BMW Alpina is now a standalone brand focused on performance and bespoke customization

Both France and Germany have Alps, which is probably why they love to use brands that reference the mountain range. In the car space, Renault has Alpine, and now BMW has Alpina.

The Alpina trademark rights were successfully transferred to BMW on January 1, and this, according to the German group, "marks the launch of BMW Alpina as an exclusive standalone brand under the BMW Group umbrella".

The initial focus will be on "brand activation", as the key elements of the BMW Alpina brand are "its unique balance of maximum performance and superior ride comfort, combined with hallmark driving characteristics", the official press release says. You should also expect "an exclusive portfolio of bespoke options and custom materials along with unmistakable details". So Alpina will be used for a ton of upsell.

BMW is "aware of its tremendous responsibility" given the history of the Alpina brand, and is committed to meeting the highest expectations with its stewardship. The new wordmark, seen in the image above, will be positioned at the center of the rear, underlining "the standalone character of the new exclusive brand and its independent personality within the BMW Group", the company says.

The new wordmark is inspired by Alpina's asymmetrical wordmark from the 70s, with the "elegant, contemporary design" providing "a link between history and future". Those font designers do need to justify their pay, that's for sure.

The BMW Alpina branded vehicles will be made "according to rigorous standards for materials selection and craftsmanship", fulfilling "the most demanding expectations in terms of visuals, acoustics, and feel".

And given the aforementioned bevy of bespoke upsell options, each Alpina "has its own, unmistakable character", each of them "an exclusive object for connoisseurs in pursuit of the extraordinary, without compromises on performance, comfort, and individuality". So they will be very expensive, don't say we didn't warn you.