unlike before, however, the drive in future BMW Alpina models could also be purely electric, because the fundamental change in the automotive industry was the most important driver behind the Bovensiepen family's decision to sell: the political framework for the sale of automobiles is much more difficult to plan than in the past, simplifications for small series manufacturers such as Alpina are increasingly missing and the manufacturing costs of a vehicle with electrified drive are significantly higher compared to combustion engines.

The costs for software development, which is necessary not least for assistance systems, continue to rise. At the same time, the liability risks for manufacturers are growing, which poses major challenges for smaller providers such as Alpina. Overall, against this background, it is almost impossible to calculate the conditions under which a vehicle currently being developed can actually be sold in five years' time. The sale of the Alpina brand was therefore practically the only way to be able to maintain the brand beyond 2025.

From Alpina's point of view, the most important questions and answers are the following:

Why was the ALPINA brand sold to BMW?

The sale is an early reaction to the constantly tightening legal framework. The simplifications that apply to small series manufacturers in individual countries are already a thing of the past. Due to the politically decreed transformation towards electromobility and the increasing regulations worldwide, the requirements and thus also the costs and risks for small series manufacturers are increasing significantly.

The BMW Board of Management has expressed great interest to the ALPINA management in acquiring the exclusive ALPINA brand in order to create more automotive diversity in its own luxury segment from 2026.

Against the background of the decades-long, trusting partnership between ALPINA and BMW and driven by the desire to create a secure future for the ALPINA brand despite the impending changes in the automotive industry, after extensive consultation with external automotive experts and after careful consideration within the family circle Bovensiepen decided by the ALPINA management to sell the ALPINA trademark rights to BMW.

The long-term cooperation agreement between ALPINA and BMW will expire on December 31, 2025. However, the close connection between ALPINA and BMW continues: Cooperation in the area of ​​development services will be intensified.

Does that mean that in the future ALPINA will develop BMW ALPINA models for BMW as a development service provider?

ALPINA has been a development service provider for BMW models for years, and cooperation in this area will be intensified. BMW has awarded ALPINA Engineering GmbH + Co. KG a long-term development contract. The development of future BMW ALPINA models, which will be launched from 2026, will be carried out by the BMW development department, but it is conceivable that we will support them in some areas.

Is ALPINA now a subsidiary of the BMW Group?

No. The BMW Group has acquired the rights to the ALPINA brand. Company shares were not sold. The company ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH + Co. KG continues to exist as a family business with the managing directors Burkard, Andreas and Florian Bovensiepen.

What does the brand sale mean specifically for ALPINA? Do the vehicles now come directly from BMW?

The ALPINA business will continue as before for the next 3.5 years, until the end of the cooperation agreement on December 31, 2025. Vehicle ordering, production and sales via ALPINA partners and importers remain unchanged.

Why have the trademark rights already been sold when the cooperation agreement with BMW runs until the end of 2025?

The press releases from ALPINA and BMW were only very early, strategically necessary advance notices. With the announcement of the brand transfer, both ALPINA and the BMW Group can take all necessary steps to introduce the ALPINA brand into the BMW Group's model portfolio from 2026. The development of a BMW ALPINA model by the BMW Group will take several years.

ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH + Co. KG may use the "ALPINA" brand as before until the end of 2025. From 2026, the company will use the "ALPINA Classic" brand.

Why didn't BMW buy the whole company, just the trademark rights?

The Bovensiepen family would like to continue the life's work of Burkard Bovensiepen in the family circle and definitely use the Buchloe location for heritage purposes, ie for the expansion of the ALPINA Classic business. Our manual vehicle production is far too small for a large-scale manufacturer like BMW.

Will there still be new BMW ALPINA models from Buchloe by the end of 2025?

In addition to the recently presented models B3/D3 S LCI and B4/D4 S Gran Coupé, further developments of the existing models will be made in Buchloe over the next 3.5 years and brought to market by selected BMW dealers via the usual ALPINA sales network.

Against the background of the brand sale, how does the management assess the further development of demand?

Order intake is at the highest level in the company's history. BMW ALPINA automobiles are currently in extremely high demand. Against the background of ever more stringent CO2 fleet limits, major manufacturers are increasingly taking 6-cylinder and V8 engines out of the range for new vehicles. However, customer demand for these engines remains high. In our opinion, BMW ALPINA models will continue to sell well over the next few years.

The brand sale has increased the already high level of interest in BMW ALPINA automobiles even further. Many customers would like to purchase a BMW ALPINA from Buchloer before the end of 2025.

What about the supply of spare parts and maintenance? Will there still be spare parts and service offers for my BMW ALPINA after 2025?

Spare parts supply and service for existing BMW ALPINA automobiles are also guaranteed after December 31, 2025 at the company headquarters in Buchloe. In addition, BMW branches and authorized workshops will be available, as is the case today, to carry out service work on BMW ALPINA automobiles, including software updates. Of course, drivers of BMW ALPINA automobiles can also come directly to the company headquarters in Buchloe for service and maintenance work in the future.

The expansion of the Classic business at the Buchloe location will further improve the supply of spare parts for ALPINA young and oldtimers, as some spare parts and accessories will be reissued.

Will there still be accessories for BMW models after 2025?

Yes, the range of accessories is still aimed at drivers of BMW automobiles.

Will there be new vehicles from Buchloe from 2026?

From 2026, BMW plants will no longer produce new BMW ALPINA vehicles for Buchloe. From 2026, the BMW Group will be responsible for using the ALPINA brand.

Which BMW ALPINA models will the BMW Group offer from 2026?

From 2026, the BMW Group will expand its range in the luxury segment with the ALPINA brand.

What does the "mobile offers" announced in the ALPINA press release in March actually mean?

In the next 3.5 years, the automotive business will be continued according to the existing model. The Bovensiepen family will only announce further plans for the automotive sector at a later date.

What does the brand sale mean for the future of the company?

The Buchloe site will be retained. The following business areas are established and expanded:

ALPINA Classic: Under the ALPINA Classic brand, the family business will now focus more on its great history. New editions of classic parts and classic accessories are planned for this. Entry into the business with younger and older BMW ALPINA models is also planned. Various service and restoration offers are set up at the Buchloe site, such as engine revisions for combustion technology. The personal exchange with ALPINA automobile enthusiasts worldwide is the focus and is intensified by various event formats.
Supply of spare parts and service offers for the existing BMW ALPINA model portfolio: The current production area will gradually be converted into a service area from 2024.
New mobility offers: The further plans for the automotive sector will be announced by the Bovensiepen family in due course. In the next 3.5 years, the automotive business will initially be continued according to the existing model.
ALPINA Engineering: Cooperation in the area of ​​development services for BMW Group models is being expanded. The know-how built up over decades and the engineering expertise of the family company will also be available to third parties in the future.

Is it correct that the construction of a logistics center is planned?

Yes. In addition to the various existing locations in Buchloe, a logistics center for the storage and trading of spare parts and accessories is being built on a piece of land that has already been purchased in the Buchloe industrial area. Commissioning is scheduled for 2024.

Will the company continue to be involved in motorsport?

There are currently no plans to return with an ALPINA racing team.

Our engineers and race mechanics provide services for BMW Motorsport, customer teams and the X-Raid Rallye Team. This includes development work, engine construction and test bench runs as well as support on racetracks and desert rallies.

With the engines built by ALPINA, two overall victories in 24-hour races and several victories in the Dakar Rally were celebrated.

Is the ALPINA Wine division also affected by the brand sale?

The wine trade operated by the Bovensiepen family under the name ALPINA Wein GmbH + Co. KG is not affected by the transfer.

https://www.bimmertoday.de/2022/06/2...erkauf-an-bmw/

[eye4speed2]

Thanks for the article. I don't recall seeing who gave the interview from Alpina. Was it a family member or PR person?

[NightWriter]

This snippet sums up the article:

The answers remain somewhat unclear

[Teutonic]

With the latest crapy design choices, cheap CLAR platforms shared between Mini and some BMW models, FWD, fake xDrive (Haldex) that hurt the true RWD biased xDrive name and confuses people, some terrible materials and shortcuts taken in some aspects, BMW becomes the new Toyota.
I guess the Alpina will become the luxury, while BMW will become just an ordinary brand.

Of course that I really hate where BMW headed lately but the idiots at the HQ are voting for the wallet not for the image, reputation and for what the name used to represent.

Of course Alpina is in high demand: people want to still buy a NA custom quality vehicle while they can, before the “new generic” BMW bullshit kicks in.

I guess that the Alpina owner was the smartest guy in here; embracing an electric future is not much left in there for them anyway.

[sjak92]

So Alpina will effectively become a trim like (like an M Sport, Luxury or SE) for select BMW models from 2026 onwards.

Shame….

[swagon]

Originally Posted by eye4speed2

Thanks for the article. I don't recall seeing who gave the interview from Alpina. Was it a family member or PR person?

Given the choice of words in the article, a PR person from Alpina answered their questions.

Originally Posted by sjak92

So Alpina will effectively become a trim like (like an M Sport, Luxury or SE) for select BMW models from 2026 onwards.

Shame….

I reckon BMW is going to use the ALPINA brand like Daimler has been doing so with their Maybach lineup the past few years.

Daimler will soon have three Maybach models - S, GLS, SL - including the 'Mythos' cars so BMW needs to get on in, too, and the M division doesn't have the "aura" they're looking for, probably.

On surface, spin it off into a sub-brand to make people think it's something more bespoke than it actually is underneath. Luxury/sport brand spin-offs have been popular for some time in Europe already and so have BMW Individual/Benz designo/Audi exclusive offerings driving up their margins per car. It was even said in the article that their focus is on the upper lux segment (i.e., 5 Series & up) which is where the biggest margins are.

[swagon]

Originally Posted by Teutonic

With the latest crapy design choices, cheap CLAR platforms shared between Mini and some BMW models, FWD, fake xDrive (Haldex) that hurt the true RWD biased xDrive name and confuses people, some terrible materials and shortcuts taken in some aspects, BMW becomes the new Toyota.
I guess the Alpina will become the luxury, while BMW will become just an ordinary brand.

Of course that I really hate where BMW headed lately but the idiots at the HQ are voting for the wallet not for the image, reputation and for what the name used to represent.

I'm one of the first to shit on BMW because it's so near and dear to my heart, and I'm an old fart in a young body, but you're reaching.

Audi and Mercedes have been using Haldex under their quattro or 4Matic names for decades and no one really gives a hoot. Same at BMW. Nothing is hurting their image.

It's just 'us' who moan about their questionable choices.

It is true, though, that with the introduction of Competition, CS, GTS/CSL models, the M GmbH product strategy seems to have changed a bit in the sense that the base M GmbH models cater to a wider audience who are not so much into driving the piss out of their cars on track or in the mountains. And I hate how they're pushing the M brand onto other models, but they're not the only company doing that (and again, people are eating it up big time).

And no, I don't see Toyota having multiple sub-brands and sport packages to increase profits per car.

Originally Posted by Teutonic

Of course Alpina is in high demand: people want to still buy a NA custom quality vehicle while they can, before the “new generic” BMW bullshit kicks in.

I guess that the Alpina owner was the smartest guy in here; embracing an electric future is not much left in there for them anyway.

ALPINA doesn't make an NA-engined car if that's what you meant. Their engines particularly aren't as bespoke as they used to be either. Mine's got basically a standard BMW engine in it.

[brad850csi]

I'm surprised that nobody has looked at the real cause of this - a bunch of EU bureaucrats making up BS rules that will only hurt the wider public have made (amazing) companies like Alpina simply too complex to actually operate.

As for their past-current period, I was always in total awe at the Alpinas in the 80s and 90s with vehicles like the B10 Bi-turbo, B12 6.0 and so on - their engines were unique and the cars were quite different to what BMW provided.

However after the E60 B5 the Alpina cars became a lot closer to the BMW cars and the expansion of the M-lite lineup has meant that Alpina's aren't as special as they once were in my opinion.

I think that in the future we'll see M-Sport or M-Lite as the top trims in regards to 'sports' (before real M cars) and we'll see Alpina as the top trim in regards to a luxury/sports mix.


However I'll also float an idea here - what if mainstream BMW cars just about all become electric and that under special approval, low numbers, whatever that Alpina can still continue to provide inline 6 and V8 engines well after the main BMW brand can't. Now that would be special.

And as for classics, yeah I'd upgrade my 850CSi to a B12 5.7 quite happily, I wonder if they might open up the ability for anyone with an E30, E34, E60 etc to bring their car into Buchloe and get a new one made?

[Chihuahua]

I think it's obvious that Alpina will basically become a high dollar trim level. What I'll be curious to see is what happens to the values of 'true blue' Alpina cars. Honestly, I'm just glad that Alpina will continue to exist rather than going the way of Hartge.

[MR.]

This is the best decision the family in Buchloe could ever have made... I know them well and it wasn't a surprise that they did it.

To secure the future of their business and the ALPINA brand for us car lovers, this was the best thing they could have done.

Especially if you know what is ahead of us, what is happening in 2025 with the sales funnel at BMW, then this is all the best for them.

MR

[swainbmw]

Originally Posted by sjak92

So Alpina will effectively become a trim like (like an M Sport, Luxury or SE) for select BMW models from 2026 onwards.

Shame….

Go drive others brands and see what you think about a bmw there's nothing that can compare with there driving dynamics I have tried to leave bmw several time most recent was to. Buy several suv from Toyota and drive about 4,000 Miles each then traded them for a several Lexus all in the same year to go back to a bmw I have had a bmw for 25 years and love all there aspects of form and function and that there are still family owned company

[billnchristy]

Probably a bridge between Rolls and BMW.

I have to agree about not being able to leave BMW. The magic really seems to lie in the transmission tuning as other cars have similar HP figures but nothing can match BMW for acceleration and even fuel economy. You get the best of both worlds.

When I had my X1 we went on vacation to Maine and ended up in a Rav4. It had the same Aisin transmission as the X1 and not a huge HP differential. The difference was night and day. Toyota tuned the trans to almost work like a diesel, it would shift so low and if you did wind it out, it just made noise.

It wasn't a horrible car, but it had no soul or excitement and you just couldn't make any happen. I actually had more fun in the crappy Nissan Versa rental I had while my X2 was being repaired (accident my fault so I paid for the cheapest car I could get). It truly was a horrible car but I enjoyed ringing it within an ounce of its miserable life while the Rav4 was a washing machine on wheels.