Interview with Alpina boss Andreas Bovensiepen

[Mani59]

German website Bimmertoday had an exclusive interview with Alpina boss Andreas Bovensiepen who revealed that Alpina is still holding off on electric cars since that is not what their target customers want at presume (right about that!).

He also talks about more focus being on the Gran Coupe's than traditional coupes for Alpina.

The interview is in German but I have translated into English:

In an exclusive interview, we talk to Andreas Bovensiepen about fully electric ALPINA models, the next ALPINA B4 and the design debate about the BMW 4 Series G22.

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to do our first driving report with the BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupé at the Salzburgring . With 621 hp, an unlimited top speed of 324 km / h and a curb weight of 2,175 kg, the four-door coupé is undoubtedly more at home on the motorway than on the racetrack. But on the circuit in the Salzburger Land it is impressively clear how precisely the development engineers from Buchloe have coordinated the drive and chassis.

Immediately after our test drive, we meet ALPINA boss Andreas Bovensiepen for an interview in the pit lane. We want to know what the future holds. What about all-electric Alpina models? And why won't there be an Alpina B8 convertible? As usual, Bovensiepen answers our questions eloquently and ready for printing - and suggests that a BMW Alpina B4 Gran Coupé could also become a reality.

BimmerToday.de: The past year and a half have been a challenge for all of us and of course for the automotive industry as well. How much did you feel about the Corona crisis at ALPINA?

Andreas Bovensiepen: First and foremost, we had the problem that the BMW plants were closed for around two months. Production of the new BMW ALPINA B3 began in Munich at the end of March 2020. Six cars just rolled off the production line, then the factories were closed. The customers had to wait, there were a lot of pre-orders. As a result, of course, we didn't get any cars for two months and were able to send our mechanics on short-time work. 80 percent of the vehicles are assembled on the assembly line at BMW, but we do the final production such as front spoilers, rear spoilers and interior fittings in Buchloe. Then we ran out of cars and with it our work. We weren't able to make up for this in the course of the year either - we have just under 300 cars produced two months a month.

BimmerToday.de: Despite the situation, you brought some new models onto the market last year, including the BMW ALPINA XB7. How is the new model received by your customers?

Andreas Bovensiepen: The XB7 hit like a bomb. Of course, the main markets for this model are the USA and Canada. We assume that we will sell 500 XB7 there this year. This is of course a big number for us. In the case of the B7, for example, we are in the order of 300 - 400 cars.

BimmerToday.de: Now you are expanding the high-end luxury segment even further. Today we were able to try out the new BMW ALPINA B8 Gran Coupé for the first time at the Salzburgring. The B8 uses the well-known 4.4-liter V8 biturbo that we know from the ALPINA XB7, for example. What are the technical differences?

Andreas Bovensiepen: Basically, it was very interesting for us to do an 8 again. We have a long tradition here, the BMW ALPINA B12 with a twelve-cylinder engine based on the 8 Series was already available at the beginning of the 1990s. We are of course pleased that BMW is back in the class. With the large coupés, we are in competition with other luxury brands such as Aston Martin. The 4.4-liter engine with 621 hp and 800 Nm torque is basically the same, but the cooling package is different in each vehicle. The exhaust system has been adapted to the vehicle geometry and has the latest Kats and OPF systems. Of course, the chassis differs significantly in the SUV XB7 with two-axle air suspension and the height differentiation of up to 40 millimeters.

BimmerToday.de: The BMW ALPINA B8 Gran Coupé is now replacing the BMW ALPINA B6 Bi-Turbo, which was offered as a Gran Coupé, Cabrio and Coupé. How did you come to the decision to reduce the selection to one model?

Andreas Bovensiepen: Of course - like many other manufacturers - we have limited resources. ALPINA has a workforce of 280 in the automotive sector, more than 100 of whom work in development. We asked ourselves: Which model brings the most sales in the end? Then the decision was made to make the XB7 in the growing SUV segment. As a result, we unfortunately had to do without the B8 as a convertible and coupé. We saw with the predecessor that the convertible and coupé sell well in the first half of their life cycle and fall significantly in the second half. The Gran Coupé was also the best-selling variant of its predecessor.

BimmerToday.de: Just like the base model from BMW, the B8 Gran Coupé does without 48-V technology. Could this be the last BMW ALPINA without electrification?

Andreas Bovensiepen: At the moment the plan is that the B8 will run through in this form. But of course BMW will increasingly electrify models with 48 volts. And when the basic BMW model has 48-V technology on board, we of course jump on it to make the engine around half a liter more economical. The BMW ALPINA D3 S is currently the first to start with 48 volts and the eight-cylinder in the XB7 will follow.

Andreas Bovensiepen: “The market is not yet ready for our customers”

BimmerToday.de: In our last interview two years ago we already talked about all-electric BMW ALPINA models. At the time, the range was a problem, but the corresponding sporty base from BMW was also missing. How do you assess the situation today?

Andreas Bovensiepen: Actually comparable if we look at our target customer group. We have customers especially in Europe who drive 30,000 to 50,000 kilometers a year. Three quarters of a year ago we carried out a customer survey on the subject of hybrid and BEV. Our customers currently feel no demand for battery-electric models. This is also due to the high mileage: ALPINA customers want to drive fast and accelerate strongly, especially in Germany - then, of course, the range is still an issue. Our customers usually use their BMW ALPINA as their first vehicle, as a “daily dream car”. If you were to transfer eight-cylinder driving behavior to a BEV, the ranges would probably be a maximum of 200 kilometers. Especially when I want to go fast, it just doesn't work. That is why we deliberately hold back. The market is not yet ready for our customers.

BimmerToday.de: BMW is already preparing the market launch of the i4 M50, and the iX M60 with over 600 hp has already been confirmed. Couldn't you imagine both models as ALPINA?

Andreas Bovensiepen: A lot is conceivable. But as I said: our resources are limited. First of all, we want to build what our regular customers want. We observe the market and deal with the new technologies, but it is not to be expected that a BMW ALPINA will be a BEV vehicle in the short term. It also depends on how many XB7 we sell. We negotiated our own CO2 limit values ​​with the EU Commission. If the XB7 is doing extremely well in Europe, we may come into conflict with our target values. Then we may have to offer a hybrid or a battery-electric vehicle in the medium term. But we're well positioned there at the moment. Sure: We are looking closely at the demand for the BMW i4 and iX3. With the BMW iX we are not sure

BimmerToday.de: What ALPINA fans are definitely waiting for is a vehicle based on the new BMW 4 Series G22. How long do the fans have to be patient?

Andreas Bovensiepen: Basically, we have expanded our range of models more in the direction of SUVs. In contrast to M, we concentrate relatively heavily on touring and sedans. Coupé and convertible were always a little weaker in demand. We will of course bring a coupé again - but probably one with two more doors.

BimmerToday.de: The front design with the new kidney grille on the 4 Series has sparked major discussions in the community and is not met with enthusiasm everywhere. Could you imagine going a different way optically with ALPINA?

Andreas Bovensiepen: Every BMW ALPINA bears the BMW emblem on the trunk lid and on the bonnet. The BMW kidney grille is a very special BMW component. If we were to make changes there, we would have to coordinate that very closely with BMW. I think the discussion may have been a bit heated. In reality, the design looks significantly better than in some photos. There is also a differentiation between BMW and M. And in America, where the cars often have no license plate at the front, the front looks harmonious. I think this debate will settle again. Of course, a manufacturer like BMW has to break new ground. Sometimes there is also the criticism that cars from the different series are becoming more and more similar. And when the manufacturer differentiates more and strengthens the coupé character with a significantly different exterior design, there are different opinions. I think that is also the challenge for the designers: to develop further, but to the extent that the recognizability is there and the customers say in the end: "I couldn't imagine a year ago, but now I think it's great."

BimmerToday.de: Does that mean that a BMW ALPINA B4 Gran Coupé will continue to be optically based on the BMW base?

Andreas Bovensiepen (grins): If we were to bring this vehicle onto the market, that would be the case, yes.

BimmerToday: Thank you for the interview!

Source: https://www.bimmertoday.de/2021/07/2...m-interview-2/