The Alpina name might now belong to BMW, but the Bovensiepen family hasn’t put their magic touch out to pasture. Stealing some of Munich’s thunder is this – the Bovensiepen Zagato, a coachbuilt 602bhp grand tourer based on the M4, rebodied by the famous Milanese design house. Unveiled at Villa d’Este, it marks the start of a bold new chapter for the family.

With Alpina now absorbed into BMW’s corporate structure, Andreas and Florian Bovensiepen – sons of the brand’s late founder – have launched a standalone operation. Still based in Buchloe, the legacy remains close. But the ambition is greater, and the scale smaller: the brothers are targeting exclusive, low-volume reimaginings rather than refining Munich’s finest. The Zagato coupe is their opening statement.

Interestingly, the car is based upon an M4 Convertible, despite having a fixed roof. That’s because Zagato’s trademark double-bubble roof replaces the original, while every visible panel is new. It’s all crafted from carbon fibre and styled with a softer, more elegant silhouette than BMW’s own. The oversized kidney grilles are gone, replaced by a stainless steel frame with black mesh inserts. The Hofmeister Kink is retained, while a restrained ducktail spoiler sits at the rear, alongside bronze badging and 20-inch forged wheels. It’s beautifully done, with the Bovensiepen logo etched below the front grille in a tribute to the Alpina legacy.

Under the bonnet is a revised version of BMW’s S58 twin-turbo straight-six, now delivering 602bhp and 516lb-ft of torque. That’s enough for 0–62mph in 3.3 seconds and a top speed beyond 186mph. Power is sent to all four wheels via an automatic gearbox, and Bilstein adaptive dampers offer Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus modes. The Akrapovič titanium exhaust saves 40 per cent in weight over the standard system.

The cabin keeps the M4 layout but swaps the materials for Bovensiepen’s choice of luxury hide, stitching, and branding. Over 130 hours are spent hand-trimming each car in Lavalina leather, with customisation offered in Alcantara and a wide choice of colours. More than 400 components are bespoke. Such are the level of changes over the regular M4, each Zagato requires 250 build hours.

Pricing and production volumes will be confirmed in Q4, with first deliveries set for mid-2026. Expect a figure in multiples of the £95,330 BMW asks for an M4 Convertible.

Meanwhile, BMW themselves have announced the appointment of ex Polestar designer Max Missoni to oversee the future direction of Alpina, alongside responsibility for the brand’s other models from the 5 Series upward.