Halos and Positioning
How is BMW deploying its performance sub-brands, and what does that reveal about where it now believes the premium rests—track precision and motorsport pedigree (M) or effortless bespoke GT (Alpina)?
Assessment
The assessment goes here.
Evidence
BMW Introduces the New Alpina Logo
BMW introduced the logo for Alpina, which it acquired in 2022 and “activated” as a brand “under BMW’s custodianship” in January.
BMW says the BMW ALPINA brand “embodies an exceptional balance of supreme ride comfort and high performance” and that its models “will be manufactured in BMW Group plants that have been
comprehensively enabled to meet the high standards expected of this new and exclusive brand.”
“New” is true in the sense that it’s newly-owned by BMW—the Alpina brand BMW acquired was established in 1965. “Exclusive” is true in a sense as well—presumably ALPINA models will be produced in limited numbers and priced accordingly, but its naming explicitly ties the brand to BMW, which is a mainstream brand that sold 2.2 million cars worldwide in 2025.
Things to watch:
- What this means for M, its now-sibling performance sub-brand. The delineation seems clear. Will BMW M get another M-specific model like the XM? (Might the XM have been better as an Alpina?)
- How BMW handles distribution—special areas in existing BMW dealers, only at select BMW dealers, or via separate dealers? One presumes Alpina models will be sold at existing BMW dealers, to uplift the rest of the brand.