BMW said it will launch BMW Alpina (ALPINA), the group's standalone luxury brand. BMW Alpina is the first new brand the BMW Group has introduced in about 25 years. The goal is to reinforce the group's top-tier luxury space to bridge the gap between BMW and Rolls-Royce and accelerate its push into the luxury market.
On the 21st, BMW held Asia's first BMW Alpina brand briefing at Banyan Tree Club and Spa Seoul in Jung-gu, Seoul, and stated accordingly. The briefing was attended by Oliver Viellechner, executive vice president in charge of BMW Alpina, Maximilian Missoni, executive vice president and head of design, and Kim Kang-min, BMW Korea head of sales, among others.
At the event, Executive Vice President Viellechner said brands such as Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz Maybach and Ferrari are delivering strong results, adding, "BMW Alpina will go beyond existing luxury classes such as the 7 Series and X7 to strengthen the group's top-tier luxury and play a strategic role in linking the market with Rolls-Royce."
Alpina is a brand that was born in 1965 when Burkard Bovensipen in Germany began tuning the BMW 1500. By competing in endurance races, it built a brand philosophy (Speed, Not Sport) that drivers must be able to remain comfortable even on long-distance drives. Executive Vice President Missoni said, "Alpina is a car that offers the highest comfort and high performance on long journeys, setting it apart from BMW M, the high-performance brand."
To close the gap between its top-tier brand Rolls-Royce and BMW luxury models, the BMW Group acquired the Alpina trademark in 2022 and, after receiving the transfer of the rights this year, decided to launch the brand. Executive Vice President Viellechner said, "There is still growth potential in the ultra-luxury market," adding, "Even with a price of more than 200,000 euros per car, Alpina recorded sales of about 2,600 units last year, marking an all-time high."
For Alpina, which is closer to a "grand tourer" that provides a high level of stability and comfort on long journeys, the BMW Group will supply a dedicated TwinPower Turbo V8 4.4-liter gasoline engine and an electrified powertrain. The idea is to ensure customers can feel BMW's signature driving pleasure and powerful performance.
BMW will also offer a bespoke order program for personalization to match Alpina's concept as a luxury brand. For the exterior, the plan is to allow choices from more than 100 colors as well as Alpina signature line colors, while the interior will support 20 leather colors and stitch colors. It will also offer options to separately combine materials and colors for seats and key interior areas, along with a Manufaktur (the BMW Group's top-tier bespoke design) option.
BMW plans to introduce Alpina in Korea and seek new growth opportunities in the top-tier luxury segment. Head of Team Kim Kang-min said, "Sales in Korea for ultra-high-end luxury segments such as Maybach, Lamborghini, Bentley and Ferrari increased from 452 units in 2014 to 2,605 units in 2025, marking growth of about 5.8 times."
From early 2027, the BMW Group will begin brand communications through offline platforms and, in the second half of the same year, open seven BMW Alpina showrooms nationwide. The showrooms will not be separate standalone sites but dedicated zones created within existing BMW showrooms. New models will launch from early 2028 to complete the BMW Alpina lineup.