No matter the sweat, time, and tears the engineers of German brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz pour into their works of performance art, some we-can-do-it-better aftermarket tinkerers work to improve the product. For more than 50 years, that tinkerer of BMW models has been Alpina. The company has done it so well that Alpina is now a fully-owned BMW subsidiary.
What Is the History of BMW Alpina?
BMW Alpina’s roots trace back to Bavaria, Germany, and aspiring toolmaker twenty-something Burkard Bovensiepen. Young Bovensiepen decided his contribution to the world would be souping up carburetor intake systems for assorted carmakers. He picked a likely candidate in the 1962 BMW 1500, sporting the tidy M10 4-cylinder engine. The entrepreneur finished his inaugural Alpina carburetor intake kit for the 1500 in time for the 1963 International Auto Show in Frankfort. With a dwindling bank account but a flair for marketing, Bovensiepen attracted the initial sales for his fledgling invention by papering the windshields of BMW 1500 models in the show’s parking lot.
The intake provided a serious performance boost and garnered praise that reached the ears of BMW executives. In no time, BMW headquarters recognized the kits as safely providing a performance enhancement. The execs issued a customer service notice that installing the new intake kit in the 1500 wouldn’t invalidate the new car warranty. BMW and Alpina had planted the seeds for an enduring relationship.
Alpina was the name of Bovensiepen’s father’s typewriter factory and became the name of Burkard’s company when formed in 1965. By the late 1960s, Alpina and BMW were teaming up to win races across Europe, with victories at the 1970, 1973, and 1977 European Touring Car Championships.
Alpina points to the 1978 BMW Alpina B6 2.8 as the first Alpina-produced car based on the BMW E21 3 Series. For more than 20 years, Alpina marketed its BMW-based models before they were finally sold through the BMW dealer network in the United States. Alpina was so prolific and thorough that Germany registered it as an official automobile manufacturer in 1983.
The two names became more synonymous as the relationship between Alpina and BMW flourished over the decades. BMW acquired Alpina in 2022.
How Does BMW Alpina Compare to Mercedes AMG?
At first blush, BMW Alpina and Mercedes-AMG might seem a logical comparison because they were once both independent aftermarket tuners and are now wholly owned subsidiaries of their respective brands, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. However, BMW M and Mercedes-AMG are much closer philosophically. Both promote extreme performance while including some cosmetic upgrades. Today, BMW Alpina is more about promoting luxury with elevated performance.
Current New BMW Alpina Models
Here are the two BMW Alpina models available today. Pricing includes the factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).
| Model | Price |
| 2024 Alpina B8 xDrive Gran Coupe | $150,295 |
| 2025 Alpina XB7 | $153,395 |
