Monterey Car Week is always full of rare cars and surprises, but few drew more double-takes this year than the Bovensiepen Zagato. We had the chance to see it up close at The Quail, A Motorsports Gatheringand again on the Concept Lawn at Pebble Beachcapturing a new set of photos of the car’s first American outing.
This is the third time the Bovensiepen brothers have shown their new creation, after its world premiere at Fuorio Competition in May and its run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. Seeing it under the California sun, though, gave us a fresh perspective on the proportions, the detailing, and the way Zagato’s design interacts with the carbon bodywork.
From Alpina to Bovensiepen Automobile
BMW’s acquisition of the ALPINA name meant the Bovensiepen family could no longer use the brand they had built for decades. Rather than stop, Andreas and Florian Bovensiepen launched Bovensiepen Automobile. Their first car, developed with Zagato, is a carbon-bodied coupe built on BMW’s M4 Convertible platform. It marks a clear continuation of the family’s tradition in Buchloe — cars that blend performance upgrades with painstaking craftsmanship — but under a new name.
Why a Convertible Base Makes Sense
Our photos highlight the Zagato’s defining feature: the double-bubble carbon roof that flows into the rear glass. This design was only possible because the team started with an M4 Convertible (G83 LCI)which allowed them to eliminate the B-pillar altogether. From a distance, it looks like a bespoke coupe; under the skin, it’s technically a hardtop cabriolet with an entirely new body. Even though the original structure is retained for safety and homologation, more than 400 new parts have been developed. The carbon skin, along with a few lightweight chassis changes, shaves about 110 pounds compared to the donor M4 Convertible.
Performance Upgrades
Beneath the carbon hood, the Zagato uses BMW’s S58 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six, tuned well beyond the stock M4. A redesigned intake and exhaust system, new turbos, and a 22 kg titanium Akrapovich exhaust push output to 611 hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft). That translates to 0–100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and a top speed above 300 km/h (186 mph). Suspension tuning was handled in Buchloe in collaboration with Bilstein, resulting in a custom Damptronic setup that offers Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus modes — keeping with the Bovensiepen motto, “Fine Driving.”
Longer Than A BMW M8 Coupe
Up close at The Quail, the Zagato’s size is more apparent. At nearly five meters long, it’s actually longer than a BMW M8 Coupe by five centimeters. The headlights, taken from the 4 Series, are partially covered and sit lower and further forward, giving the car a sharper face. The rear haunches have a more pronounced character line than the donor car, while ALPINA-inspired wheels give a subtle nod to the family’s history.
Despite the added length, it doesn’t feel oversized in person. If anything, the balance of the proportions makes the Zagato look tighter and more purposeful than an M4.
Cabin Craftsmanship
Inside, it’s business as usual for Buchloe: Lavalina leather dominates. Covering nearly every surface, the process demands 130 hours of labor, 390 individual cuttings, and 1,800 meters of thread. Customers can choose from 16 leather shades, 45 Alcantara options, or commission fully bespoke designs.
The car we photographed at Pebble Beach featured a brown-and-beige cabin paired with the Carbon Package, while the Lake Como prototype used a striking blue interior. Both show the range of customization Bovensiepen is willing to deliver.
Exclusivity and Timeline
Each Bovensiepen Zagato requires over 250 hours of hand assembly, and annual production will be capped in the low hundreds. Homologation for the U.S. and Japan is still pending, so the final number may be even smaller. Pricing is expected to fall between €400,000 and €500,000, and the first customer deliveries are planned for mid-2026.
Seeing the Bovensiepen Zagato on American soil for the first time was a reminder that while the ALPINA name is now BMW’s, the family behind it continues to build cars in Buchloe. This coupe doesn’t hide its BMW roots, but it reframes them — with a full carbon body, a more powerful S58 engine, and an interior finished to a standard you won’t find on the M4 order sheet.
(Tagstotranslate) Alpina
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