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Post by Martin on Mar 10, 2022 19:09:57 GMT
I can’t help but think this isn’t a good thing and the Alpina brand won’t be diluted. Get ready for the iSomething Alpina Line……
BMW formally buys Alpina brand.
- BMW Alpina models will be developed and produced at Buchloe until 12.2025
- Family business will rebrand as Bovensiepen
- Both companies will continue to co-operate on engineering and development
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2022 19:50:34 GMT
They are a good fit and work well with each other. I wish them well.
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Post by Tim on Mar 11, 2022 8:30:18 GMT
AMG badging on tiny engined A Class' probably shows where this will end up.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 11, 2022 9:13:44 GMT
(From my counter post)Not that shocked: Alpina would have had to move away from pure ICE cars and Andreas Bovensiepen never seemed to be keen on the idea. On the plus side I assume the next Alpina B5 will be a hybrid and be discounted like any other big engined BMW.
Don’t confuse BMW with Daimler Benz. Even the badged M-Sport cars are not ever called M-Cars. BMW have long understood that there is a different client that wants an Alpina and is willing to pay for it, hence Buchloe is allowed to develop cars alongside new models.
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Post by johnc on Mar 11, 2022 9:33:36 GMT
I think the imminent death of new ICE cars left Alpina with far fewer options in what they would be able to do to differentiate their cars from standard BMW fodder and it was probably inevitable that their business would be impacted in a very negative way.
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Post by racingteatray on Mar 11, 2022 12:38:54 GMT
Seems a shame - difficult to see how BMW houses M and Alpina. Unless it takes the BMW full-electric and reserves Alpina for ICE? Or uses Alpina for performance EVs, leaving M for ICE.
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Post by PetrolEd on Mar 11, 2022 12:58:21 GMT
Do BMW not already offer a sort of in house Alpina with cars like the 550i? I see Alpina being nothing more then a spec option on M and M light cars.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 11, 2022 13:13:26 GMT
Do BMW not already offer a sort of in house Alpina with cars like the 550i? I see Alpina being nothing more then a spec option on M and M light cars.
This understanding of Alpina is why in the UK Alpina has never had the following it has had elsewhere. The B5 is based on a 550i, not an M5. It is then given a different engine (with Mahle pistons and other internal changes, like cams and fuelling.), different electronic settings, different dampers, different camber settings, different exhaust treatments, different turbochargers etc. all of which make it dynamically a different prospect to a 550i and nothing like as violent as an M5 can be. It is then also given the cosmetic differences: the front air dam being the most evident, but trims are replaced, there is a much higher spec of leather available and of course two paint colours that are unavailable anywhere else (the blue and the green). The long term Alpina owners and repeat customers in Germany have long made their desires known and the move to electric propulsion is not one of them, as has been cited by Andreas B for some time. |
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Post by Alex on Mar 11, 2022 14:51:26 GMT
AMG badging on tiny engined A Class' probably shows where this will end up. I was thinking the same thing but then BMW already have M power for that so maybe they can have more comfort orientated models and use the Alpina in the way Ford used to use the Ghai model line? |
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Post by Ben on Mar 11, 2022 16:19:50 GMT
Seems a shame - difficult to see how BMW houses M and Alpina. Unless it takes the BMW full-electric and reserves Alpina for ICE? Or uses Alpina for performance EVs, leaving M for ICE. Likely the former. There are already electric M cars in the works (the iX for one). |
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Post by PG on Mar 14, 2022 10:05:36 GMT
Do BMW not already offer a sort of in house Alpina with cars like the 550i? I see Alpina being nothing more then a spec option on M and M light cars.
This understanding of Alpina is why in the UK Alpina has never had the following it has had elsewhere. The B5 is based on a 550i, not an M5. It is then given a different engine (with Mahle pistons and other internal changes, like cams and fuelling.), different electronic settings, different dampers, different camber settings, different exhaust treatments, different turbochargers etc. all of which make it dynamically a different prospect to a 550i and nothing like as violent as an M5 can be. It is then also given the cosmetic differences: the front air dam being the most evident, but trims are replaced, there is a much higher spec of leather available and of course two paint colours that are unavailable anywhere else (the blue and the green). The long term Alpina owners and repeat customers in Germany have long made their desires known and the move to electric propulsion is not one of them, as has been cited by Andreas B for some time. That's all very true. In which case why should BMW buy the brand? If they had done nothing it pretty much sounds like it will just whither and die if Alpina won't make the move to EV's? I suppose that leaves BMW buying it out of pity (unlikely) or they can see a business case for the Alpina brand within BMW. As they already have "M" as the "turbo-nutter-bastard-hard-edge-performance" arm, the only place Alpina could sit is as a quick but luxury arm. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2022 11:23:23 GMT
Perhaps it can stand as the continuing ICE platform?
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Post by PetrolEd on Mar 14, 2022 11:51:27 GMT
This understanding of Alpina is why in the UK Alpina has never had the following it has had elsewhere. The B5 is based on a 550i, not an M5. It is then given a different engine (with Mahle pistons and other internal changes, like cams and fuelling.), different electronic settings, different dampers, different camber settings, different exhaust treatments, different turbochargers etc. all of which make it dynamically a different prospect to a 550i and nothing like as violent as an M5 can be. It is then also given the cosmetic differences: the front air dam being the most evident, but trims are replaced, there is a much higher spec of leather available and of course two paint colours that are unavailable anywhere else (the blue and the green). The long term Alpina owners and repeat customers in Germany have long made their desires known and the move to electric propulsion is not one of them, as has been cited by Andreas B for some time. That's all very true. In which case why should BMW buy the brand? If they had done nothing it pretty much sounds like it will just whither and die if Alpina won't make the move to EV's? I suppose that leaves BMW buying it out of pity (unlikely) or they can see a business case for the Alpina brand within BMW. As they already have "M" as the "turbo-nutter-bastard-hard-edge-performance" arm, the only place Alpina could sit is as a quick but luxury arm. Its not my understanding, I'm fully aware of what Alpina is now bit can you really see BMW doing the same? I can only see BMW giving the option of a more comfy M car and badge it as an Alpina or to have a an arm like MSO where they do bespoke trimming and carbon bits and some ECU upgrades with full Warranty from the factory. |
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