BMW Has Acquired Long-Time Tuning Partner Alpina

Alpina has been bought outright by BMW. Considering their long-standing friendship, BMW and Alpina now have a formal partnership, with Alpina entering BMW's brand portfolio alongside Mini and Rolls-Royce.

Originally a typewriter maker, Alpina began customizing BMW automobiles in the 1960s with larger carburettors and more forceful camshafts. As a result, the firm embarked on a road of ever-more ambitious offers, ranging from hand-built motors to more opulent interiors.

Alpina engines are used in some models, which are subsequently delivered to BMW plants to be assembled on BMW lines. The agreement between BMW and Alpina was extended in late 2020, and it was slated to expire in 2025. 

The manufacturers didn't reveal the financial terms of the contract, but they did say it was motivated by the fast-changing automotive industry. "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," stated BMW's Pieter Nota, who manages Customers, Brands, and Sales on the board of management.

BMW stated in a release that rigorous emissions regulations and more sophisticated safety features, particularly in the area of driver aids, have made it increasingly impossible for specialty, small-volume manufacturers, such as Alpina, to be alone. BMW hasn't said anything about its ambitions for the Alpina brand.