"Restrained Confidence"... BMW's New Luxury Brand "Alpina" to Launch in Korea in 2028

Lineup Bridging BMW and Rolls-Royce
Active Expansion into Korea's Ultra-High-End Luxury Market
Seven Nationwide Showrooms to Open by 2027
From V8 4.4L Gasoline to Electrified Models

The luxury brand BMW Alpina, introduced by BMW for the first time in 25 years, will make its debut in Korea in 2028. By launching a vehicle lineup that fills the gap between BMW and Rolls-Royce, the company aims to target Korea’s rapidly growing ultra-high-end luxury market.

Kangmin Kim, Team Leader of BMW Alpina and Luxury Class at BMW Korea. BMW Korea

During the “BMW Alpina Seoul Signature Moment” event at the Festa Hall of Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul on July 21, Kangmin Kim, Team Leader of Sales at BMW Korea, said, “The customer base for ultra-high-end luxury vehicles continues to expand in Korea, so we are confident there is already a foundation for BMW Alpina’s growth.” He added, “BMW Group has prepared BMW Alpina to target the very top tier of the luxury market, which had previously been absent from our product portfolio.”

BMW’s confidence is backed by real-world data. The sales volume of premium large models grew from about 12,000 units in 2014 to approximately 34,000 units in 2025, representing a 2.8-fold increase. During the same period, sales of top-tier luxury brands such as Maybach and Lamborghini rose by 5.8 times.

Although the BMW Alpina unveiling event has already taken place in Western Europe, Korea is the first in East Asia. For years, the S-Class from Mercedes-Benz held a dominant position in Korea’s full-size luxury sedan market, but the recent reclaiming of the No. 1 spot by BMW’s 7 Series reflects the growing importance of the Korean market.

Alpina originated as a high-performance car tuning company in a small town in Bavaria, Germany. It has focused on tuning BMW models into more refined and powerful high-performance cars. Evolving into an independent car manufacturer, Alpina achieved record sales of 2,600 units last year.

BMW Alpina logo. BMW Korea

In 2022, BMW Group acquired the trademark rights for Alpina, with the official transfer of rights completed in January this year. BMW Group intends to preserve Alpina’s essence and mission as it enters the ultra-high-end luxury market under the name BMW Alpina.

The BMW Alpina brand philosophy is defined by four key elements: a deep-rooted heritage stemming from its long history and close relationship with BMW; tranquil serenity revealed during long-distance driving; delicate craftsmanship and precision engineering; and restrained confidence that demonstrates value without ostentation. These four elements converge into BMW Alpina’s brand promise and tagline: “A Journey of Elevated Distinction.”

This brand philosophy is further articulated in another core statement: “Speed, Not Sport.” The kind of performance BMW Alpina pursues differs from the aggressive, lightweight, track-oriented setups designed to break lap records. Instead, with powerful performance exceeding 300 km/h, BMW Alpina serves as more of a Grand Tourer, providing exceptional stability, smoothness, and quiet comfort for cross-border or long-distance everyday journeys.

Maximilian Missoni, Vice President in charge of BMW Group BMW Alpina and Luxury Class Design, BMW Korea.

Particularly noteworthy is the exclusive TwinPower Turbo V8 4.4-liter gasoline engine supplied only for BMW Alpina, delivering a majestic sense of acceleration. The deep tonal qualities of this hig- output engine are tuned for a rich and dignified sound, rather than noise, and its stable response when the accelerator is pressed reduces unnecessary tension and provides a relaxed driving feel. In addition, a refined yet powerful electrified powertrain is also offered.

BMW Korea plans to begin offline brand communications in early 2027, followed by the opening of seven BMW Alpina showrooms nationwide in the second half of 2027. The new model lineup will be launched starting in early 2028.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.