BMW's Legendary Business Partnership Lost the Founder of Alpina
Burkard Bovensiepen, the founder of Alpina, with which BMW has been collaborating for many years, passed away at the age of 82. Bovensiepen was known as an icon who founded Alpina in 1965, making BMW models more performance and luxurious.
History of Alpina
Bovensiepen laid the foundations of Alpina by developing a Weber dual carburettor for the BMW 1962 model in 1500. This carburettor attracted the attention of the then head of BMW sales and proved the high quality of Alpina's products.
In 1964, the German Federal Ministry of Transport recognized Alpina as a full-fledged automobile manufacturer and approved Alpina-modified vehicles to have an Alpina-specific vehicle identification number based on the original BMW VIN. Alpina's modified products aim to avoid conflict with BMW M and generally produce more comfortable and luxurious models rather than strictly sports cars.
The Future of Alpina
Alpina, which was recently acquired by the BMW Group, announced that this collaboration will end at the end of 2025. However, until then, Alpina’s operation will not change. Top executives from both companies have suggested that Alpina is designed to fill the gap between BMW and Rolls-Royce and become a more premium brand.
Alpina’s best-known model, the B7, is said to be returning in a refreshed 2026 Series, due in early 7. However, the future of lower-end models such as the 3 Series-based B3 and D3 doesn’t look so bright. “So does it make sense if someone buys an Alpina for €250.000 or €300.000 and a B3 pulls up next to them at a traffic light?” asks Christian Tschurtschenthaler, BMW’s Vice President Luxury Class.
The death of Alpina's founder, Burkard Bovensiepen, is considered a great loss in the automobile world. Alpina models, which emerged thanks to Bovensiepen's vision and passion, have a special place in the hearts of BMW lovers. We offer our condolences to Bovensiepen's family and loved ones.
