The Vision BMW Alpina Concept Is a Real StunnerBMW Alpina (BMW Alpina)The Vision BMW Alpina concept points to the future of the tuning firm turned BMW subbrand.Alpina was previously a BMW tuner founded in 1965, but now BMW has brought Alpina in-house.The first BMW Alpina production car will debut next year and is "inspired by the 7-series."When Burkard Bovensiepen founded Alpina in 1965, his goal was to create faster BMWs without compromising comfort—one of his race car mods was actually adding padding to the driver's seat, because whatever weight was saved with a crude shell of a seat wasn't worth the trade-off in driver fatigue and discomfort. BMW finally brought Alpina in-house as an official subbrand (BMW Alpina), but the goals remain the same: build fast cars that don't beat you up. To preview things to come, the company unveiled the Vision BMW Alpina design study at this year's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, which kicks off this weekend in Cernobbio, Italy.BMW Alpina (BMW Alpina)The Vision concept is an imposing coupe, measuring 204.7 inches long with seating for four passengers. Tech details are thin so far, but there's a V-8 under the hood, which would seem to indicate the same for the first BMW Alpina production car, due next year. The styling evokes past collabs between BMW and Alpina, particularly the shark-nose front end, which shouts out the Alpina B7 of the 1970s. The Vision also brings back "deco lines," the signature Alpina stripes along the flanks, and the wheels are a 20-spoke design, because anything more or less would be wrong for an Alpina.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe other defining exterior styling trait is the "speed feature line," a crease that begins at the lower front corners of the car and rises at a six-degree angle along the flanks, wrapping around the rear end. Elliptical quad exhaust pipes add some visual pop to the rear view.BMW Alpina (BMW Alpina)If you're wondering where the priorities are from a driver's perspective, there's a clue in the drive modes. You've heard of Sport and Sport Plus, but the Vision BMW Alpina brings a Comfort Plus mode, for when mere comfort isn't enough. There's also a Speed mode, of course. The rear passengers enjoy a glass water bottle—not a decanter!—stored behind the rear console. A pair of crystal glasses, held in place by magnets, deploys for thirsty passengers, and those glasses are etched with 20 deco lines to echo the Alpina wheels. The dash is dominated by BMW's Panoramic iDrive display, including a passenger screen. We've yet to discern a real-world use case for passenger-side screens, but hey, it's a concept car.Back in the 1960s, Burkard Bovensiepen had a chance to go into the typewriter manufacturing business, but instead, he chose to work on modifying BMWs to his taste. Good call, Burkard! It certainly took BMW long enough to make Alpina part of the family, but the Vision makes us keen to see what's coming down the production line next year.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029