Alpina
The Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH Co. KG (proper spelling ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH Co. KG ) is a German vehicle manufacturer based in Buchloe.
Alpina was active since the 1960s in the BMW tuning and motorsport and in 1978 became a manufacturer of passenger cars on the basis of products of BMW AG. Since 1983, based in Buchloe in the Eastern Allgäu company is registered as official automotive manufacturers the Federal Motor Transport Authority in Flensburg. 2003 Alpina had 60 million euros in sales, 80% of the automotive sector; 940 vehicles were manufactured in the year. 2004, Alpina 150, 2008 185 employees. In 2007, the hurdle of 1,400 vehicles produced each year has been exceeded for the first time. The second pillar of the family business is the wholesale wine trade.
Company history and vehicles
The official founding dates back to January 1, 1965. Born in 1936, founder Burkard Bovensiepen still stands in front of the management, now belong to his sons Andreas and Florian. Burkard Bovensiepens father had been under the name Alpina a production plant for office machines.
The serving as the base BMW automobiles are equipped with modified Alpina chassis, brakes, interior, etc.. As the core of an Alpina automobile applies the engine that is based on a BMW engine block and cylinder head and is modified.
Meanwhile, the installation of an Alpina at the BMW plant takes place. Alpina delivers the components there, and then receives the finished vehicle delivery preparation. Apart from Germany, the UK, Japan and the Middle East are important markets for Alpina.
From 1963 to 1977 Alpina was a vehicle tuner. BMW Alpina granted to vehicles the full factory warranty. The cooperation with BMW AG is still a key factor for the company to be able to occupy a niche market in the passenger car sector.
The starting point for the refinement of BMW cars made a tuning kit for the BMW 1500 of the "new class ". Soon was the BMW 02 series the core of the tuning activities. But the 6- cylinder models (BMW E3 BMW E9, E12 and E21 BMW later ) were popular tuning properties. The vehicles were either rebuilt or at Alpina BMW dealers; there were all the parts but also individually. For this reason, it is now difficult to understand when and where a conversion took place. In the name of the 4 - cylinder versions (BMW M10) had it all a A, the small 6- cylinder, a C (BMW M20) and the large 6- cylinder, a B (BMW M30).
So a Alpina A4S engine is a BMW 2002 tii -4- cylinder engine (M10 ) with 300 degree camshaft, revised valve and crank mechanism, single throttle system ( mechanical ball Fischer- injection with a throttle valve per cylinder ) and, on the south to recognize, with forged pistons and adapted thereto hemispherical combustion chambers. This was achieved instead of having a central throttle valve standard 96 kW, depending on the camshaft approximately 129-147 kW ( without forged pistons as Alpina A4 with 300 degree camshaft approximately 118 kW ), and this. Combined with very good emission and consumption values
Even the 118 - kW version of the A4 could turbo dissociate those offered by BMW, with 125 kW nominally stronger BMW 2002 on the Nürburgring- Nordschleife in the test of Auto, Motor und Sport significantly, demonstrating the then performance of the Alpina cars.
Developed by Alpina even individual throttle system was the transition from the tuner to the manufacturer. The single throttle system also adorns since that time, the Alpina logo on the left side, along with the crankshaft on the right side. Before the Alpina logo was left of a double carburetor and right out of a camshaft, which represented the beginning of business from the BMW 1500. The house colors were initially Colorado Orange and Matt Black, later a bright green and royal blue.
Were offered at that time, all levels of tuning, improved production cars to race track racing vehicles, which also Alpina itself very successfully participated in racing events.
In collaboration with BMW M that produces the M- models to date, the beginning of the 1970s, the BMW 3.0 CSL was developed as a homologation model for the motor sport.
In the 1960s and 1970s Alpina successfully participated in the international touring car racing. Professionals such as Niki Lauda or Derek Bell piloted at this time the Alpina cars. 1987 and 1988 Alpina took part in the DTM. The end of 2007 Alpina announced to want to return to motorsport with a work based on the Alpina B6S model. The car should be the FIA GT3 regulations and mainly compete in the FIA GT3 European Championship, as well as in the ADAC GT Masters. The Alpina B6 GT3 race car called debuted in 2009 and upgraded in 2011 Alexandros Margaritis and Dino Lunardi winning the title in the ADAC GT Masters.
The first vehicles built as a manufacturer Alpina, Alpina B6 were the, the Alpina C1 (both based on the first 3 Series, the BMW E21 ) and the Alpina B7 Turbo (based on BMW 5 Series E12 6 Series E24 and later E28 5 Series and new ). The B7 Turbo was in his four-door version with a capacity of 3 liters 221 kW (300 hp ) at that time the fastest sedan in the world, and later there was the B7S turbo 3.5 -liter engine and 330 hp.
The best-known vehicle from the house Alpina and also still the favorite car of Burkard Bovensiepen was the ALPINA B10 Bi - Turbo. In his presentation, 1989, he was the fastest production sedan in the world. The B10 Bi-Turbo reached a top speed of over 290 km / h The basis for this steam hammer was the BMW 535i E34 with 211HP. The power rating of 265 kW/360 hp was achieved even at high outside temperatures. Paul Frère, known racing driver and journalist, wrote about the B10 Bi-Turbo in the magazine Road & Track: " For me this is the car ... I think this is the best 4door in the world. "
Another peculiarity was the B6 3.5 S, which was based on the BMW M3 (E30) produced only 62 times and a 3.5 -liter 6- cylinder with 187 kW possessed (254 hp).
In the nineties, Alpina set forth, among others, the Alpina B8. Here, the Alpina 's engineers built a 232 kW ( later 245 kW) 4.0 -liter or 4.6 -liter 8- cylinder engine (basis BMW M60) in the body for longer than a 6-cylinder engines provided 3-Series ( E36 BMW ) a. There were a total of officially from January 1995 to November 1998 built B8 4.6 only 221 copies: coupe with 78 piece convertible with 23 pieces, with 93 pieces and Touring Limousine with 27 pieces. At the Geneva Motor Show in 1999, debuted the first Alpina diesel, the D10 Biturbo (180 kW). In autumn 2005, followed by a second D3 diesel. Basic model for the D3 ( 147 kW ) was the BMW 320d. His successor, the D3 Biturbo, makes 157 kW. Currently, the product range from the models B3S Biturbo D3 Biturbo, B5 Biturbo, D5 Biturbo, B6 Biturbo and the B7 Biturbo.
Externally, the most Alpina models to the special Alpina wheels in 20 -spoke design, as well as front and rear spoilers are visible. Characteristic is also the Alpina- Dekoset; there are contour strips in a special design, which are mounted around the vehicle or just on the front spoiler, depending on the customer in silver or gold decor.