The Vision BMW ALPINA Brings Sexy Back

A little over four years have passed since the BMW Group acquired the ALPINA brand name. While the Bovensiepen family business in Buchloe continues to cater to the roughly 40,000 surviving cars built in the pre-BMW era, Munich is elevating the iconic name into a separate luxury brand.

Positioned above high-end BMWs without encroaching on Rolls-Royce territory, ALPINA has Maybach in its crosshairs. Before a production model arrives, a one-off design study offers a glimpse of what lies ahead. It’s a stately coupe making its public debut this weekend at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

Don’t go in thinking this is a reskinned 8 Series following the Skytop and Speedtop presented at the last two editions of the event on the shores of Lake Como. At 204.7 inches (5.2 meters) long, it’s substantially larger than the “G15,” and you’ll hardly find any similarities with the regular 8er.

Retro Modern Exterior Design

BMW drew inspiration from the superb E24-generation ALPINA B7 to modernize the shark nose with large, shield-like kidneys. Although the fully closed-off grille may suggest the concept is entirely electric, a V8 engine sits underneath that long hood. Further evidence that the coupe has a combustion engine comes from the quad exhaust system. We’re told it delivers the low-end grunt you’d expect from an ALPINA.

It’s a strikingly gorgeous car infused with several Neue Klasse design elements. If you’re already familiar with the new 7 Series, the sedan’s split daytime running lights have been reinterpreted for the Vision BMW ALPINA. Likewise, the vertical main lights create a visual link between the two cars.

The profile is impeccably clean thanks to the absence of conventional door handles. In their place, winglets discreetly integrated into the beltline remind us of the Skytop and Speedtop mentioned earlier. You’ll soon see this setup on a regular production model, namely the next-generation X5 debuting this summer.

Slim side mirrors are a telltale sign we’re dealing with a concept car, while the absence of thick B-pillars recalls a time when safety regulations weren’t as strict as they are today. Most of the sloping roofline is occupied by a curved glass section extending all the way to the rear.

A signature ALPINA trait, subtle deco lines adorn the sides and hark back to the pre-BMW-era models. The large 22-inch front and 23-inch rear wheels also nod to the past with their 20-spoke design. A closer look at the alloys reveals that the BMW roundel has given way to ALPINA’s recently updated logo.

The sleek rear end strikes just the right balance between elegance and sportiness. It features a two-line taillight motif along with elliptical quad exhaust tips, another ALPINA hallmark. Much like the front, the rear combines the revised BMW badge with ALPINA’s new typeface. Split horizontal slats in the lower fascia emphasize the car’s generous width, while the trunk lid is surprisingly small for such a large vehicle.

Upgraded 7 Series Interior

Step inside and there’s an immediate sense of familiarity. The one-off coupe draws heavily from the 7 Series LCI. It features the new iDrive X front and center, joined by a passenger touchscreen and the Panoramic Vision windshield projection. Elsewhere, BMW’s new steering wheel design with vertical spokes gains touch-sensitive controls and ALPINA branding.

A full-length center console bisects the cabin, leaving room for only two people in the back. The interior is drenched in high-quality leather, while the rear center console houses a glass water bottle and crystal glasses that rise courtesy of a self-deploying mechanism. The few remaining conventional controls also feature crystal accents to further elevate the cabin.

While BMW M will continue focusing on high-performance vehicles, ALPINA will lean further into the luxury GT side of the spectrum. As such, the concept features a Comfort+ driving mode described as a “setting beyond the standard BMW comfort calibration that delivers a more supple, refined character.” In other words, it transforms the coupe into the most comfortable BMW Group model outside of Rolls-Royce.

But there’s one problem. The first bespoke ALPINA since BMW took control of the brand name isn’t headed for production. It’s clearly labeled a “one-of-one design study,” so don’t expect something akin to a posh 7 Series Coupe anytime soon. The good news is there’s finally official confirmation that the 7 Series LCI will receive the ALPINA treatment, although it won’t arrive until next year.

I think we can all agree the Vision BMW ALPINA would fit perfectly alongside the 3.0 CSL, Skytop, and Speedtop in BMW’s ultra-exclusive lineup of coachbuilt cars. Maybe one day?