An accolade in Buchloe: The return of the 02 Alpina

There are stories in the automotive cosmos that are more than normal restoration reports. They are tales of passion, of meticulous dedication and of the unconditional will not only to preserve history, but to breathe new life into it. One of these stories begins in the year 1968 – with a BMW 2002, delivered to the Burkard Bovensiepen KG in the colour Granada.

What happened there was to write automotive history: In Bovensiepen’s halls, a standard vehicle was transformed into an 02 Alpina – a symbol of motorsport spirit, precision and individuality. The car took part in various documented races, was driven, celebrated – until it fell silent in 2004. Deregistered, parked, forgotten. A legend in a long,deep sleep, hidden away in a hall.

15 years later, C. Heine, Managing Director of H&R Spezialfedern GmbH & Co. KG, discovered this historical jewel. A real barn find. Covered in dust, patchy, marked by the ravages of time – and yet: an aura that immediately burnt itself into the heart and mind of the experienced classic car enthusiast. For Heine, it was not a question of “if”, but “how”. The decision was clear: this Alpina had to be brought back to life – as true to the original and as perfect as possible.

Together with the BMW Classic experts from the zweipunktnull group in Düsseldorf/Germany, who have been established since 2012, and its Managing Director Sebastian Küppers, as well as BMW 02 professional Rainer Ahrend from Ahrend 02 Tuning , a journey, which was more like an archaeological expedition than a classic restoration, began. Every screw, every rubber seal, every component was either replaced or lovingly refurbished. The aim was nothing less than perfection

Sebastian Küppers: “The historic refurbishment, concept creation, parts and component procurement and the final full restoration were an exclusive and emotional project for us – characterised by the highest standards of originality and care in the construction. For the perfect recreation, we were able to procure rare original parts from the USA, Japan, Venezuela and directly from Alpina. The biggest challenge, however, was the particularly careful and material-friendly restoration of the bodywork.”

Even the original suspension was reconstructed in collaboration with the classic car department of H&R Spezialfedern GmbH & Co. KG – new suspension springs in the original colour and set-up, revised original shock absorbers and porous rubber applications were made supple again.

What was created over months of painstakingly detailed work can confidently be described as an automotive treasure. A classic that has not only been restored, but also celebrated.

This extraordinary work did not go unnoticed. The 02 Alpina caused quite a stir at the Essen Motor Show – not least at Alpina itself. Andreas Bovensiepen, Managing Director of the traditional manufacturer, personally invited C. Heine himself to Buchloe. There, at the brand’s headquarters, the vehicle was subjected to intensive testing.

What followed is probably the highest honour an Alpina can receive: An official accolade. The experts attested to the car’s quality, which surpassed the series production level at the time. Every detail, every line, every colour nuance – a harmonious overall picture that perfectly combines past and present. As a visible sign of this recognition, an original Alpina sticker was affixed in Buchloe – on the spot, by the highest authorities.

And so a piece of automotive history returned to the public eye. Not just as an exhibit, but as living proof that passion, expertise and respect for the original can work wonders. The 02 Alpina lives – more beautiful than ever before.

The BMW Alpina 2002 Group 2 marked the first development stage for the motorsport successes of the BMW 2002 and thus laid the foundation for its racing career. Great racing personalities such as Hans-Joachim Stuck, Hubert Hahne and Dieter Quester led the model to numerous successes – supported by the expertise of the Allgäu-based manufacturer Alpina. The BMW Alpina 2002 Group 2 built here is therefore regarded as the forefather of the later racing successes of this model type and occupies a special place in the history of BMW. The vehicle presented here is undoubtedly one of the most historically significant and rarest examples of the entire series of that decade.