New BMW Alpina Vision concept sets out brand’s luxurious future path
Alpina’s elevated future is outlined as the tuning firm is embraced as BMW’s first new brand since Rolls-Royce in 2003
BMW has set out plans to take its newly acquired Alpina brand into new territory, with the Vision BMW Alpina concept car heralding a new era for a nameplate previously best known in Europe for tuned BMW 3 Series and 5 Series models.
BMW sealed the deal for the Alpina trademark at the beginning of this year, bringing into the fold a previously independent firm with which it’s enjoyed a 60-year knowledge-sharing relationship. But now Alpina has a big job to do for BMW, which is filling the space between the top 7 Series and the start of the Rolls-Royce range, the £150,000-£250,000 arena where the likes of Range Rover and Bentley in particular are carving out success.
“The understated character of Alpine fits into that - we see a large gap between BMW and where Rolls-Royce starts on price,” said Oliver Viellechner, head of BMW Alpine, speaking to Auto Express at an event in London ahead of the Vision BMW Alpina concept car’s unveiling at the 2026 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa D’Este event beside Lake Como in Italy.
BMW Alpina Vision concept
The Vision concept car is a high-class 2+2 coupe 16cm shorter than a 7 Series, powered by what the brand called a “pure” V8 engine – which means one without any hybridisation. Electrification isn’t being ruled out in the future – “we appreciate that Alpina at some point might need to have a second leg”, as Viellechner put it – but at least initially the firm has stuck with what fans would expect, as confirmed by the concept’s elliptical four-pipe exhaust.
“Combustion engines can play a major role, that's what we hear from the community, and that's also what we observe in the market across regions in that segment,” Viellechner told us. “I think it's most important to have the core combustion offering right from the beginning; but you could also turn it around and say you wouldn't stop with only an ICE version.”
So what should we read into the Vision BMW Alpina concept car? Its primary role is to make a splash in relaunching the brand under new stewardship - a “symbol of the rebirth of the brand within the BMW Group”, as Maximilian Missoni, Vice President of design for BMW Alpina, put it. Inspiration is said to have come from the shark-nosed B7 Coupe, the 1978 car seen as one of the most iconic Alpinas.
But the vision isn’t going into production – at least not initially. “The Vision car gives vision of the potential of the brand, but it is not the first production car,” said Missoni.
Inside and out, BMW has deployed recognisable Alpina features, including 20-spoke alloy wheels (22-inch on the front and 23-inch on the back) and traditional use of blue and green detailing and stitching.
Despite the coupe 2+2 bodystyle, the designer declared that there are “no bad seats in an Alpina”, and the spacious back seats will welcome passengers with features including a pair of crystal glasses held in place using concealed magnets.
How BMW Alpina cars will shape up
Under BMW ownership, Alpina bosses are keen to reinforce that they understand what makes the brand so appealing to customers. “Alpina drivers are not regulars at racetracks – we see cars with over 200,000km on them. They are daily drivers,” continued the Alpina boss, emphasising the dual ambitions of performance and comfort. “We expect Alpinas will be part of a collection, but will also be driven far and fast.” He also said the cars appeal to business people wanting something more subtle than the image created by ostentatious supercars.
The first production Alpina will be a near-190mph version of the 7 Series due to be revealed late next year, and very much given the Alpina treatment. “As a custodian of the brand, if you just picked up a 7 Series engine and didn't do anything to it – that would never occur,” he told us. “Powertrains are key differentiators.” But it’ll be next year before details emerge on exactly how far Alpina’s team will go in terms of performance or engineering upgrades.
Despite the plans to move Alpina into new higher ground, the traditional European heartland of B3 and B5 models based on the 3 and 5 Series hasn’t been consigned to history. However, we won’t see this in the first couple of all-new models.
“I would completely never rule it out,” he declared. “On our long-term road map, we clearly see an expansion of the portfolio. But to anchor the brand, this [7 Series-based B7] is the right segment to do so first.”
Global positioning above BMW and below Rolls-Royce
Alpina’s core models differ by region, with Europe and Japan centring more around the B3 and B5 that account for up to 90 per cent of sales, while in America it’s all about the larger B7 and B8 - luxury products at around $200,000 (£148,000) that sit where BMW now wants Alpina to live. On top of that are newer markets including the Middle East, where Alpina is yet to establish a major presence and will lean into its longer-term heritage.
Overlap with BMW’s more hardcore ‘M’ cars isn’t something that is concerning the Alpina boss. “Speed not sport is a different take to M”, he said. “Extra comfort over BMW is something we will maintain going forward - everything you feel must be of perfect touch, material and execution.”
On each model, the upgrades will encompass different power, torque and performance versus related BMW models, as well as revised chassis tuning, a more luxurious interior and bodywork changes including the Alpina name spelled out across the low front spoiler.
Looking further ahead, Viellechner envisages Alpina branching out into bespoke and high-cost special-edition cars. “I could see models specifically developed for the Alpina segment, without a base car at all: reduced volume, high positioning.”
The new breed of Alpinas will be sold through a limited number of BMW dealers, with the brand getting its own separate area of the showroom when the first car comes through late next year.
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