Article Summary
- BMW’s Head of Design for Upper Mid-Size, Luxury Class, and ALPINA, Maximilian Missoni, explains how ALPINA will sell cars as a BMW-owned luxury brand.
- ALPINAs will be more customizable than BMW models but not completely bespoke as a Rolls-Royce.
- ALPINA’s first model in the BMW era launches next year. It will be an upscale 7 Series G70 with exclusive details inside and out.
The Vision BMW ALPINA is a stunning 2+2 coupe with V8 power and a sumptuous interior. There’s just one problem: it’s not going into production. Since it’s based on the now-discontinued 8 Series Gran Coupe, the company would have to start from scratch with a different donor vehicle. In the meantime, the first model you’ll actually be able to buy arrives next year as a more upscale version of the 7 Series facelift.
BMW has already said it will build ALPINAs at existing factories that are being upgraded to handle the added complexity required for higher-end products. Expect the G72 to be assembled in Dingolfing alongside the regular G70, as the town in southern Bavaria is the only place where the full-size luxury sedan is built. Once the car rolls off the assembly line, you might wonder where it’s headed next.
Predictably, new ALPINAs will be sold through BMW’s existing dealership network, but with a twist. There will be dedicated areas to clearly separate the two brands and better reflect ALPINA’s elevated status in the hierarchy. BMW could even go a step further and establish standalone locations where ALPINAs wouldn’t share a roof with BMWs. Nothing has been decided yet, but it remains a distinct possibility.
ALPINA Will Have Dedicated Areas Within BMW Dealerships
In an interview with BMWBLOG, BMW’s Head of Design for Upper Mid-Size, Luxury Class, and ALPINA, Maximilian Missoni, revealed the sales strategy for the latest addition to the BMW Group umbrella:
“In terms of the flagship stores, ALPINA will have locations within dealerships, but there could also be standalone ALPINA locations. That’s not defined. These talks are going on with the markets at the moment. The idea is that definitely those spaces will be clearly ALPINA branded and quite differentiated, and will have dedicated areas for customer interaction for individualization.”
However, ALPINAs won’t be as customizable as vehicles built by the BMW Group’s flagship brand, Rolls-Royce. Missoni explained that only RR will allow wealthy customers to create a completely bespoke product:
“The private offices, this is literally coachbuilt design, so you basically sit there and design your own vehicle. I think I wouldn’t go that far with the brand, because that’s where Rolls-Royce starts. But in terms of the unique spaces and the unique experience, that’s definitely something you can expect [from ALPINA].”
ALPINA Fills A Gap Between BMW And Rolls-Royce
There’s a clear strategy in place for ALPINA, positioning the newcomer above the core BMW brand without entering Rolls-Royce territory. Consequently, don’t expect a V12-powered ALPINA, as the company will likely stick to inline-six and V8 engines. Fully electric models are also planned, although we wouldn’t be surprised if many customers still prefer those elliptical quad exhausts.
With ALPINA, BMW is taking aim at Mercedes-Maybach, and the 7 Series will therefore target the range-topping S-Class. If rumors about an XB7 successor prove accurate, the next-generation X7 in ALPINA guise will compete with the Maybach GLS. Smaller vehicles could follow, but the strategy is to start at the top and gradually move down the range.