The time will soon come: the Alpina brand, known for its special vehicles, will come under the BMW Group's umbrella from 2026. Several hundred Alpina owners recently met in Penzing to celebrate the past 60 years. At the same time, the history of the models was presented, including a unique model that was on public display for the first time.
When BMW introduced the new Mini, Alpina also took a closer look at the small vehicle. In 2005, a unique concept car was created based on the Mini Cooper S R53: the Cooper S “Lux”. The aim of the car manufacturer, led by Burkard Bovensiepen, was to give the already sporty small car a more exclusive look and a more upscale ambience. Almost like the Aston Martin Cygnet, which was based on the Toyota iQ, was later to be developed.
Contrary to the company's usual practice, the Alpina Mini has remained technically unchanged. The 1,6-liter four-cylinder engine has an output of 125 kW (170 hp) and a maximum torque of 220 Nm. This enables the Mini Cooper S "Lux" to reach a top speed of 222 km/h. Only one vehicle of this unique model was produced.
Visually, the vehicle is in favor of targeted updates: the ALPINA DYNAMIC rims, which were later also available as an option for the Mini R50 and R53 series, stand out in particular. Numerous body parts, including the wheel arches, parts of the front and rear bumpers, mirror caps and rain gutters, have been painted blue. The roof, including the rear spoiler, is in a contrasting silver color. The gray lenses of the rear lights match them.
The interior is dominated by Alcantara in a two-tone blue and grey version. Almost all interior elements, including the upper part of the instrument panel, are covered in this sporty microfibre material. The design is complemented by plastic applications finished in blue soft lacquer.
The Mini Cooper S “Lux” shows how sporting performance can be combined with individual exclusivity – a one-off that clearly distinguishes itself from the series model thanks to its design and material details. Speaking of individual exclusivity: the new Bovensiepen brand will be launched at the company headquarters in Buchloe in 2026. The first vehicle will be a Zagato with technology from the BMW M4.
