BMW killed the Z4, but its creators just brought it back
A new company founded by former Alpina staff is building 99 limited-edition roadsters based on the discontinued BMW Z4, fitted with a 429 hp engine.
The BMW Z4 has been given a second life by the people who know it best: a company set up by members of the original Alpina founding family is producing a small run of high-performance roadsters after BMW discontinued the model. The car is called the Bovensiepen Spider, a name that nods directly to the family behind the original Alpina tuning house, and just 99 examples will be built.
The project came about after BMW acquired Alpina, prompting some of those involved with the historic tuning firm to strike out independently. Rather than walk away from the cars they had spent careers developing, they turned their attention to the Z4 platform and built something new around it, according to multiple reports.
The Bovensiepen Spider produces 429 hp, making it considerably more powerful than the standard Z4 it is based upon. Adding to the car's pedigree, the custom bodywork and exterior details were drawn up by the same designer responsible for the McLaren P1 hypercar, giving it a visual identity well removed from the production car underneath.
Because only 99 will be made, the Bovensiepen Spider sits firmly in collector territory rather than the everyday sports car market. For ordinary drivers, the story is less about buying one and more about what it represents: a rare case of a beloved model being rescued from cancellation by the very people who helped shape it in the first place.