‘Stand-alone models’
Alpina has always been inextricably linked with BMW, but has recently become an actual part of it. This comes with new promises and a new logo.
Alpina was always the tuner-we-weren’t-allowed-to-call-a-tuner. The company ‘refined’ BMWs in its own truly unique way, with a focus on high quality, comfort, and style instead of pure sportiness. Now BMW has incorporated Alpina into its own ranks, and change is inevitable. This already started with new typography, but now the Alpina logo must also undergo changes. No worries for enthusiasts: the throttle body and crankshaft in the logo will not be replaced by a battery pack and a heat pump. It will therefore stick to the traditional, mechanical engine components, but in a slightly sleeker and modernized form. The logo is now colorless and also executed in ‘2D’, which reportedly works better for digital applications.
BMW calls Alpina ‘an exclusive new brand under the umbrella of BMW Group’. The brand stands for ‘an exceptional balance between ultimate driving comfort and high performance’. That certainly sounds like the Alpina we’ve known for so long. The question, of course, is how BMW will precisely shape this. Alpina could be transformed into a label like M or even an optical package like M Sport, but BMW refers to ‘stand-alone models’. So there is still plenty to speculate about, but Alpina seems to remain true to its core values. For example, BMW promises a renewed version of the classic 20-spoke wheel design, but also interiors upholstered in high-quality leather as standard and extensive personalization options. The BMW Alpina models – BMW continues to add BMW to them in this way – will be produced in selected BMW factories that are ‘fully equipped to meet the high standards of this new and exclusive brand’. And the logo is certainly here.