Article Summary
- CEO Oliver Zipse details where the newly added ALPINA brand will sit under the BMW Group umbrella.
- ALPINA plans to make “individual, highly customized vehicles” positioned above BMW’s top models.
- Rolls-Royce will remain the flagship of the BMW Group.
It’s been four years since the BMW Group acquired the rights to the ALPINA brand. Since the news broke in March 2022, many have wondered where the fourth car brand would sit under the corporate umbrella. In 2026, BMW fully took over the brand name, but three months in, we still haven’t seen a single car.
While the ALPINA logo has been updated, BMW is making us wait for the first model of the new era. Meanwhile, CEO Oliver Zipse is giving us the biggest hint yet about what to expect from the ALPINA of tomorrow. Speaking during the annual conference, the BMW Group’s boss gave a clear direction for where the new member of the family is heading:
“We are tapping into a highly profitable segment with great growth potential, positioned above the BMW brand’s top models and below our Rolls-Royce luxury brand.”
If you’ve been following our reporting about how the ALPINA story could unfold under the BMW Group regime, Zipse’s statement won’t come as a surprise. We’ve been extensively covering the all-but-confirmed return of the B7 and a next-generation XB7. However, the CEO’s comment carries a deeper meaning. It goes beyond just a pair of nicer versions of the 7 Series facelift (G70) and X7 (G67).
It effectively suggests that lesser models, such as the B3 and even the B5, are highly unlikely to return. The “top models” part of the statement leaves little room for interpretation. Going forward, BMW ALPINA will focus on the company’s most expensive vehicles. You might wonder whether that’s really necessary when the BMW Group already has Rolls-Royce. Well, there’s plenty of room for ALPINA without stepping on RR’s toes.
A closer look at the price gap between top-tier BMWs and “lowly” Rolls-Royces reveals a major discrepancy. Even a fully loaded 7 Series is still much cheaper than the base Ghost. An i7 M70 with every option box ticked costs about $210,000 in the United States. Pricing for the standard Ghost starts at around $370,000. Consequently, the future ALPINA G72 will have plenty of room to slot between the two models.
Similarly, the top-end ALPINA XB7 is a $181,550 Manufaktur special edition, whereas a stock Cullinan starts at about $444,000 in the U.S. The second-generation X7 with BMW ALPINA badging will bridge the gap between Munich’s full-size, three-row SUV and Goodwood’s V12 luxobarge.
ALPINA’s upscale take on the 7 Series will go after the Mercedes-Maybach S580, which starts at $208,500 before options. BMW is unlikely to compete with the twelve-cylinder $245,750 S680 since we believe the V12 engine will remain exclusive to Rolls-Royce. On the SUV side, the next-generation X7 in an ALPINA tuxedo will battle the $181,350 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.
As you can imagine, BMW ALPINA won’t focus on volume but rather on profit margins. The more people customize their cars, the higher the profits. Of course, that’s also true for the 7 Series and X7 donor cars, but even more so for the pair of $200,000+ models coming soon. The G72 sedan should lead the way in the coming months before the G69 SUV arrives a couple of years later. Both are believed to come with inline-sixes and V8s, as well as EV versions. Yes, electric ALPINAs are on the way.
