BMW Opened the Bespoke Door With Skytop and Speedtop. Now It’s Time for an ALPINA Coupe.

The Skytop changed everything. Not because it was the fastest BMW, or the most technologically advanced, or even the most practical — it was none of those things. What the Skytop did — a two-seater open-top with a removable hardtop that tucks neatly into the trunk — was prove that BMW’s board of directors could say yes to a dream. After decades of Adrian Van Hooydonk sketching concepts that never left the show floor — the Zagato Coupé, the Pininfarina Gran Lusso, the M1 Hommage, the Z4 Touring Concept — the head of BMW Design finally got his green light. And at 500,000 euros for 50 hand-built units, the market responded with a resounding yes of its own.

Then came the Speedtop. Seventy units, same price point, but a different animal entirely. Where the Skytop was a romantic open-top tribute to the 507 and Z8, the Speedtop is a shooting brake — a body style BMW has never attempted in production. That long, sweeping roofline falling into a muscular rear end created one of the most striking silhouettes to wear a roundel.

The interior pushed even further upmarket, with refinements that made the already exceptional Skytop feel like a first draft. Both cars share proper V8 power from the M8’s S63 engine, which alone is enough to make enthusiasts weep with joy in an era increasingly defined by electrification.

So the question isn’t whether BMW should keep going. They will. The question is: what comes next?

The Case for a Grand Tourer

Here is our opinion, and we want to be clear — this is not based on any inside information. It’s a thought exercise. One that may not even be feasible from a business standpoint. But if BMW’s bespoke team is looking for the next logical step, we believe the answer is staring them in the face.

It’s time for a coupe. Not another M car. Not a track weapon. A grand tourer — something impossibly elegant, deeply luxurious, and built for crossing continents in absolute comfort. Think of the segment occupied by the Bentley Continental GT, the Aston Martin DB12, the Ferrari Roma. These are cars that deliver a unique presence and refinement, along with fantastic lap times, if needed. There are cars that make a statement pulling up to a hotel in Monaco just as convincingly as they devour a mountain pass in the Alps.

BMW, on its own, would struggle to justify a half-million-euro coupe, at least according to enthusiasts. The brand’s DNA leans sporty, dynamic, driver-focused. A grand touring coupe at this price point might feel like a stretch. But BMW no longer stands alone in the luxury space.

They have ALPINA.

Why ALPINA Is the Perfect Vessel

Since BMW completed its acquisition of ALPINA, the question has always been what the brand would become under Munich’s full ownership. The rumored ALPINA B7 is still based on the current 7 Series platform and ideas. But a bespoke ALPINA coupe could answer it far more powerfully.

Consider what ALPINA has always represented: refinement over aggression, comfort over lap times, craftsmanship over spec-sheet wars. ALPINA interiors have historically gone toe-to-toe with Rolls-Royce in leather quality. Their suspensions have always been tuned for grand touring comfort rather than track-day stiffness. Their design philosophy favors elegance over theatrics — subtle pinstripes instead of carbon splitters, classic multi-spoke wheels instead of angular motorsport designs, reserved color palettes that whisper rather than shout.

Now imagine all of that channeled into a low-volume, bespoke grand touring coupe.

What It Could Look Like

Picture a long-hooded, two-door coupe with proportions that echo the great GTs of automotive history. A fastback roofline that manages to look both athletic and dignified. The ALPINA signature elements would be present but restrained: the classic multi-spoke wheels, perhaps in a forged 21-inch configuration, a heritage color created exclusively for the model, and that distinctive ALPINA lettering integrated into the design rather than simply applied to it.

Under the hood, a twin-turbocharged V8 — they have the S68 engine — would receive ALPINA’s signature tuning philosophy. Not necessarily more power, but more usable power, delivered with a smoothness and linearity that flatters the driver rather than intimidating them. The exhaust note would be deep and cultured, not aggressive. The suspension would be tuned for long-distance comfort without sacrificing composure.

Inside is where the concept truly comes alive. ALPINA-quality leather throughout, with hand-finished details that rival anything coming out of Goodwood. The brogue stitching introduced in the Skytop would find a natural home here. Handcrafted wood or open-pore aluminum trim, depending on the customer’s preference. Every surface your hand touches would feel considered, intentional, bespoke.

The Business Case Writes Itself

Here is the beauty of the proposition: the price would not feel like a stretch. BMW’s bespoke customers have already demonstrated a willingness to pay 500,000 euros for a car wearing a roundel. An ALPINA grand tourer at that same price — or even slightly above it — would feel entirely justified. ALPINA has always commanded a premium over standard BMW models.

Customers expect it. They welcome it. The brand equity is already there.

A production run of 50 to 70 units would maintain the scarcity and exclusivity that makes these cars special. It would also position ALPINA precisely where BMW wants it in their luxury architecture: sitting in the upper reaches of the BMW Luxury Layer, just below Rolls-Royce. Not competing with Rolls-Royce, but complementing it. Where Rolls-Royce offers opulence and chauffeur-driven grandeur, ALPINA would offer sporting elegance and driver-focused luxury.

Will It Happen?

Maybe not this year. Maybe not even with the next bespoke release. But the door is open now, and Adrian Van Hooydonk’s team has proven they can walk through it. The Skytop proved the concept. The Speedtop proved it wasn’t a one-off. A bespoke ALPINA grand touring coupe would prove that BMW is serious about playing in a segment it has long admired from the outside.

And honestly? We don’t see the design team in Munich not at least sketching this one out. Some ideas are simply too good to stay on the shelf forever.