It is well known in the automotive world that the Bovensiepen family, owners of the 60-year-old classic brand Alpina, sold all their rights to BMW Group back in 2022. After BMW Group's takeover, the Bovensiepen family returned to making their own cars, continuing to use BMW models as a base for modifications. However, now they blend Italian artistic craftsmanship to make the cars even more special. This is the first model from the new company named Bovensiepen Automobile, marking a new era in many ways, even as the lettering on the car has doubled from ALPINA to BOVENSIEPEN.
Regarding this special-order car, Alpina was renowned from 1979 to 2021 for luxury sedans emphasizing comfort. The new Bovensiepen Zagato retains the original concept: a 2+2 seat sports car priced at £320,000 (about 14–15 million baht), excluding import taxes of over 300%. Designed by Norihiko Harada in a studio near Milan, the car is positioned both as a rare collectible and a worthy competitor to the Aston Martin DB12 S. Essentially, it is a luxurious GT packed with genuine leather and delivers torque from its powertrain enough to enjoy spirited drives on weekends, comparable to a Ferrari.
The difference between the Zagato and past Alpina models, even the most special ones, is that instead of building on a general BMW base, under the carbon fiber body it is essentially a BMW M4 Competition M xDrive Convertible. The reason for choosing the M performance convertible as the starting point before modifying it into the Bovensiepen Zagato is notable—why select the heavier convertible over the coupe?
The main reason is that the convertible opens the design opportunity to create a pillarless look, which Andreas Bovensiepen, owner and CEO, prefers. This design allows for the creation of the iconic Double-bubble roof shape, a Zagato hallmark since 1948, which can be installed without cutting the original M4 body structure. The roof’s sloping lines blend seamlessly into the rear glass, forming one of the most beautiful features of the Bovensiepen Zagato.
Another striking feature is the hood’s longer sloping line—100 millimeters longer than the standard M4 hood—with a hidden aggressive air vent. This design combines technical necessity with aesthetic appeal. The lines extend to the headlights, which are lowered as far as the BMW body structure allows. The result is a fierce yet elegant front end with hints of Aston Martin Lagonda styling.
The original convertible roof mechanism was removed and replaced with a new body made of 12 carbon fiber parts weighing only 50 kilograms total, including bolts and mounts securing it to the main frame. The joint between the new roof and the original M4 Convertible’s windshield frame remains slightly visible but overall is finished smoothly and meticulously, befitting a handcrafted special model rather than a factory car. A drawback is the rear fender arches, which must remain double-layered because the original steel parts serve as safety structures in crashes. Bovensiepen could not replace these directly with carbon fiber, so the new carbon fiber panels overlay the steel beneath.
Inside, buyers encounter a layout and functions carried over from the base BMW M4, contrasted by an extravagant use of luxury materials—Bovensiepen’s upholstery and leatherwork excels here. Customers immediately understand why each car requires 250 to 400 hours of assembly when fully optioned. The trunk is trimmed with brown Alcantara leather with white stitching, evoking the same meticulous craftsmanship as Bugatti’s polishing of the Veyron’s suspension components to a mirror-like finish.
The cabin features a soft blue tone, with nearly every surface made from synthetic materials or covered in premium, soft, and smooth genuine leather, including optional top-tier Lavalina leather. The Alcantara roof lining complements the leather from floor to ceiling, promising the Bovensiepen Zagato will look increasingly classic and beautiful over time. While eco-friendly fabric or synthetic leather seats are increasingly popular, this special model’s lavish use of genuine leather all around for luxury might seem excessive or even borderline illicit, but customers seem to accept or even appreciate this bold approach.
Fundamentally an M4, the Zagato’s driving position meets the high standards of a fine European sports car: firm, supportive seats adjustable to low positions, and a steering wheel with extensive reach and height adjustments. The generous rear legroom from BMW is retained, and visibility is excellent due to the absence of a B-pillar and a larger rear window than the M4 Convertible. In summary, this car is practical and more comfortable for daily use than many special-edition cars costing over £300,000 on the market.
Bovensiepen’s engineers enhanced the M4’s originally dull digital curved display to add some dimension—a commendable effort. However, the slim instrument cluster frame behind the steering wheel feels like an aftermarket add-on. On the plus side, the aluminum paddle shifters provide a more solid and satisfying feel than the M4’s original rubber ones. The Zagato’s engine sound is unapologetically loud, retaining the characteristic raspy tone of the 3.0-liter inline-six S58 engine but now with sharper high-rev sounds and deeper low-end tones, thanks to a full titanium Akrapovic exhaust system that reduces backpressure from the engine block to the rear muffler.
Revised intake piping and ECU tuning boost power from the M4’s standard 534 horsepower to 602 horsepower, with torque increased from 650 to 700 Newton-meters. Weighing 1,875 kilograms, it achieves a power-to-weight ratio of 321 hp per ton, slightly better than the current Porsche 911 Carrera GTS. The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system enables 0–100 km/h acceleration in 3.3 seconds, a conservative estimate. Bovensiepen replaced the M4’s factory dampers with Bilstein Damptronics units, fitted custom Eibach springs, new shock mounts, and thinner anti-roll bars. The suspension’s character is completely reworked to give the body more freedom to move, resulting in smooth shock absorption suitable for long journeys. Forged wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires sized 285/30 front and 295/25 rear—the largest available for the standard M4—are used.
The torque split between front and rear axles remains unchanged, as do the electronically controlled M Differential and the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) settings. It is clear Andreas Bovensiepen and his team are pleased to base their work on a genuine M-series car with a strong, rigid structure, rather than a standard BMW model as in the past with Alpina.
The M4 base is so well-developed that there was no need to modify the drivetrain, chassis structure, or add cooling systems. The result is a transformed "M code" car that is more relaxed, with a more neutral balance, softer than the M4 yet retaining its tautness, offering predictable handling and precise control. This blend of relaxed smoothness hiding excellent vehicle control, combined with ample torque, defines its character.
Only 99 units will be produced worldwide. New owners will pay a hefty price for the privilege, but possessing a Zagato coupe with immaculate craftsmanship, tasteful design that is neither flashy nor ostentatious, and perfectly proportioned bodywork that allows even less-experienced drivers to handle it quickly, the Bovensiepen family has beautifully brought this car from the past into the future.
Technical Specifications
Price: Approximately £319,000 (about 14.5 million baht, excluding import taxes)
Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six gasoline engine
Power: 602 horsepower at 7,200 rpm
Torque: 700 Newton-meters at 2,500 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel drive (4WD)
Kerb weight: 1,875 kilograms
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 3.3 seconds
Top speed: Over 300 km/h
Average fuel consumption: Approximately 9.6 km/liter
Market competitors: Aston Martin DB12 S, Ferrari Amalfi