Alpina was founded in 1965. Originally dedicated to manufacturing engine components, the company grew and began modifying BMW models. Evenually the company was registered as a manufacturer of cars due to their modification work, making Alpina a marque in its own right. Alpina works closely with BMW, even sharing assembly lines at times. Although Alpina models are usually more powerful than the cars they are based on, Alpina cars are designed to be luxurious and comfortable. Most of Alpina's engines are engineered to provide greater torque at lower RPMs, allowing their cars to perform in a refined manner. Alpina has manufactured a variety of models based on the 3 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series, and 8 Series, as well as the BMW Z cars.