➤ Most people want to buy a high-performance luxury car, first think of nothing more than the Mercedes-Benz AMG, Audi and BMW M Power RS, a little bit self-willed people may go to the Lexus showroom to see co-RC F not taste.
If you think these niche in the mainstream is still not enough to express individuality, so might as well take a look at the brand called Alpina (Albina) of. In fact, this brand is not only a small minority of the minority, the story behind it, beginning from 1965 start.
great, from the love
In 1965, a German named Burkard Bovensiepen with seven small partners formally established Alpina, but Mr. Burkard Bovensiepen initially involved in the business of car modification time earlier than this.
▲ Burkard Bovensiepen (middle) with his two sons
the early 1960s, the German auto industry is in a stage of vigorous development, mechanical the rapid development of technology, so that the model was not officially generation will usher in technological upgrading, particularly evident in the power system. So when owners buy a car soon after the car began to find themselves behind, the situation is similar to today’s electronic products.
Therefore, Mr. Burkard Bovensiepen BMW began offering retrofit service for users, as they replaced the carburetor, crankshaft and other components to enhance the dynamic performance of the vehicle. So now we can see, LOGO center pattern Alpina is a carburetor and crank.
and to promote the cause of Mr. Burkard Bovensiepen modified BMW models involved in the business, because of course he has a deep love for BMW, but also hope to benefit more BMW owners, ” By the way “to do business put up.
sounds like a very idealized story, but in fact Burkard BovensieMr. pen before making car modification, there was already a small family property of the people.
Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen is not the first time Mr. and his family business, his father left his early years as a company manufacturing typewriters, but in the early 1960s, typewriter business began to shrink, he he decided not to follow in his footsteps. Burkard Bovensiepen have the business to the textile industry, but he did not get any good results.
that you would ask, his conversion business start-up capital come from? The answer is stock investment.
In 1964, BMW saw the contribution of Mr. Burkard Bovensiepen performance upgrade for BMW models made to Alpina issued a license to launch direct Alpina Complete Car, which is ” the concept vehicle, “the.
From then on, Alpina did not just upgrade the system for power, but to extend the project to refit the chassis, suspension, brakes aspects, interior and so on.
Subsequently, Alpina also began extensive involvement in the racing career in 1970, Alpina car made ETCC (European Touring Car Championship, is currently predecessor WTCR’s predecessor), Germany mountaineering championship, 24 Hours of Spa endurance race and other large-scale tournaments, for a time still Refurbisher company, is really a very remarkable achievement.
and in civilian cars in the field, based on the same period by the Alpina BMW 2002tii modified Alpina A4 also has a pretty amazing performance. Alpina named Alpina A4 engine used for the Alpina A4, you’re not wrong, the engine and the car of the same name, but the essence of this car but not limited to the engine.
Only when this displacement of 2.0L engine output depending on the version, the maximum output of between 160 hp to 200 hp, 160 even so-called ” beggar Edition “, the German media at the time of testing, in New York, the North made a tu than the BMW factory 2002rbo faster results, you know, 2002 turbo 170 horsepower. Alpina A4 even less able engine parameters, can overwhelm 2002 turbo in North York, visible on tuning the chassis, Alpina also set.
However, in a high north of New York did not allow the relationship with BMW Alpina cracks, the more closely the two subsequent but rather cooperation. One
Germany’s smallest car maker
Later Alpina it is not only a modification of the business in the late 1970s, Alpina made Germany Tuuml; V certification, became a official car manufacturers.
Since then, Alpina vehicles in Germany are registered as Alpina brand, rather than the BMW brand. Although until now, Alpina head and tail of the vehicle body remains BMW’s blue and white logo, only the steering wheel and wheel center cap affix their own “carburetor and crank” LOGO, but Alpina has long been their birthright. In fact, in Alpina’s official website, they also retained a lot of “BMW Alpina” word.
Here, you will be very curious, as a car manufacturer, Alpina R & D and production patterns is kind of how. We have a new product to Alpina example –Alpina B3.
This is based on new generation 3 Series (G20) to create the product comes, Alpina has also committed to creating models for standard M Power in performance, this generation B3 it is using the S58 series engine. S58 engine is what is backing? Currently BMW family sequences using S58 series engine models have X3 M, X4 M, in the near future upcoming next-generation M3 will also use this series of engines.
However, the new generation of BMW’s own M3 is not yet available, Alpina corresponding models how quickly launch it? In fact, Alpina has been quick action, based on previous X3 XD3 also build their own than the BMW X3 M into the market earlier.
You know, Alpina products has always been the BMW has not lost its own product reliability, fuel consumption, improve the degree is very high, so no way intended to pre-empt M Power launch and hastily.
In fact, due to the Alpina BMW and very close partnership, BMW models in the R & D stage will be shared vehicle information to the Alpina, BMW Alpina again based on the information provided by these development and testing in their own base, from R & D cycle perspective, Alpina is not shorter than the BMW models, since both research and development to some extent synchronized. After
completed the research and development of new models in Alpina, BMW will bring the results back, because Alpina Most of the products are assembled at BMW’s factory work is completed, that is, the vehicle body Alpina BMW collinear production. The Alpina own factories, is to do more assembly kits and some of the details of the appearance of the interior.
Therefore, Alpina used not only on a global scale to establish their own distribution network to sell cars, their products will appear in some BMW dealers screened, and BMW service and enjoy the same treatment. Since the information is very robust, so once the vehicle fails, it is possible to easily confirm the diagnosis by BMW Alpina parts or aspects of aspects of the problem.
BMW and Alpina and this dependence that is independent of the relationship between car manufacturers BMW, really can be used to describe the depth of mutual trust.
Alpina products is what kind of existence?
I do not know if you have not seen the car “three cheap-off” of “The Grand Tour” in the third quarter sevens, “Gorilla” took a AlpinaB5 Biturbo to competition with the BMW M5. The dynamic performance of both almost at the same level, B5 maximum power even higher than some more M5. On their “Ebola” test track, M5 achievements 1 of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, and B5 Biturbo achievements 1 of 6 minutes 21 seconds, admittedly, on the track, this time a little less AlpinaIn M Power.
but the performance is only part of the track, because the Alpina tune style is not so radical. Whether it is from the “TGT” described in gorillas, or other media reviews in the comparison test drive, opinions are more elegant Alpina, M Power more irritable. If you want a brush on the track can make a success of BMW, the M Power is a better choice, but if you want is a comfortably and quickly take your car speeding on the highway every day, Alpina is the positive solution.
rutting monarch did not test drive any one vehicle Alpina, after all, they only had a B4 introduced to the Chinese market, but several rutting monarch test drive M Power, indeed, open M Power in the urban areas, too tests Yao Li, I guess Alpina can bring a different feel.
If all of you do have an Alpina and willing to rutting monarch test drive a wave, remember to say in the comments ……
ah, Alpina driving experience, we have the “cloud” to here. But Alpina product features, far more than that. They just look, but also getting more and more flavor.
First, special color coating.
a dozen blue BMW was sprayed on various different cars, but Alpina blue, all BMW factory cars are not optional color, but all Alpina models that can be selected a Alpina blue.
If you want to rut Jun words to describe this is a kind of blue, uh …… Chenqie do ah, plug-like feel.
In addition to Alpina blue, dark green color is Alpina are more symbolic, such as the recently launched Alpina B3, the official figure just talked on the use of dark green paint.
In order to maintain the elegant, do and say what, Alpina also will not use claws appearance package, most of the time are just ordinary version of treasurePlus a set of small and surrounded by a small tail on the basis of the horse. One
the vehicle body is compact garland Alpina classic elements, there are 20-spoke “secret fear” wheels, is essential. Seen in this light, Alpina decor is retro partial, from the color, wheels, garland can be reflected.
inside the cabin also gives people a sense of both familiar and unfamiliar, familiar is because the overall design and layout of the various functional areas related to BMW models correspond exactly the same, but to grasp the details of the Alpina have different views but with BMW.
From the driver’s seat in front of the dashboard background differences began to appear, like to use their Alpina Alpina blue background as the instrument panel, the previous mechanical instrument panel is , came to today’s full LCD instrument panel era, as well. BMW’s own hand, the instrument panel, and a single color is always so routine, only the previous generation 3-Series (F30) finally come to a fashion design kit, dashboards have always such taste.
as well as the seat leather stitching program, and interior trim material combinations, than BMW Alpina much stress. Back I thought, this is not exactly the most masses of the BMW Tucao place? Alpina to be able to reform have changed, but also a manifestation of early heart did not forget.
came to the Chinese market, then what?
For such a very small minority of the brand, rutting monarch personally very much hope that they bring Chinese goods to market, and so this money, at least an additional option …… pull away.
In fact, Alpina has announced to enter the Chinese market in 2016, it is the first product B4, with a similar dynamic performance with M4, with M4 also sell a similar price, no problems. Jun was also in rut watch the show up close look at the car B4, booth party but not very generous, not only can not let our feelings into the car, the car also outside a circle around the fence, did not even souvenir photos France beat well.
Why is used to “souvenir”? Because it was just a hunch, Alpina market in China will not be too long. I do not know which part of the problem, Alpina entered China in the beginning, gives the impression that just want to sell cars, but did not establish a mass base from the brand culture. For such a personalized brand, it is entirely the wrong way.
after all Alpina plant itself is small, but the annual output of 2000, completely unnecessary quick success, eager to introduce the first batch of 50 Chinese markets digest B4. It is probably because of Alpina brand culture and heritage are not more people more deeply aware of this 50 B4, really did not have to sell very well.
It is said that in the later stages of clearance, more than 60 million par performance car will be able to M4, M4 everyday driving more comfortable than the car away home. Have to say, people buy is earned, but for Alpina, is not really a good “end.”
They had also planned in 2017, then in 2018 brought two cars, B3 and B7, as the name suggests, is based on the 3 Series and 7 Series models, but in B4 after unmarketable gone below. Obviously, this is still a profit-oriented thinking.
But from another perspective, the brand can be appreciated by Chinese consumers do? Spend 100 million to buy a performance car, perhaps, or AMG, M Power, RS in every respect more in line with the needs of buyers, because they want is publicity. Buy a Alpina B4 go back, I might people think you drive a 4 line, and then modify their own a strange color, but also very hard to wash for a set of wheels, not bad.
So, yes Alpina with the fate of the Chinese market is not enough. Look at their official micro-blog, I found the last update is already more than a year ago.
written in the last
you do not know what to Alpina views, or attached to the BMW brand, or standing on the shoulders of the BMW brand shade. In fact, Alpina BMW is like a supplement, it makes BMW richer, fuller, it also demonstrates a movementAnother taste of BMW that can be presented.
Sometimes, Alpina also look forward to the completion of some fans, BMW did not do – for example, high-performance 3 Series 5 Series Touring.
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