ALPINA joined the BMW Group in early 2022, but we haven’t heard much about its new strategy. The existing agreement expires at the end of 2025, so any changes are scheduled to occur in 2026. In the meantime, the Buchloe-based marque is disclosing preliminary details about the direction it will take after moving under BMW’s corporate umbrella.
Fresh models are planned to hit the market at some point in 2026. The new cars will be announced in the second half of next year. With ALPINA, the BMW Group aims to “expand its offering in the luxury segment.” Reading between the lines, this tells us the niche marque will be pushed upmarket. This statement fuels rumors about the return of the B7 with the 7 Series facelift. It could also mean lesser models such as the B3/XB3 are living on borrowed time.
Future models will stick to combustion engines since ALPINA customers are generally not interested in electric vehicles. Why? An EV’s real range is still “completely inadequate,” which is why “there has been little demand” for zero-emission models. However, we have it on good authority an inaugural EV is planned, based on the next-generation X7. Specifically, it’ll be a more potent version of the unannounced iX7. Expect to see it at the end of 2027.
ALPINA believes combustion engines will stick around until 2035 and possibly beyond. It’s an interesting projection considering the European Union will force car manufacturers to sell only zero-emission vehicles by the middle of the next decade. Combustion engines won’t be banned per se. In theory, ICE could stick around if synthetic fuels gain traction. Some brands (such as Toyota) have also been experimenting with hydrogen-fueled combustion engines.
In the meantime, demand for plug-in hybrids and pure electric cars will “heavily depend” on government subsidies. ALPINA believes the transition to EVs will be a lengthy process because many European countries are reducing incentives or eliminating them altogether.
