Looks like BMW just bought Alpina

Didn't see this in any of the English language press yet, but apparently BMW bought the Alpina brand: https://heise.de/-6545962

The article states that they didn't buy a share in the company itself, apparently they just bought the brand.

English language link from Pistonheads: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-germancars/bmw-buys-alpina/45417

About to see Alpina badges on every 316i.. "dealer installed" they claim..

Shows you what I know, I always assumed that Alpina was already part of BMW.  What was the relationship between Alpina and BMW before the acquisition?

In reply to mr2peak :

I am afraid that you right, not that I would even be able to sniff a Alpina prepared BMW, but it was fun in Gran Turismo.

I thought Alpina was an arms length tuner company.

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

Shows you what I know, I always assumed that Alpina was already part of BMW.  What was the relationship between Alpina and BMW before the acquisition?

Basically what Aspen posted. An arms length tuner company.

Think of it like Roush. Where you can buy a Roush-tuned car/truck at certain Ford dealers. 

I think they have manufacturer status in Germany like Ruf has. They did start out as an aftermarket tuner obviously, but I think they gained manufacturer status sometime in the 80s.

Press release from BMW: https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/usa/article/detail/T0373035EN_US/expanding-the-portfolio-bmw-group-acquires-the-alpina-brand

Press release from Alpina: https://www.alpina-automobiles.com/en/tools/alpina-news/

BoxheadTim said:

I think they have manufacturer status in Germany like Ruf has. They did start out as an aftermarket tuner obviously, but I think they gained manufacturer status sometime in the 80s.

They do. Alpina has its own VIN. 

Slippery said:

BoxheadTim said:

I think they have manufacturer status in Germany like Ruf has. They did start out as an aftermarket tuner obviously, but I think they gained manufacturer status sometime in the 80s.

They do. Alpina has its own VIN. 

Gotcha. I could never afford one, so I've done much past looking at pretty pictures and stats. 

I always felt Alpina's goal was to build the M version of a new BMW before BMW did. New 3 series, Alpina hotrods it before the M3 shows up...and then there's the M3, so why get the Alpina? I never saw a solid value-add, and I'm not sure why BMW would want the name when they already have the M division. Maybe it'll be the Super M Division now that M has been watered down so much.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

The really early Alpina's we're motorsports oriented, but starting in the 80's they really started to build cars that were more focused on touring, aka Autobahn blasting. So they weren't exactly an aftermarket M car, but instead a high performance BMW from a different angle.

MTechnically (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Keith Tanner :

The really early Alpina's we're motorsports oriented, but starting in the 80's they really started to build cars that were more focused on touring, aka Autobahn blasting. So they weren't exactly an aftermarket M car, but instead a high performance BMW from a different angle.

Agree, Alpina was the M when M did not exist. 

I would love to have any Alpinas up to the e30/e34, so let's say late 80s. After that I lost interest. 

In reply to MTechnically (Forum Supporter) :

Pretty much - for example, they offered M performance with an automatic gearbox, which BMW didn't offer at the time. 

Plus they built some interesting stuff like the E34 B10 Bi-Turbo that had even more power than the E34 M5.

Especially the 5 and 7 series based ones were cars for people who wanted to rapidly get from A to B without leaving the ground, while transporting more people and/or luggage that you could cram into a contemporary 911.

I think some of the later cars had M-level performance engines  (though not true M-spec) with otherwise unavailable automatic transmissions. 

Alpina also did stuff with cars that BMW felt weren't worthy of a M version.  There are a couple different Alpinas based on the E38 7 series, for example. 

As far as the watering down of the M badge, there still seems to be a distinction between an "M sport" car that has some upgraded parts tweaked by the M division vs an "M car" where it's a distinct model that's totally gone over by the M division. 

BoxheadTim said:

In reply to MTechnically (Forum Supporter) :

Pretty much - for example, they offered M performance with an automatic gearbox, which BMW didn't offer at the time. 

Plus they built some interesting stuff like the E34 B10 Bi-Turbo that had even more power than the E34 M5.

Especially the 5 and 7 series based ones were cars for people who wanted to rapidly get from A to B without leaving the ground, while transporting more people and/or luggage that you could cram into a contemporary 911.

The B10 Bi-Turbo is an all time favorite car of mine. I have a soft spot for cars of a grand touring nature and that has got to be one of the best, especially from that era.

I feel like the Alpina soft line wheels, aka the classic 20 spokes, look best in sizes under 18", and the classic graphic seems to work best with the more angular bodies of the E28/E30/E34/E38. 

In reply to BoxheadTim :

You beat me to it!

Let's make this into the Alpina picture thread:

*Some of these are not be real Alpinas but still cool.

About 12 or so years ago I bought most the parts to build a C2 2.5 copycat from Alpina. 

I got the front and rear spoilers, rear mudflaps, steering wheel, badges, deko set all from Alpina. 

I also acquired the euro bumpers. I have it all sitting in my attic collecting dust. One of these days I will put it together. 

MTechnically (Forum Supporter) said:

BoxheadTim said:

In reply to MTechnically (Forum Supporter) :

Pretty much - for example, they offered M performance with an automatic gearbox, which BMW didn't offer at the time. 

Plus they built some interesting stuff like the E34 B10 Bi-Turbo that had even more power than the E34 M5.

Especially the 5 and 7 series based ones were cars for people who wanted to rapidly get from A to B without leaving the ground, while transporting more people and/or luggage that you could cram into a contemporary 911.

The B10 Bi-Turbo is an all time favorite car of mine. I have a soft spot for cars of a grand touring nature and that has got to be one of the best, especially from that era.

I feel like the Alpina soft line wheels, aka the classic 20 spokes, look best in sizes under 18", and the classic graphic seems to work best with the more angular bodies of the E28/E30/E34/E38. 

I agree on the wheel size, I really prefer style 32 17" and up.

Alpina was always the "Road Tuned" version of BMW. Zero comfort and daily use compromises, but more power and luxury. A focus on torque delivery, auto options, easy cars to drive every day to the office. 

Shnitzer did the motorsport thing. BMW M is (or was) more about raw performance. 

Alpine did some cool things throughout the years, I had a supercharger for an e65 alpine b7 on the shelf for awhile, that belt drive diff cooler is interesting as well.

They were difficult to get the parts for that made them alpinas, maybe that will change now, though the new ones seam nothing more than wheels a body kit & a blue dash.

That e24 looks really good, thanks for restarting my want for an e24 project