Tag Archives: BMW

Tuning

AC Schnitzer Turns the BMW i5 Into a Stealthy Electric M5

By now, the G60-generation BMW 5 Series has settled into its role as Munich’s tech-heavy, executive express, and its all-electric i5 sibling has proven that electrons don’t have to mean anonymity. Still, if you’re the kind of owner who wants your EV to look less like a boardroom shuttle and more like it’s late for a Nürburgring lap, AC Schnitzer has been quietly cooking up exactly what you need.

The longtime BMW tuning house has rolled out a full suite of visual and chassis upgrades for the i5, applying the same hardware it previously offered for the gas-powered G60/G61 models. The result is a sedan that looks like a toned-down M5—muscular without crossing into boy-racer territory.

The transformation starts at the nose. A new front splitter sharpens the i5’s face and visually lowers the car, and it’s matched with more assertive side skirts and not one but two rear-spoiler options. Touring models get their own tailored wing, because even your electric family hauler deserves a little aerodynamic swagger. All of these pieces are designed to work with BMW’s M Sport package, which already gives the i5 a more aggressive set of bumpers from the factory.

AC Schnitzer also offers striped side decals for anyone who thinks subtlety is overrated, but the real show-stealers are the wheels. Three different designs are available, in finishes and sizes ranging from 19 to 21 inches. The photo car wears 21-inch AC3 FlowForming five-twin-spoke alloys, filling out the arches nicely and pairing up with red brake calipers for a splash of visual drama. It’s the kind of detail that makes pedestrians do a double take—and then realize it’s not an M5 after all.

To make sure the stance matches the looks, AC Schnitzer fits shorter coil springs that drop the i5 by 20 to 25 millimeters, along with spacers that widen the track by 20 mm. The effect is simple and effective: the i5 sits lower, looks wider, and appears far more planted than the buttoned-up stock car.

The donor vehicle here is the i5 M60 xDrive, the baddest electric 5 Series BMW sells. With two motors delivering a combined 601 horsepower and 820 Nm of torque, it’s already plenty quick in factory trim. AC Schnitzer isn’t touching the powertrain for now—electrons are apparently off-limits—but if history is any guide, the upcoming combustion-powered M5 won’t be so lucky.

Pricing, as always with German tuners, is à la carte. The front splitter will set you back €1,290, the side sills €840, and the roof spoiler €490, with an additional €540 if you opt for the more subtle rear lip. Wheels are the biggest ticket item, running up to €5,390 depending on size and finish. Add €486 for spacers and €581 for the lowering springs, and you can build an i5 that looks every bit as menacing as its M-badged cousin—without waiting for BMW to do it themselves.

For enthusiasts who want their electric executive sedan to project more Autobahn attitude and less airport-hotel anonymity, AC Schnitzer’s i5 package might be the perfect plug-in personality upgrade.

Source: AC Schnitzer

News

BMW Elevates Alpina to Ultra-Luxury Status With New Branding Push

BMW’s quietest performance brand just got a very loud message. With the unveiling of a newly redesigned Alpina badge, BMW has all but confirmed that the once-independent tuning house is being reborn as the Bavarian brand’s answer to Mercedes-Maybach: rarified, exquisitely tailored, and parked firmly at the top of the company’s luxury hierarchy.

On the surface, the new badge looks like a light refresh. The iconic throttle body and crankshaft remain, but they’ve been redrawn with sharper, more technical precision and finished in a glassy, transparent style. Surrounding them is a modernized Alpina wordmark—a cleaned-up evolution of the brand’s delightfully off-kilter 1970s typography. But make no mistake: this isn’t a nostalgic facelift. It’s a corporate flag being planted.

BMW officially took full control of the Alpina name and trademark on January 1, 2026, ending a six-decade partnership that allowed Alpina to operate as a semi-independent manufacturer in Buchloe, Germany. And now, BMW is wasting no time redefining what Alpina will be.

A New Peak in BMW’s Brand Pyramid

BMW isn’t being subtle about Alpina’s future role. Alongside the new logo, the company released an image of snow-covered mountain peaks—an unsubtle metaphor for where BMW Alpina will sit in its brand structure. Think of it as BMW’s “Luxury Layer” mountaintop: above standard BMW models, below Rolls-Royce, and playing a similar role to Maybach at Mercedes-Benz.

In other words, Alpina is no longer just “the tasteful alternative to M.” It’s becoming something more exclusive—and more expensive.

The promise is clear: Alpina will focus on highly personalized, ultra-luxurious, long-distance performance cars aimed at buyers who find BMW M a little too loud and regular BMW a little too ordinary. The company describes its target customers as “connoisseurs who appreciate the exceptional,” which is marketing speak for people who want to cruise at 160 mph in quilted leather silence.

Goodbye Buchloe as a Factory, Hello Buchloe as a Shrine

One of the biggest changes is happening behind the scenes. For the first time in its history, Alpina vehicles will be built entirely in BMW’s own factories. That brings to a close the unique arrangement where Alpina-spec cars were partially assembled by BMW before being sent to Buchloe for final conversion.

But Buchloe isn’t disappearing—it’s being repurposed. The site will become Alpina’s center for aftersales, heritage, and parts support, effectively turning it into the brand’s living museum and concierge desk. For collectors, that’s good news: Alpina’s back catalog will still be supported by the people who know it best.

Luxury First, Speed Second

BMW insists that Alpina will continue to deliver what made the brand special in the first place: big power, effortless speed, and exceptional comfort. But the emphasis is shifting. These will be high-speed grand tourers first and foremost, designed for crossing continents, not chasing lap times.

Customization will be a major part of the appeal. Buyers will be able to specify from an “extraordinary range” of bespoke options, including Alpina’s signature blue and green paint colors, newly styled 20-spoke wheels, and interiors trimmed in materials that won’t appear in any regular BMW. This is coachbuilding by way of Munich.

And unlike BMW M—which now sells everything from hardcore track weapons to hybrid SUVs—Alpina’s mission is laser-focused: luxury, individuality, and discreet speed.

What Comes Next

The first true BMW-era Alpina model is expected to debut later this year, with UK sales beginning in 2027. What it will be hasn’t been confirmed, but given BMW’s current lineup, expect something large, powerful, and opulently trimmed—likely a 7-Series or X7 derivative turned into a velvet-lined missile.

For enthusiasts, this is a bittersweet moment. The old Alpina—the quirky, family-run outfit that quietly built some of the best BMWs money could buy—is gone. But in its place is something potentially even more interesting: a factory-backed, ultra-luxury performance brand designed to go head-to-head with Maybach and Bentley.

And that new badge? It’s not just a logo. It’s a warning label for BMW’s rivals.

Source: Alpina

NEW CARS

2027 BMW X1 Facelift Spied With Neue Klasse Tech and Sharper Styling

BMW’s smallest crossover might be its biggest overachiever, and the upcoming 2027 X1 facelift proves Munich isn’t taking its sales darling for granted. Freshly spotted testing in Sweden, the updated X1 is getting a meaningful mid-cycle refresh that brings sharper styling, a dramatically upgraded cabin, and tech borrowed straight from BMW’s next-generation Neue Klasse lineup.

Even beneath heavy camouflage, it’s clear the X1 is shedding some of its conservative skin. The headlights appear slimmer and more angular, flanking a revised kidney grille that looks cleaner and more modern than the current model’s somewhat fussy design. The front bumper also seems more sculpted, suggesting BMW is pushing the X1 toward a more premium, performance-leaning aesthetic. The rear end looks largely unchanged for now, though the thick camo could be hiding subtle revisions.

But the real story is inside.

Neue Klasse Invades the X1

Spy photos confirm what BMW insiders hinted at back in 2024: the X1 is getting a full digital reboot. The biggest upgrade is BMW’s new Panoramic Display, a wide, driver-focused screen that stretches across the base of the windshield, paired with a massive 17.9-inch central touchscreen. Together, they replace the current curved display and mark a major leap forward in both tech and visual drama.

Running the show will be BMW’s new iDrive X software, a system designed around over-the-air updates, AI-driven controls, and a cleaner, more intuitive interface. In other words, the 2027 X1 won’t just look newer—it’ll feel like it belongs to BMW’s next generation of vehicles rather than the current one.

The Electric Side Gets a Range Boost

BMW isn’t forgetting about the iX1 either. Starting in March 2026, the electric version will receive a silicon-carbide inverter, a more efficient piece of power electronics that reduces energy loss and improves range. The upgrade adds up to 25 miles (40 km) of extra driving on the WLTP cycle.

That means the front-wheel-drive iX1 eDrive20 is now rated at up to 319 miles (514 km), while the all-wheel-drive xDrive30 reaches up to 290 miles (466 km). For a compact electric crossover, those are legitimately competitive numbers—and they’ll only make the refreshed iX1 more appealing as Europe continues its EV push.

Two X1s, One Big Strategy

Here’s where things get interesting. While BMW is testing this facelifted X1, it’s also developing the next-generation model (internally known as NB5). That means BMW is running two X1 programs at the same time—a clear sign of just how important this model is to the brand.

BMW has already promised more than 40 new or updated vehicles by the end of 2027, and the X1—both combustion and electric—will be right at the heart of that product blitz.

Production of the refreshed X1 and iX1 is reportedly scheduled to begin in July 2027, setting the stage for a compact crossover that blends Neue Klasse technology with one of BMW’s most commercially successful nameplates.

For a car that already sells like crazy, the 2027 BMW X1 facelift isn’t playing defense—it’s going on the offensive. And if these early signs are anything to go by, the segment just got a lot more interesting.

Source: BMW; Photos: SH Proshots