Bovensiepen Spider Debuts as Former Alpina Specialists Rework the BMW Z4

The new Bovensiepen Spider could be called a car built by "formers." The German company was founded by a family that previously owned Alpina. The latter has recently become part of BMW. The tuning shop specializes in modifying cars from the Bavarian brand. As previously noted, the Spider is a modified version of the BMW Z4, whose production ended in May 2026.

The Bavarian company does not plan to bring the roadster back to the market. At the same time, the Toyota Supra, which shares a platform with the BMW Z4, could return to dealerships in updated form. Moreover, in certain details, the Bovensiepen Spider looks more like the Japanese model than the Bavarian roadster.

The new model is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged engine borrowed from BMW. But engineers made changes to the exhaust and exhaust systems, allowing the engine to produce more power. As a result, output from the Bavarian engine increased from 335 hp to 429 hp. Torque now reaches 428 lb-ft. The engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, which Bovensiepen's engineers did not modify.

The new Spider reaches 62 mph in 4.2 seconds, compared with 4.5 seconds for the BMW Z4. In terms of acceleration and performance, the new model matches the latest limited-production version of the Toyota Supra. The BMW Z4, meanwhile, was offered with a six-speed manual transmission. Bovensiepen, like Alpina, did not produce the Spider with that gearbox.

As part of the roadster's development, engineers retuned the dampers and added lightweight wheels with new tires. The Spider's exterior was designed by a designer who was involved in the development of the BMW X5. He previously worked at McLaren and Ferrari. The Spider differs from the BMW Z4 with a black splitter, side skirts, larger spoiler, diffuser, and vents in the wheel arches. The seats feature new leather upholstery, while Alcantara was added around the windshield. There were no other changes to the cabin.

The German company said it will produce just 99 examples of the Bovensiepen Spider. In its home market, the model is priced from the equivalent of about $112,600. For an additional charge, buyers can order new interior trim, a machined aluminum cover for cooling the differential, and a V-shaped underbody brace.