BMW bought ALPINA in 2022, but the preexisting deal between the two companies won’t expire until the end of 2025. That means we shouldn’t realistically expect any changes to ALPINA’s modus operandi before 2026. A new report from Car and Driver sheds light on Buchloe’s future, which could see the niche automaker move even more upmarket, possibly with a new logo. We also reported in the past that BMW plans to move the ALPINA brand above the Luxury Class, so essentially an Upper Luxury Class.
Will A B7 Come Close To A Rolls-Royce Ghost?
Today, veteran journalist Georg Kacher alleges the same thing: BMW Group intends to push ALPINA deeper into high-end territory. The intent is to go after Mercedes and its posh Maybach sub-brand while also grabbing sales from Bentley and Aston Martin. The juiciest part of the report is about a potential return of the B7, maybe even as a replacement for the next-generation Rolls-Royce Ghost. Doing so would avoid a potential sales cannibalization, but nothing is official yet.
Furthermore, logic tells us the new ALPINA B7 would be based on the 7 Series LCI, which Munich insiders believe is scheduled to enter production in mid-2026. Consequently, a G70-based ALPINA model is unlikely to see the light of day before the end of 2026 or early 2027. It’s premature to know whether the resurrected B7 is going to kill off the Ghost altogether or whether Rolls-Royce will make the next generation strictly electric. The latter scenario seems plausible since RR wants to be EV-only from 2030. Our sources say that the Ghost is due for a refresh in 2029.
ALPINA To Focus On Profitable And Large Luxury Vehicles
ALPINA is expected to stop being a mélange of luxury and sporty to focus on the former and bridge the gap between the fanciest BMW and Rolls-Royce. It likely means the entry-level ALPINAs are going to be discontinued. In 2022, former BMW Vice President, Head of Series Luxury Class, Christian Tschurtschenthaler even suggested the B3 and D3 (and by extension the XD3, XD4, and B4) are living on borrowed time:
“Does it make sense that someone spends that €250,000 or €300,000 money on an ALPINA then sees a B3 come alongside at a traffic light?”
Chances are the bigger B5/D5 won’t be renewed either, according to our sources within the BMW Group. With the B7 potentially returning at one point in the latter half of the decade, it would make sense for ALPINA to keep the XB7 in its portfolio as well. The second generation of the BMW-badged X7 carries the “G67” internal codename and is scheduled to arrive in mid-2027, so look for a new XB7 around 2028.
No Word Yet On An ALPINA 8 Series
Elsewhere, BMW is expected to axe the 8 Series lineup in the coming years but bring back the Gran Coupe (codename G77) as an electric car on CLAR platform near the end of the decade. The 7 Series would be a good candidate for the ALPINA treatment. From what we’ve heard, the newcomer underneath the BMW Group corporate umbrella won’t initially release any electric vehicles. However, zero-emission models are inevitable in light of the EV push from governments all over the world.
Source: Car and Driver
