BMW Vision Alpina concept revives Alpina

BMW used the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on May 15 to unveil the Vision BMW ALPINA, a one-off concept that sets out the design and positioning of Alpina’s next phase inside the BMW Group. The company said the car signals “a new chapter” for the marque, which formally became an exclusive standalone BMW Group brand on January 1, 2026. (press.bmwgroup.com) BMW described Alpina as a brand built around speed, comfort and sophistication, and said the concept was meant to show how those traits would be carried forward. Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW Group’s design chief, said BMW’s role as the brand’s “new custodians” was to preserve Alpina’s distinctiveness while adapting it for a contemporary setting. ### How is this different from the old Alpina? (press.bmwgroup.com) BMW and Alpina agreed in March 2022 that BMW would secure the rights to the Alpina brand, ending a long-running arrangement under which Alpina developed and finished its own versions of BMW vehicles. BMW said at the time that the move would bring Alpina into its luxury-car portfolio and that the existing cooperation agreement would run through December 31, 2025. On January 1, 2026, BMW said the transfer of Alpina trademark rights marked the launch of BMW ALPINA as an exclusive standalone brand under the BMW Group umbrella. February 12 brought the next step. BMW said BMW ALPINA would present itself as an exclusive brand under BMW custodianship, with standalone automobiles to be produced in select BMW Group plants rather than through the previous structure associated with Buchloe-based Alpina operations. (press.bmwgroup.com) BMW also introduced a new wordmark and badge, while saying heritage elements such as the throttle body, crankshaft motif, heritage colors and 20-spoke wheel design would remain part of the brand’s identity. ### What exactly did BMW show at Villa d’Este? The Vision BMW ALPINA is a 5,200-mm-long design study with a low-slung coupe roofline, four-seat layout and a V8 powertrain, BMW said in its May 15 release. The company said the car was intended to reinterpret Alpina’s heritage through contemporary design, rather than preview a production model in one-to-one form. (press.bmwgroup.com) BMW said the concept combines a long, raked silhouette with details meant to reference classic Alpina cues in a more modern treatment. Maximilian Missoni, head of BMW Design Midsize & Luxury Cars and BMW ALPINA, said the concept distilled the brand “to its essence” and applied it in a modern way. BMW said the V8 was tuned to deliver the characteristic Alpina exhaust note, with low-speed and high-rev responses meant to preserve the marque’s traditional blend of performance and long-distance comfort. (press.bmwgroup.com) ### Where does BMW say Alpina now sits in the lineup? BMW said in its 2026 Alpina materials that the revived brand is an “exclusive” offering within the BMW Group, with a focus on superior ride comfort, high performance and extensive personalization. The company said Alpina vehicles would be built to rigorous standards for materials, acoustics and craftsmanship, and that buyers would be offered bespoke options and custom materials. (press.bmwgroup.com) Those descriptions place Alpina above core BMW models in exclusivity, while remaining within BMW Group’s broader luxury portfolio. BMW did not publish pricing, output or a launch calendar for a production Vision BMW ALPINA derivative in the May 15 release. The company instead framed the concept as a statement of direction for the newly relaunched brand. (press.bmwgroup.com) ### What has BMW said about manufacturing and branding? BMW said on February 12 that BMW ALPINA automobiles will be manufactured in select BMW Group plants that have been enabled to meet the standards of the new brand. The company also said personalization and high-value materials would be central to Alpina’s modernization, alongside continuity in signature design elements. (press.bmwgroup.com) January 1 was the formal brand-launch date, according to BMW’s own release, and February 12 added the emblem and manufacturing outline. May 15 then brought the first full design statement in public, at Villa d’Este in Cernobbio, Italy. BMW has not yet named the first production BMW ALPINA model or given a delivery date in the official materials reviewed here, but it has said the brand is now active as a standalone marque within the group and that future vehicles will come from BMW Group plants. (press.bmwgroup.com 1) (press.bmwgroup.com 2) (press.bmwgroup.com 3)