Blazing its Own Trail
For those worrying if Alpina will be diluted because of BMW ownership, you can all breathe a sigh of relief. The Vision Alpina BMW made its world premiere recently, and so far, praise has been heaped on it. Its primary goal is to establish Alpina’s new design language, and we’re liking what we see.
With the reveal of the concept, it shows that Alpina is forging its own path. Exciting times for the brand, indeed, and it’ll be interesting to see how the design elements will be applied to production models. As reported by BMW Blog, design chief Adrian van Hooydonk implied that the Vision Alpina BMW is, so far, the most important concept car of his career.
BMW
Inspired by an Icon
At least for concepts, BMW isn’t shy about drawing inspiration from its back catalog. The Hommage concept vehicles were prime examples of that being applied. But the Vision Alpina BMW’s nod to the past is a little more subtle, but you’ll be able to connect the dots once you see van Hooydonk’s explanation.
The Dutch designer points to the E24 6 Series as the primary inspiration for the concept car. More specifically, it’s the Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe that helped form the elegant shape. It’s fitting, too, given that the B7 Turbo Coupe was the first 6 Series Alpina got its hands on and gave a helpful boost to. Van Hooydonk was quoted as saying, “It’s even more acute, even more extreme, more sculptural, more three-dimensional” than the E24. One could say it’s modernization done right.
The most obvious nod to the past is the shark-nosed front end. However, the rear is a stark contrast to current BMW models. Instead of going inwards, the trunklid goes the opposite way. If you take a look at the back of the E24 and other BMW models from the same era, you’ll see the connection. That detail further defines Alpina’s design language.
BMW
More Retro Cues from Alpina?
With the Vision Alpina BMW serving as the foundation of Alpina’s future designs, does this mean we’ll see more throwback elements in its models? It’s hard to say for now, but it isn’t outside the realm of possibility. After all, BMW wants to give its newly-acquired brand its own personality, just as it did for Mini and Rolls-Royce.
Let’s say, for a moment, that Alpina’s exterior design will be inspired by BMWs from the ’70s to the mid-’80s; it should bode well for the brand. The company’s first car under new management will be based on the 7 Series, and we’d like to imagine it as an elegant, futuristic interpretation of the E23 from 1977. One can dream.
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