At the 2026 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, BMW Group revealed the Vision BMW ALPINA, a design study that previews the future direction of the BMW ALPINA brand following its integration into the BMW Group this year.
Related: The BMW ALPINA B8 GT takes exclusivity and performance a notch higher
The concept combines the traditional Alpina focus on performance and comfort with a more modern design language. According to Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design, the goal is to preserve Alpina’s identity while adapting it for a new era.
“Alpina has always represented a very specific idea of performance and refinement—where speed and comfort are complementary ambitions,” van Hooydonk said.
The Vision BMW ALPINA measures 5,200 mm long and features a low, wide stance with a long coupé-style roofline designed to accommodate four adults comfortably. Power comes from a V8 engine tuned to deliver Alpina’s signature exhaust sound, with a deep tone at low speeds and a more pronounced note at higher revs.
Maximilian Missoni, head of BMW Design Midsize & Luxury Cars and BMW ALPINA, said the concept focuses on simplifying and modernizing Alpina’s traditional design elements.
The front end features a reinterpretation of BMW’s shark nose and kidney grille design, while a “speed feature line” runs along the body from the front corners to the rear. BMW says the line is angled at six degrees to emphasize motion while maintaining a restrained appearance.
Several classic Alpina design cues return in updated form. The deco-lines, first introduced in 1974, are integrated beneath the clear coat of the paint. The concept also retains Alpina’s elliptical four-pipe exhaust setup and multi-spoke wheel design, now using 22-inch front wheels and 23-inch rear wheels.
Lighting elements include warm white daytime running lights inspired by early morning light in the Bavarian Alps, along with illuminated crystal accents.
Inside, the cabin uses a layered layout with distinct architectural forms rather than a seamless dashboard design. The interior combines full-grain leather sourced from the Alpine region with metal trim featuring satin and polished finishes.
BMW also incorporated several luxury-focused details, including crystal controls, heritage blue and green stitching, and a rear console setup featuring a glass water bottle and crystal glasses stored in a self-deploying mechanism.
The six-degree design theme continues into the interior, separating the darker upper section from the lighter lower section of the cabin.
The concept also retains Alpina’s focus on long-distance comfort. BMW said the vehicle includes a Comfort+ driving mode beyond the standard BMW comfort calibration, reflecting founder Burkard Bovensiepen’s philosophy that “a comfortable driver is a faster driver.”
The cabin integrates BMW Panoramic iDrive and a new passenger display with graphics developed specifically for BMW ALPINA. The digital interface changes color intensity depending on the selected driving mode, from Comfort+ to Speed mode.
BMW said the background imagery used in the display depicts the Alpine mountain range visible south of Buchloe, Germany, where Alpina was founded in 1965 by Burkard Bovensiepen.
The company also highlighted the historical influence of the late-1970s Alpina B7 Coupé, based on the BMW E24 6 Series. BMW described it as a milestone that established Alpina’s combination of luxury, high-speed touring capability, and everyday usability.
BMW ALPINA officially became part of the BMW Group in 2026. According to Oliver Viellechner, head of BMW ALPINA, the brand will sit between BMW and Rolls-Royce in the group’s portfolio.
BMW confirmed that the first production BMW ALPINA model under the new structure will debut next year. The model will be based on the BMW 7 Series while retaining distinct BMW ALPINA characteristics.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply