BMW Alpina Becomes BMW Group’s Newest Luxury Brand

Now owned entirely by BMW, Alpina becomes the newest division of the automaker.

• The Alpina brand is now fully owned by BMW, after a purchase process that started in 2022.

• Alpina-branded vehicles aim to combine performance, luxury, and comfort.

• This new brand will likely compete against Mercedes-Maybach.

At the end of a process that started back in 2022, BMW is now the sole owner of the Alpina brand which has been applied to its most luxurious and powerful models since the 1960s.

Originally an external tuner that worked closely with the Bavarian automaker to develop exclusive versions of some of its models, Alpina will now become an in-house division of the BMW Group, similarly to how Maybach was integrated into the Mercedes-Benz brand about ten years ago.

Now called BMW Alpina, the brand will continue to be applied to the most powerful and most luxurious versions of various BMW models such as the X7 and the 7 Series sedan.

Alpina was founded in 1965 by Burkard Bovensiepen, and has been owned by the Bovensiepen family since then.

The automaker says it is conscious of the responsibility it has in keeping the history and tradition of the Alpina name alive, which means we can expect few big changes in how the division operates and what its products stand for, at least for now.

One change that has been confirmed is the addition of a new wordmark logo positioned centrally at the rear of the vehicle. Reading as BMW ALPINA, this new brandmark is said to underline the distinctive character of the division as well as its position within the BMW Group.

The automaker also says the logo, which is inspired by Alpina’s wordmark from the 1970s, “radiates clarity, calm, and confidence”.

BMW says Alpina will continue to offer a wide range of bespoke personalisation options for buyers who want a unique luxury vehicle that also has “hallmark” driving characteristics.

The automaker further claims that “ Each [BMW Alpina] vehicle will be an exclusive object for connoisseurs in pursuit of the extraordinary, without compromises on performance, comfort and individuality”.

To signify the change in ownership, the first activities of the newest BMW Group division will be focussed on brand activation, which means media campaigns and possibly prototype vehicles.