{"id":85002,"date":"2026-03-10T18:51:03","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T22:51:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=85002"},"modified":"2026-03-10T18:51:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T22:51:03","slug":"bmw-amelia-island-concours-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=85002","title":{"rendered":"BMW at Amelia Island 2026: ALPINA XB7 Debut, E46 M3 Touring, and the Best Cars and Coffee of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>There are few places in America where a BMW feels more at home than Amelia Island. The setting helps \u2014 salt air, old oaks, a golf course that\u2019s been hosting great cars for decades. And every year, the BMW community answers that call in force. The 2026 Amelia Island Concours d\u2019Elegance was no exception. From a world debut on the show field to a sprawling Cars and Coffee that reminded everyone why BMW ownership is less a hobby and more a way of life.<\/p>\n<h3>BMW ALPINA XB7 Limited Edition: 120 for America<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-alpina-xb7-2026-us-edition-09.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-511293\" title=\"BMW ALPINA XB7 2026 US EDITION 09\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-alpina-xb7-2026-us-edition-09-830x553.jpg\" alt=\"BMW ALPINA XB7 2026 US EDITION 09\" width=\"830\" height=\"553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-alpina-xb7-2026-us-edition-09-830x553.jpg 830w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-alpina-xb7-2026-us-edition-09-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-alpina-xb7-2026-us-edition-09-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-alpina-xb7-2026-us-edition-09-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-alpina-xb7-2026-us-edition-09.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The big news this year came from ALPINA. The brand used Amelia Island to debut the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2026\/03\/09\/2026-alpina-xb7-walkaround-video\/\">XB7 Limited Edition for the North American market<\/a> \u2014 just 120 units allocated for the United States. It\u2019s individually numbered, hand-built in the ALPINA tradition, and brings the full limited-edition treatment to what is already one of the more quietly impressive machines money can buy.<\/p>\n<h3>Cars and Coffee: The Cars<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-08-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-511410\" title=\"BMW AMELIA ISLAND CARS 08\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-08-467x830.jpg\" alt=\"BMW AMELIA ISLAND CARS 08\" width=\"467\" height=\"830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-08-467x830.jpg 467w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-08-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-08-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-08-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-08-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-08-scaled.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Fifty BMW owners got their cars onto the field for Sunday morning\u2019s Cars and Coffee, and the spread was a good one.The <strong>E30 M3<\/strong> needs no introduction at this point. Every example that shows up at a show like this is a survivor, and this one was no different \u2014 boxy, purposeful, exactly right. The <strong>E36 M3s<\/strong> were there too, still fighting for the respect they deserve. The <strong>E46 M3s<\/strong> made a strong showing, and for good reason: the S54, the chassis, the steering \u2014 it all still holds up.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-02-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-511416\" title=\"BMW AMELIA ISLAND CARS 02\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-02-467x830.jpg\" alt=\"BMW AMELIA ISLAND CARS 02\" width=\"467\" height=\"830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-02-467x830.jpg 467w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-02-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-02-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-02-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-02-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-02-scaled.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But the car that stopped many people in their tracks was an <strong>E46 M3 Touring with an SMG gearbox<\/strong>. A wagon. With M power. It shouldn\u2019t exist, and yet there it was, probably the most photographed car of the entire weekend. No complaints from anyone.<\/p>\n<p>On the newer end, several <strong>G80 M3s<\/strong> were on display, including the <strong>50 Jahre Edition in Interlagos Blue<\/strong> \u2014 one of 500 built for America. Standing next to an E30 M3, the color conversation practically writes itself.<\/p>\n<h3>The 2002s, the Baur, and an Original ALPINA 02<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-13-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-511404\" title=\"BMW AMELIA ISLAND CARS 13\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-13-467x830.jpg\" alt=\"BMW AMELIA ISLAND CARS 13\" width=\"467\" height=\"830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-13-467x830.jpg 467w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-13-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-13-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-13-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-13-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-13-scaled.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Any BMW gathering worth attending has a solid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2026\/01\/09\/bmw-02-series-60th-anniversary-history-legacy\/\">2002 contingent<\/a>, and Amelia delivered. Multiple examples were on display, including a clean one from the team at <strong>Precision Sport Industries<\/strong>, who know their way around an early BMW. There was also a <strong>BMW 2002 Baur Cabriolet<\/strong> on the field \u2014 the Targa-roofed coachbuilt version from Stuttgart that BMW never officially offered as a convertible. They don\u2019t come up often, and this one was in proper order.<\/p>\n<p>The early-car highlight, though, was an <strong>original ALPINA 02<\/strong>. Twin carburetors, Buchloe provenance, a direct line to where the whole ALPINA story began. Standing a few feet away from the new XB7 Limited Edition, the contrast \u2014 and the continuity \u2014 was hard to miss.<\/p>\n<h3>The Community<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-07-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-511409\" title=\"BMW AMELIA ISLAND CARS 07\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-07-467x830.jpg\" alt=\"BMW AMELIA ISLAND CARS 07\" width=\"467\" height=\"830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-07-467x830.jpg 467w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-07-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-07-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-07-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-07-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bmw-amelia-island-cars-07-scaled.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>What Amelia Island delivers every year, beyond the debuts and the lawn and the trophies, is a reminder of why this community works. BMW people tend to talk to each other. They share what they know, help with restorations, argue about the right era with genuine enthusiasm rather than snobbery. The person with a well-used E36 gets the same welcome as the person with a concours-quality E9.<\/p>\n<p>BMWBLOG has been coming to Amelia Island for years, and that part hasn\u2019t changed. And next March, the BMW community will be back once again on the grass at Amelia Island. It\u2019s just second home now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are few places in America where a BMW feels more at home than Amelia Island. The setting helps \u2014 salt air, old oaks, a golf course that\u2019s been hosting great cars for decades. And every year, the BMW community answers that call in force. The 2026 Amelia Island Concours d\u2019Elegance was no exception. From [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":85003,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=85002"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85002\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/85003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=85002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=85002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=85002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}