German Car Zone

In the periphery of the IAA in Frankfurt the rumor persists that Alpina and BMW are very interested in launching a Alpina-Version of BMW's X1.

The Alpina-X1 should be powered by an i6-Diesel - either single-turbo or twin-turbo.
BMW won't bring an i6-Diesel because the market's demand seems to be to low and Alpina needs a "successor" of the D3 Biturbo which will be phased-out in 2011.
Regards

Andreas

very interesting.

We spoke with the X1 Project leader and even though he said BMW will focus on 4 cylinder engines for now, in the future things might change. BMW never rules out anything

But then again, Alpina being a tuning house, they don't have to follow BMW's conventions. They can drop a V12 in it if their customers will buy it.

I think Aplina will not risk the priviliged position by doing some Hartge moves. The dude said BMW will focus on I4 engines, that leaves Alpina for the I6 versions. Not out of line, simply something slightly different from what is offered by BMW. Look at the B7, for instance. Same procedure.

I know what it means. All I'm saying is that they don't HAVE TO follow in BMW's direction. After all the customers who buy alpina are looking for something different. If Alpina's customers demand something more radical, they will give it to them. Supply and Demand.

That is not quite true. Alpina is a car manufacturer, not a tuner (like for instance Hartge or AC Schnitzer). BMW and alpina work very closely together in the development of engines. Remener the X5 4.8is, that was an alpina engine. The 23d engine is also developped by alpina (that is probably why there is no 323d, cause you have the alpina D3). Alpina will fill the gaps in the BMW line up, but in close cooperation with BMW.
As for an alpina X1, possible but I do not think the X models fit the alpina brand, but that is my personal opinion of course.

I always find this comment on Alpina quite amusing, a manufacturer, although their cars come off the BMW assembly lines. The truth of the matter is that Alpina is just much more dependant on BMW which in turn implies much less freedom.

Exactly. They don't build jack sh!t, they just fill in the gaps with parts left by the Manufacturer of the car, aka BMW. In other words, Alpina is doing exactly what EVERY other tuner does is offer something that the company who made the car didn't or couldn't.

But the difference is that Alpina has a very different status in BMW:s eyes compared to the tuners. I think that is why you never see something like a V10 powered 3-series from Alpina.

When you buy an alpina, you buy it directly from them. You do not take your BMW to them and let them transform it.