The Alpina brand officially came under the control of BMW Group
On January 1, 2026, BMW Group officially became the owner of the Alpina brand. The deal, announced by the companies back in 2022, has now come into effect and concluded the long-standing period of independent existence of the German low-volume car manufacturer based on BMW models.
What is known
The decision to sell the brand was associated with changes in the automotive industry. By the early 2020s, tightened environmental regulations made it extremely difficult for a niche manufacturer like Alpina to comply with emission requirements. Unlike large corporations, which can offset average harmful emission levels across their model lines through production scale, as well as very small brands that sometimes receive regulatory concessions, Alpina found itself in an intermediate position. This significantly increased costs and risks.
In 2022, a company representative directly stated that the sale of the brand was a response to constantly tightening legal frameworks and the accelerated transition of the industry to electric vehicles. Against the backdrop of global changes, maintaining the previous business model became economically unfeasible. After the deal, the company from Buchloe focused on working with its historical heritage under the Alpina Classic brand, engaging in the restoration and servicing of previously released cars.
BMW, in turn, obtained rights to use the Alpina brand and its development within the group. In an official statement, the company emphasized that the key values of the new BMW Alpina brand remain a combination of high performance and comfort, distinctive driving settings, exclusive materials, and recognizable design elements. The company also noted that they intend to preserve the brand’s individuality within the group.
For the market, Alpina's transition under BMW's control marks the end of an era of independent tuning and the beginning of a new stage in the brand's existence as part of a large car corporation. For customers, this is primarily a question of maintaining Alpina’s recognizable approach to luxury and the character of the cars, but now within the strategy and capabilities of BMW Group.
Source: BMW
