Alpina is a German car manufacturer in Buchloe, Bavaria, known for high-performance BMW versions. It collaborates closely with BMW, making its cars alongside BMW models. Founded in 1965 by Burkard Bovensiepen, Alpina was acquired by BMW in March 2022.
History[]
Alpina's history dates back to 1962 when Burkard Bovensiepen developed a Weber dual carburetor for the BMW 1500, earning praise from both automotive press and BMW's sales chief. BMW later certified the quality of Alpina's product by granting full factory guarantees to vehicles fitted with the Alpina system. Established on January 1, 1965, in Kaufbeuren, Bavaria, Alpina initially had eight employees and began by producing typewriters. However, the original Alpina ceased operations in the late 1960s after an unsuccessful venture into the textile industry. Burkard then shifted focus to BMW tuning, starting the business in an outbuilding of the original Alpina typewriter factory. By 1970, with seventy employees, Alpina relocated from Kaufbeuren to Buchloe.
Initially specializing in tuning carburetors and crankshafts to enhance BMW engine performance, Alpina's logo, created in 1967, reflected these core competencies. From 1968 to 1977, Alpina achieved significant success in motorsport, winning various championships including the European Touring Car Championship and the Spa 24 Hours in 1970. In 1988, due to capacity limitations and restrictions, Alpina officially withdrew from racing and shifted focus to producing a new line of BMW Alpina automobiles.
Distinction from BMW[]
Since 1983, Alpina has held official recognition from the German Federal Ministry of Transport as a car manufacturer. As a result, vehicles built by Alpina are branded and registered under the Alpina name rather than BMW. However, they can still be serviced at BMW dealerships and are fully covered for warranty issues. Some BMW dealerships also sell Alpina automobiles.
One of the distinctive features of Alpina vehicles is their handcrafted production process. This process involves fine-tuning the engine, delivering it to the BMW plant for integration with the body, and then returning it to Alpina for interior upgrades using specific Alpina components. This meticulous process limits production numbers. Alpina vehicles also receive optimizations to the transmission and are typically equipped with steering wheel-mounted button shifters known as Switch-Tronic, a feature pioneered by Alpina. Additionally, Alpina cars are characterized by 20-spoke alloy wheels with hidden valves, "Alpina Blue" or "Alpina Green" metallic exterior colors, and luxurious interior materials and finishes.
Compared to vehicles from BMW's in-house performance subsidiary, BMW M, Alpina cars prioritize touring capabilities, offer higher torque, and feature Alpina-style shiftable ZF automatic transmissions rather than manual or semi-automatic transmissions. For example, the Alpina B5, a high-performance variant of the BMW E60 5 Series, differs from BMW M's M5 with its use of a supercharged 4.4L V8 engine, providing similar horsepower but greater torque output.
Alpina C1[]
The Alpina C1, based on the E21 323i, was one of the early popular models of Alpina, offering enhanced performance compared to the standard car. The C1 2.3 variant produced 125 kW (168 hp) and 225 N⋅m (166 lb⋅ft) of torque, achieving 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 7.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of 213 km/h (132 mph). This enhanced power was achieved through modifications such as special Mahle pistons, a unique exhaust and ignition system, dry-sump lubrication, and a short-ratio five-speed gearbox. Only 35 C1 cars were manufactured, making it a rare Alpina model.
As BMW introduced the 325i, Alpina responded with the C2 2.5, and later the 2.7 models, offering between 190–210 hp (142–157 kW) along with upgrades to the brakes and suspension.
The C1 2.5 and early C2 / 2.6* models utilized the M20B23 (2.3L) engine but with modifications such as increased bore and stroke to achieve a displacement of 2552 cm3. Alpina also enhanced the head by porting and polishing it, installed harder valve springs and a hotter cam, reworked the intake manifold, and used a larger throttle body. This configuration produced 136 kW (182 hp) and 246 N⋅m (181 lb⋅ft) of torque, with claimed acceleration from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.1 seconds and a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph). Estimates of production numbers for these models vary, ranging from around 35 cars to approximately 400, depending on the source.