The deal is still subject to approval by antitrust authorities.
The long-standing cooperation agreement, which was extended for another five years in late 2020, will expire on Dec 31, 2025. Both parties have agreed not to disclose any financial details. No shares in the company will be acquired.
BMW and the small-series manufacturer from Buchloe, outside of Munich, have worked closely together for over half a century.
The company owned by the Bovensiepen family will continue to use its engineering expertise in developing, manufacturing, and selling BMW ALPINA vehicles within the existing cooperation until the end of 2025.
This results in base BMW cars receiving extensive modification by the ALPINA team - including the engine and transmission, as well as the chassis, aerodynamics, and interior equipment.
BMW ALPINA vehicles are pre-assembled on BMW production lines before final assembly of the vehicles taking place in workshops in Buchloe, also comprising individual interiors built to customer specifications.
The service, parts and accessories business for the existing and legacy BMW ALPINA vehicle portfolio will continue at the Buchloe location in the long term.
There will be no changes to the existing aftersales cooperation. As part of a strategic cooperation between the two companies, there will be a further expansion of the existing development services business for BMW out of Buchloe.
The wine business that also forms part of the family firm will be unaffected.
"For over 50 years, the Buchloe firm has demonstrated how to deliver top-quality car cachet through meticulous attention to detail. The BMW Group is also driven by this same passion for cars that capture the imagination. That is why we are now embarking on a new chapter in our long-standing partnership. Acquiring the trademark rights will allow us to shape the long-term course of this brand steeped in tradition," said Pieter Nota, member of the Board of Management responsible for customer, brands and sales.
CEO Florian Bovensiepen (left) and his brother, Andreas.
"We made a conscious decision not to sell ALPINA to just any manufacturer, because BMW and ALPINA have worked together and trusted one another for decades. That is why it is the right decision strategically for the ALPINA brand to be managed by the BMW Group in the future,” said Andreas Bovensiepen, co-managing director of ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH + Co. KG.
ALPINA was active in BMW tuning and motorsports from the 1960s onwards and began manufacturing passenger cars based on BMW AG products in 1978.
Since 1983, the company has been registered as an official automotive manufacturer with the German Federal Motor Transport Authority in Flensburg and employs around 300 people.
Around 2,000 vehicles were produced in Buchloe in 2021. In addition to Germany and Europe, Japan, the US, and the Middle East are also important markets for ALPINA.
