ALPINA has all the time occupied a uncommon house within the BMW universe. The marque blends hand-finished craftsmanship, bespoke efficiency, and understated luxurious in a means that even BMW doesn’t. Now, beneath BMW’s full stewardship, the model faces questions on its future course. In an interview with YouTube channel MotoManTV Podcast, the corporate’s CEO, Andreas Bovensiepen, clues us into the place the model may go.
ALPINA Will Nonetheless Deal with Luxurious
Andreas begins by saying that ALPINA isn’t part of all the pieces BMW does. However, “to my information,” he says, “we’ll focus on the large vehicles, total, on the GKL-class phase now.” GKL refers to “Grand Klasse Luxurious,” or the platform underpinning BMW’s most luxurious fashions. The 7 Sequence, 8 Sequence, and X7 are all examples of GKL autos, and — maybe not coincidentally — you can up till just lately discover ALPINA tuned examples of all three within the US.
GKL is distinct from UKL (German for “decrease class”), KKL (3 Sequence, 4 Sequence, X3, X4, Z4) and MKL (5 Sequence, X5, X6, iX), segments through which ALPINA has a presence in internationally. Regardless of the declare that BMW’s specializing in a “Luxurious Layer”, he additionally says that these lower-badged ALPINA variants aren’t going wherever.
“In Europe, we now have 3 Sequence, we now have 4 Sequence and these form of vehicles, so far as I do know, they haven’t any plans to stop these type from coming.” That’s to not say they’re coming to America, in fact. However it’s excellent news for ALPINA followers in Europe. He goes on to offer us slightly extra perception as to precisely the place BMW may place ALPINA.
“They prefer to say, ‘they’ve BMW, they’ve Rolls-Royce, and naturally there’s some house in between,’” Bovensiepen continues. ALPINA has all the time sat above extra pedestrian BMW fashions, however there’s traditionally been a lot of headroom between ALPINA and Rolls. For instance, whereas the ALPINA XB7 instructions $156,000, a Rolls-Royce prices greater than double that, ranging from round $405,000. The identical goes for what you may contemplate an “entry stage” Rolls. The Ghost, technically positioned on the backside of the RR pile, begins round $350,000. The ALPINA B8, the tuner’s twist on the 8 Sequence Gran Coupe, started at $151,500.
We’ve heard rumors previously – but not confirmed by BMW or Bovensiepen – {that a} BMW-made ALPINA B7 may arrive with the facelifted 7 Sequence, and even an all-electric ALPINA X7. However it stays to be seen whether or not any of those plans will come to fruition.
ALPINA Has Different Objectives, Too
Whereas ALPINA could have contemporary new fashions coming down the pipeline, there are different methods for the corporate to remain busy. Bovensiepen says that round 40,000 ALPINA-badged cars are nonetheless on the highway of the 60,000 produced. They’ll all break finally, and Bovensiepen says ALPINA will ensure elements stay accessible for vehicles made within the final “12 to fifteen years, absolutely and fully.” The model may also do its greatest to accommodate classic drivers. Though, “After all, we’re not ready to ship carburetor elements for vehicles from the top of the Nineteen Sixties or starting of the Seventies,” he says. Nevertheless, for something from the “late 70s” on, ALPINA shall be there to assist supply elements.
It is going to be fascinating to look at ALPINA enter its new period beneath official BMW stewardship. To this point, it feels like no dramatic shakeups. Traditionally, ALPINA has all the time represented a unique form of exclusivity than conventional BMW and even M choices. We’re glad BMW’s maintaining it that means.
First revealed by https://www.bmwblog.com
