Alpina Founder Reveals Zagato-Designed BMW M4-Based GT at Villa d’Este

One of the more fascinating launches during Villa d’Este Concours week is perhaps a name you’ve never heard before. Bovensiepen is the name of the founding family behind legendary BMW tuning haus Alpina, and it seems they’ve paired with Zagato, a legend in its own right for automotive design, to create the tailored BMW M4-based grand touring coupe you see here.

Why isn’t it an Alpina? Good question. BMW and Alpina have enjoyed close ties for years, with BMW of North America having sold Alpina offerings through brand dealerships. In 2022, Alpina was acquired by BMW and brought into the fold. Today, its founder has begun the second act, launching a firm under the family name and working with the Italians to create a coupe known simply as the Bovensiepen Zagato.

The result is a 600 hp highly tailored coupe that almost seems to take on brands like Bentley in its customer commissioned detail work. Think highly limited and personalized specifically for the buyer and you won’t be far off.

It’s also got unique partner-sourced components. The car boasts a bespoke suspension system from Bilstein with three modes – Comfort, Sport and Sport plus. From Akrapovič comes an exotic titanium exhaust.

Interestingly, there’s no BMW roundel logo in site. Though it’s pretty obvious there’s an M4 Coupé in there somewhere, the idea appears to be for this car to stand on its own… not simply a tailored and Zagato-touched M4… though it’s probably that too.

In a lot of ways, the project seems to echo the original Fisker Tremonto. Before Henrik Fisker set off down the EV road, the former Aston Martin design chief built is first cars under the Fisker badge by taking existing BMW 6 Series coupes and adding bespoke bodywork and components. In this case though, the combination of the family behind Alpina selling a GT designed by Zagato makes a more compelling case.

Want to know more about the Bovensiepen Zagato? Find their website HERE, and check out the full press release beneath the galleries below.

PHOTO GALLERY (STUDIO)

PHOTO GALLERY (FUORI CONCORSO)

PRESS RELEASE: BOVENSIEPEN

[source: Bovensiepen]

The name Bovensiepen is no stranger in the automotive industry, and now it stands for a manufacturer of exceptional automobiles that embody the concept of “fine driving.” The launch of the Bovensiepen brand marks a new era for the company and the focused continuation of the extensive engineering, development and production expertise from Buchloe (Bavaria, Germany).

In the future, Bovensiepen will realize exciting automotive projects that combine precision and harmony in the form of timeless design and outstanding engineering. Each automobile is crafted by experts with decades of experience and boundless passion. They share this dedication with enthusiasts who appreciate and admire these automobiles and all their details.

Our headquarters in Buchloe is the home of our experts and the centre of our passion. From design, development and construction to production by hand, all the threads come together here to create automobiles that are among the best in the world and to make Fine Driving a reality.

The Bovensiepen name is synonymous with successfully pushing boundaries in the automotive world. For the passion to make good things even better. For the combination of timeless design and engineering excellence. For the symbiosis of precision and harmony.

BOVENSIEPEN ZAGATO – FINE DRIVING

Gran Turismo – a unique category of extraordinary automobiles, a way of life. The first model from the Bovensiepen brand is presented in this automotive tradition.

The Bovensiepen Zagato masterfully combines unmistakable Italian design with re-nowned Bavarian engineering. A novelty created with dedication and craftsmanship to excite automotive enthusiasts. A true and extraordinary Gran Turismo that expres-ses freedom and elegance down to the last detail.

The shape of the Bovensiepen Zagato is a harmonious composition of individual design features and bears the unmistakable signature of the traditional Milanese design studio Zagato. All design elements – from the elegant, elongated bonnet and side lines to the almost architectural design of the front and rear – hark back to the tradition of iconic coupés – in a modern, timeless interpretation. A true masterpiece of contemporary coachbuilding.

“It was a team effort driven by the excitement of the project – the idea of launching the first car of a new luxurious brand – and the fact that we were bringing together the DNA of two families…. When you combine two DNAs, the result should be a stronger DNA,” explains Andrea Zagato, third-generation President of Zagato.

The unique Gran Turismo driving experience stems from an unparalleled symbiosis of design and technology. Engineering “Made in Buchloe” begins with the Bovensiepen sports suspension with special Bilstein dampers and sophisticated forged aluminium wheels, and extends to the lightweight exterior body, which is made almost entirely of carbon fibre. A powerful soundscape for pure emotion is delivered by the high-performance titanium exhaust system, developed in collaboration with Akrapovič. All components of this automobile, around 400 precision parts, were developed to bring to life what the name Bovensiepen stands for: Fine Driving.

The power of the Bovensiepen Zagato also comes from within: The 3.0 litre in-line six-cylinder engine generates an output of 449 kW (611 hp) and a maximum torque of 700 Nm. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes just 3.3 seconds the top speed lies beyond the 300 km/h mark.*

Each Bovensiepen Zagato is created and assembled at our manufactory in Buchloe (Bavaria) by experts with decades of experience and a great passion for manual craftsmanship – each automobile takes over 250 working hours to complete.

“As two family businesses, we still view the automobile through romantic eyes. Today, many vehicles are highly standardized, and their romance is being lost,” says Andrea Zagato.

The Bovensiepen Zagato will celebrate its debut this weekend at the Fuori Concorso on Lake Como. The perfect backdrop for a true Gran Turismo.

TIMELESS BEAUTY

The Bovensiepen Zagato is more than just the perfect symbiosis of design and tech-nology. This timeless Gran Turismo embodies the intensive collaboration between “Design Made in Milan” and “Engineering Made in Buchloe”. The result is an automo-bile that is far more than just the sum of its parts. “Our goal is to build automobiles for connoisseurs and enthusiasts who appreciate the perfect symbiosis of design and technology,” Andreas Bovensiepen, CEO Bovensiepen Automobiles.

The shape of the Bovensiepen Zagato is a harmonious composition of individual design features. The genuine beauty lies in the harmonious proportions of the vehicle. “It‘s a kind of mixture of Italian flair, a kind of sexy and soft design, and a German, very solid, almost architectural structure… it is a beautiful blend of these two automotive cultures, I would say,” Norihiko Harada, Zagato Chief Designer.

The elongated side line without a B-pillar and with completely retractable, frameless windows defines the elegant side view. A horizontal design line spans the entire ve-hicle and connects all elements of the exterior. The “Double Bubble” curvature in the roof and rear window – typical of the Zagato Design Studio – make the Bovensiepen Zagato unmistakable from every perspective.

The striking front is defined by a large central air intake with a CNC-milled stainless steel grille and low-set headlights. The two aditional air intakes hint at the high-performance potential of the inline-six-cylinder engine.

The long, low bonnet gives the Bovensiepen Zagato a strong presence. Two precisely defined lines and the large U-shaped air outlet add a highly dynamic character to its appearance.

From the front, the horizontal, wraparound design line continues upwards over the striking contours of the side and the sportily accentuated rear fenders to the integrated rear spoiler lip. The side air vents allow for optimal airflow and emphasize the curved lines of the body. They are also the perfect stage for the Zagato lettering. „… if design doesn‘t take a risk, we cannot impress the people. This is something Andreas Bovensiepen understood immediately. He accepted to take a risk.“ Norihiko Harada, Chief Designer Zagato

The precisely drawn, almost architectural rear end with muscular rear wheel arches, pronounced fins and the striking spoiler lip show the power and dynamics that the Bovensiepen Zagato can unleash. The Bovensiepen lettering and a pronounced rear diffuser around the two twin tailpipes complete the athletic rear end.

The long sloping bonnet, low roofline, and dynamic rear create a smooth, wedge-shaped side profile.

ENGINEERING „MADE IN BUCHLOE”

The Bovensiepen Zagato is exceptional in terms of design and performance. The powerful drivetrain, which delivers impressive driving performance, meets
the highest of demands.

The 3.0 litre in-line six-cylinder engine generates an output of 449 kW (611 hp) and a maximum torque of 700 Nm. The superior power and torque characteristics of the Gran Turismo were refined in countless hours on the engine test bench and over many thousand test kilometres. The Bovensiepen Zagato accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and reaches a top speed beyond 300 km/h.*

Specially developed Damptronic dampers from Bilstein help deliver Fine Driving. The Bovensiepen chassis engineers have refined them for that special “Gran Turismo” driving experience. The driver can select from three driving modes – Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus – offering a range from pronounced comfort to athletic driving dynamics. The Bovensiepen forged wheel in 20“ continues the symbiosis of design and engineering: the ten elongated double spokes create a striking visual depth. Elaborate side recesses in each individual spoke lead to significant weight savings.

A powerful soundscape for pure emotion is delivered by the lightweight titanium exhaust system, developed together with Akrapovič. It reduces the back pressure significantly and with a weight of 22 kg it is around 40 percent lighter compared to conventional systems. The exhaust system ends in two twin tailpipes – also made of titanium.

MANUFACTORY

The production time of each Bovensiepen Zagato in the Bovensiepen manufactory extends to beyond 250 working hours. Over 400 individual parts are assembled to the highest precision. This requires absolute experts with decades of experience and a passion for manual craftsmanship. This makes each automobile unique, manufactured entirely according to the customer‘s wishes.

The interior of the Bovensiepen Zagato combines modernity and craftsmanship. The display of the infotainment system is seamlessly integrated into the leather-covered instrument panel, high-quality shift paddles made of milled aluminium, an individual production plate and the hand-stitched Lavalina® steering wheel complete our definition of Fine Driving. The design of the seats proudly shows GT genes: the seat centre panels with the characteristic lengthwise stripes blend harmoniously with the modern backrests with their stylised bucket seat look.

Every Bovensiepen Zagato can be as unique as its owner. The Bovensiepen manu-factory offers personalization options down to the last detail. This makes every automobile from our manufactory in Buchloe (Bavaria) a truly unique one-off. Every detail tells its own story, and every story begins with the vision of an automobile en-thusiast.

The Bovensiepen Zagato is optionally available with a full Lavalina® leather interior. An experienced saddler covers nearly every touchpoint in the cabin with this exqui-site material in more than 130 hours of finely honed craftsmanship.

The Lavalina® colour palette includes 16 standard colours. In addition, any desired colours can be realized via the Bovensiepen Bespoke program. The leather can be combined with Alcantara, which is available in 45 other colours and harmonizes particularly well with Lavalina®.

MARKET LAUNCH

Delivery of the first customer vehicles is planned for the end of the 2nd quarter of 2026. Pricing and production numbers for this strictly limited model will be released in the 4th Quarter of 2025.