Vision BMW Alpina First Look: The $200,000 Maybach Fighter of the Future
Key takeaways
- Do its shark nose, 20-spoke wheels, and rumbling V-8 check all the boxes?
- BMW Group, which includes BMW, BMW motorcycles, Mini, and Rolls-Royce, has a growing problem on its hands: The rich keep getting richer.
- Well, first you find an appropriate brand that fits this gap and buy it, which BMW did in 2022 when it announced it had acquired the rights to Alpina, the aftermarket tuning house long associated with the Roundel.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
Do its shark nose, 20-spoke wheels, and rumbling V-8 check all the boxes?
BMW Group, which includes BMW, BMW motorcycles, Mini, and Rolls-Royce, has a growing problem on its hands: The rich keep getting richer. Per the UBS Global Wealth Report, the number of millionaires has quadrupled since the year 2000. According to Forbes, the total amount of money the world’s billionaires had in 2000 was less than a trillion dollars. In 2025, that sum grew to over $16 trillion. What do you do when there are more people, with a lot more money, and you have about a $200,000 gap between the most expensive BMW (~$160,000) and the least expensive Rolls-Royce (~$340,000)?
Well, first you find an appropriate brand that fits this gap and buy it, which BMW did in 2022 when it announced it had acquired the rights to Alpina, the aftermarket tuning house long associated with the Roundel. Then, you announce a strategy to take Alpina upmarket as an ultraluxury brand to compete with the likes of Mercedes-Maybach and high end Porsches.