Alpina will tune the BMW 8 Series for a B6 Gran Coupe replacement
We can't wait to see BMW's lovely new 8 Series all done up in Alpina style.
BMW tuning company Alpina most recently offered two products in the United States: the B7, based on the 7 Series sedan, and the B6, a hotter version of the 6 Series Gran Coupe. The Alpina B7 received a substantial update for 2020, and that new version will go on sale this fall. But since BMW killed every 6 Series variant except the Gran Turismo, Alpina is instead looking to the 8 Series for a new US offering.
"We will have a replacement for the 6 Series Gran Coupe," Alpina boss Andreas Bovensiepen told Roadshow at the company's headquarters in Buchloe, Germany, on Wednesday. "Customers will expect a successor."
When asked if Alpina will use BMW 8 Series as the basis for that new model -- specifically, the new 8 Series Gran Coupe -- Bovensiepen replied, "That's the intention."
"When we had the B6 and B7 it was the first time that we had two model lines in the United States running parallel," Alpina product manager Jonathan Ganser told Roadshow. "The United States is an important market for us in terms of volumes, even though it's an overall small-volume company. We want to make sure that we have two different lifecycles interact so we don't drop off with US volumes completely."
A BMW USA representative could only confirm that "additional Alpina products are in preparation."
In Europe, Alpina sells a range of models, including hot versions of the 3 Series , 4 Series and 5 Series , as well as the X3 and X4 crossovers. Alpina products are distributed via the BMW network here in the United States, but in Europe, the tuning company is an independently registered automaker. Alpina is not owned by BMW, though it exclusively tunes BMW vehicles.
As for what we can expect from an Alpina 8 Series, a healthy bump in power (with a focus on low-end torque) is a sure thing, along with significant chassis modifications, unique interior trim and, of course, those killer 20-spoke, 21-inch wheels. We can't wait to see the final product, especially painted in the company's iconic blue hue.