Doubt the power of design? Look no further than the Ferrari controversy, the AMG GT 4-Door uproar, or the Jaguar Type 00 debacle. Given the fierce and sometimes dysfunctional relationship between storied brands and their most loyal fans, it’s no wonder these high-profile design outliers were considered betrayals of trust. Mess with an icon, risk the future credibility of your beloved brand.
It’s been four quiet years since BMW's acquisition of Alpina in 2022, so it’s no wonder Bimmer loyalists breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Vision BMW Alpina concept finally broke cover at the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza.
Sleek and gracefully proportioned, the one-off effortlessly pulled off numerous romanticized BMW design signatures—shark nose, kidney grille, Hofmeister kink, and cab-rear bias for starters. Instead of exaggerated caricatures or distorted interpretations of these hallmarks, this Alpina exudes a calm modernity that works both as a concept car on the shores of Lake Como and as something you could imagine in your suburban garage.
View Price on AmazonWe caught up with Alpina’s leadership and design team to break down how and why one of the year’s most well-received designs came to life.
Unlike a certain astronomically priced prancing horse EV, there is a rational white space between the 7 Series ($100,000 plus) and the Group’s next-priciest offering, the Rolls-Royce Ghost ($370,000). Bigger picture, there is also room for competition amidst players in that space like Bentley and Maybach. BMW Alpina CEO Oliver Viellechner suggests the market is ripe within the nascent segment.
"The growth of wealth globally is still very robust," he says, citing a BCG (Boston Consulting Group) study that projects a 9 percent increase per year in ultra-high net worth individuals. Viellechner suggests that particular demographic is not only growing, it’s evolving.
"Those individuals really tend to change their spending behaviors. There’s a trend toward more subtle, more understated, more experience-driven consumption beyond just products and massive expressive luxury."
When it comes to product planning, head of BMW Group Design Adrian van Hooydonk says that Alpina’s positioning was carefully considered.
"I was there when we acquired Mini and Rolls-Royce, so I know how BMW goes about bringing a new brand into the fold. We studied history long and hard and tried to keep what we think is important and develop it further. And that’s how we went about with BMW Alpina."
Van Hooydonk says he had several dinners with Alpina clients to put a finer point on what makes the nameplate appealing—those little snippets helped refine the brand’s brand elements.
"We showed them bits and pieces of what we’re going to do. Sometimes just the wheel, some colors, upholstery, a new logo."
While Alpina’s history can be dissected ad nauseam, building a future that’s sustainable, credible, and profitable requires careful consideration of a universe of variables. Think: 3D chess, not gut instinct. Anything can happen; there’s the existing fanbase and the possibility of its contraction, the potential cannibalization of the donor cars Alpinas will be based on, and how to manage existing Alpina hallmarks that have been carefully considered.
Source: motor1.com
