BMW enthusiasts are wondering what the future has in store for ALPINA now that the niche brand is officially part of the family. The preexisting deal between the two companies ends on December 31, 2025, so there won’t be any changes to the modus operandi until 2026 at the earliest. We’ve caught wind of a new logo and the desire to push the brand upmarket, but what about actual products?
The B7 is seemingly returning with the 7 Series facelift later this decade when it could sit alongside an X7-based SUV. We’re hearing the next generation of the BMW X7 will not only spawn a first-ever electric iX7 but also an ALPINA-badged EV. The two luxobarges will stick to the CLAR platform and share the G67 internal codename with the combustion-engine models. The EV from Buchloe will be the king of the hill, slotting above all other versions carrying the BMW roundel.
Sources close to Munich claim it’s going to be called the iX7 ALPINA 100 or something to that effect. Having the brand name first would make more sense, so perhaps it’ll be known as the ALPINA iX7 100. The use of “100” would make it clear about the model’s flagship status. It’ll reportedly command a significant premium over the BMW iX7 M70. Just how pricy is it going to be? Rumor has it it’ll be the most expensive product from the BMW Group, outside of Rolls-Royce. People familiar with the matter have told us it’s going to be costlier than the XM. The polarizing plug-in hybrid SUV can reach $192,000 after options in the United States.
The iX7 ALPINA 100 is expected to have over 800 horsepower, presumably from a dual-motor setup. A driving range of 800 kilometers (nearly 500 miles) is mooted. However, the test cycle upon which this number is based is unclear. With BMW and ALPINA being German companies, it might be WLTP. If so, an equivalent EPA figure would be at least 10% lower. A lesser iX7 ALPINA 60 seems to be in the pipeline as well.
ALPINA’s first foray into the EV segment is reportedly coming near the end of 2027. A direct successor to today’s gas-powered XB7 is supposedly planned as the X7 ALPINA 60, likely with a V8 engine. BMW will apparently have its equivalent version as the X7 M60 to replace the existing namesake model.
An electric ALPINA does seem inevitable, despite a statement made by CEO Andreas Bovensiepen in mid-2021. At that point, the company’s boss was brutally honest in admitting their customers don’t care for EVs. He pointed out that ALPINA owners typically drive fast and that would quickly drain the battery. He argued that if someone were to drive an EV the same way they drive a V8-powered ALPINA, the range would be just 124 miles (200 kilometers).
“That’s why we’re deliberately holding back. The market is not yet ready for our customers. We carried out a customer survey on the subject of hybrid and BEV. Our customers currently feel no demand for battery-electric models.”
However, that was then, and this is now. ALPINA isn’t immune to increasingly stricter emissions regulations. Using BMW’s know-how and funding, it has the means to become a reputable EV player in the high-end segment. Realistically speaking, it can’t keep making inline-six and V8 cars forever, so it has to adapt to survive. Battery tech keeps improving, as promised by BMW for its Neue Klasse platform. Lessons learned during NK development and sixth-gen battery cells will be applied to CLAR cars as well to bolster range.
