Z4-based Bovensiepen Spider revealed

THE family name behind Alpina is back with its third creation, the drop-top Bovensiepen Spider that takes BMW’s outgoing Z4 M40i and gives it a proper send-off - more power, sharper looks, and a production run capped at just 99 cars.

Penned by designer Frank Stephenson whose back catalogue includes the original X5, the first Mini under BMW ownership, the McLaren P1, and Ferrari F430.

He also worked on Bovensiepen’s earlier 05 GT.

The Spider’s arrival coincides with BMW closing the book on Z4 production, following a Final Edition variant released earlier this year.

Buyer’s shouldn’t expect a dramatic redesign as this is closer to a well-judged makeover than a ground-up rethink exemplified in the front splitter that now wears twin gloss-black tips, wider front guards with larger wheel-arch vents and deeper side skirts.

At the rear, a wider diffuser houses four neatly integrated exhaust tips and a spoiler that stretches the car’s visual proportions.

For style and weight reduction, new 10 spoke, 20-inch forged wheels round things out representing a departure from Alpina’s traditional 20 spoke design.

Under the bonnet, Bovensiepen hasn’t simply remapped the Z4’s turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six as it scores a ram-air intake, reworked and enlarged intake silencer, and a new sports exhaust.

When combined the modifications help push output to 320kW and 580Nm, a big step up from the 250kW/500Nm the standard M40i makes.

Putting that into perspective, it beats both the 285kW/500Nm Toyota GR Supra and the run-out 320kW/570Nm GR Supra Final Edition, making the Spider the most powerful car ever built on this shared BMW-Toyota architecture.

But according to Bovensiepen, all that extra muscle doesn’t translate into a quicker 0-100km/h time that remains 4.2 seconds, identical to the regular M40i. Top speed is limited to 260km/h as standard, rising to 295km/h if buyers tick the box for the Performance Package.

The option also includes a milled-aluminium rear differential cover with bigger cooling fins to cope with sustained high-speed running, plus a V-brace underneath for added rigidity.

No manual gearbox is available as every Spider equipped with a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddles delivering gear changes Bovensiepen claims happen in well under a tenth of a second when left in Sport mode.

Dampers have been retuned with more low-speed compression, and the rear axle gets longer auxiliary springs. The forged wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres – 255/35 up front, 295/30 at the rear.

For buyers wanting more bite, an optional brake package adds 395mm front discs with four-piston fixed callipers and 345mm rotors at the rear, aimed at holding up to repeated hard stops without fading.

Standard seats are trimmed in Vernasca leather upholstery with Alcantara inserts, in a pattern unique to Bovensiepen, while the heated steering wheel is wrapped in Lavalina leather. Keyless entry and a harman/kardon surround sound system are also fitted as standard.

Buyers wanting to go further can order a full leather interior through Bovensiepen’s own saddlery, along with a leather-trimmed dashboard and Alcantara across the A-pillars, wind deflector, and roll bar surround.

The saddlery team will also take on custom requests such as Alcantara-lined boots and foot wells, personalised embossing on the headrests, or bespoke embroidery and every one of the 99 cars gets its own numbered plaque.

Practicality hasn’t been forgotten either: boot space comes in at 281 litres, which Bovensiepen reckons is enough for a proper road trip rather than just a Sunday blast.

All 99 cars are accounted for across five metallic paint options: 40 in Sapphire Black, 25 in Sanremo Green, 20 in Skyscraper Grey, nine in Thundernight, and just five in Frozen Grey II; though buyers can commission a custom colour if they’d rather.

Black trim comes standard, with a Cognac alternative available on cars finished in Sapphire Black or Sanremo Green.

Orders are open now, with the first cars due to reach customers by the end of Q1 2027. Pricing starts at €115,500 ($A186,985) including German tax, ex-factory Buchloe, and roughly €45,000 ($A72,855) more than a standard Z4 M40i, which starts from €70,200 ($A113,655) in its home market.

Steep as that sounds, it’s actually the cheapest car Bovensiepen has built so far. The brand’s Zagato coupe cracked $A600,000 and the 05 GT wagon north of $A270,000.