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MW has just announced something quietly radical. It has officially brought Alpina — the Bavarian car tuning company — in-house, marking a significant new chapter for the group. Over the past 25 years BMW’s successful acquisitions of Rolls-Royce and Mini have demonstrated an ability to manage distinct automotive identities. Now, with the introduction of Alpina, BMW turns its attention to a glow-up of its own models.
Founded around Munich by Burkard Bovensiepen, Alpina has been operating as an independent modifier of BMWs for 60 years. Bovensiepen had been expected to join the family typewriter business, but his obsession with cars scotched that plan. He began tinkering with BMW engines, later diversified into motorsport, and eventually built a road car operation. His goal was always to differentiate Alpina from BMW’s own M Sport division: more refined, more discreet, but no less fast. Bovensiepen’s version of a BMW was luxurious and comfortable, and usually with more horsepower than factory cars, making them superb for long-distance cruising. They stood out visually through modified aerodynamics and distinctive deco lines. Bovensiepen found the inspiration for these in another Bavarian company, Fischer, and its skis. He specifically admired the ones Franz Klammer used to charge down the mountain in pursuit of Olympic gold in 1976. He took the thin architectural lines from the skis and applied them to the car’s bodywork, creating the trademark Alpina look.
