BMW acquires Alpina tuning brand

BMW Group has bought Alpina, the tuning brand with which it has held a partnership for almost 60 years.

The transformation towards electromobility and increasing regulation worldwide – particularly emissions legislation, software validation and requirements for driver assistance and monitoring systems – have made it significantly more difficult for small-series manufacturers, like Alpina, to operate.

Pieter Nota, member of the Board of Management responsible for Customer, Brands and Sales, at BMW, said: “The automotive industry is in the midst of a far-reaching transformation towards sustainable mobility. For that reason, existing business models need to be re-examined on a regular basis.

“For over fifty years, the Buchloe firm has demon­strated how to deliver top-quality car cachet through meticulous attention to detail. The BMW Group is also driven by this same passion for cars that capture the imagination. That is why we are now embarking on a new chapter in our long-standing partnership.

“Acquiring the trademark rights will allow us to shape the long-term course of this brand steeped in tradition.”

Alpina enjoyed a brief foray into the fleet market, in 2006, when it introduced the D3, a modified version of the popular BMW 320d. More recently, it has focused on exclusive and high-performance variants.

An existing cooperation agreement between the two brands will be honored until December 31, 2025, then BMW Group will be solely responsible for any future Alpina-badged models.

Currently, Alpina takes finished BMW models from the production line and modifies them at its own facility in Buchloe, outside Munich.

The service, parts and accessories business for the existing and legacy BMW Alpina vehicle portfolio will continue at the Buchloe location in the long term.

There will be no changes to the existing aftersales cooperation. As part of a strategic cooperation between the two companies, there will be a further expansion of the existing development services business for BMW out of Buchloe.

The conclusion of the transaction is still subject to various suspensive conditions – in particular, approval by the responsible antitrust authorities. Both parties have agreed not to disclose any financial details. No shares in the company will be acquired.