When Max Missoni quietly joined BMW in late 2024, it may not have seemed like a seismic event. Yet for those who follow automotive design closely, the move signaled one of the most consequential shifts in Munich’s creative direction in years. The former Polestar Head of Design, who helped shape one of the most acclaimed minimalist EV aesthetics of the decade, is now tasked with defining the future of BMW’s upper-tier models and guiding ALPINA into its electric era.
In a recent interview with Autocar UK, Missoni remarked that he’s “not here to provoke.” The line may sound understated, but it represents a quiet, yet powerful statement. After years of polarizing debates over BMW’s design direction, his appointment could mark the beginning of a calmer, more confident approach — one built on precision and proportion rather than visual shock value.
From Austria to Munich
Born in Austria into a family of architects, Maximilian Missoni was surrounded by design thinking from an early age. He studied at the University of Art and Design in Linz before earning his Master’s degree in Vehicle Design from the Royal College of Art in London, where he was sponsored by Volkswagen. His professional career began at VW, where he contributed to advanced concepts such as the Concept R and the ultra-efficient XL1, two cars that showcased his interest in form serving purpose.
After more than a decade in Wolfsburg, Missoni joined Volvo in 2012, becoming part of the team that reshaped the brand’s identity around a clean, premium Scandinavian aesthetic. In 2018, he moved to Polestar, where as Head of Design he helped establish one of the industry’s most coherent new visual languages — understated, geometric, and emotionally intelligent. Under his leadership, Polestar evolved from a startup offshoot into a legitimate design force.
In an interview with us back in May, Missoni mentioned how Adrian van Hooydonk reached out to him years back, but not with the intention of poaching him, but rather to connect on design.
Now, Missoni reports directly to Adrian van Hooydonk, the group’s Senior Vice President of Design. His remit covers all upper mid-size and luxury classes — models above the 3 Series — and, perhaps most intriguingly, the creative direction of ALPINA. He joins a reorganized design structure that also includes Oliver Heilmer, responsible for smaller BMWs and the M division, allowing each designer to cultivate a distinct voice while maintaining a cohesive overall identity.
“I’m Not Here to Provoke”
In conversation with Autocar UK, Missoni made it clear that his vision for BMW design isn’t about confrontation. “I’m not here to provoke,” he said, emphasizing instead a design language that communicates confidence through clarity. He believes the next chapter of BMW’s evolution should favor calmness and coherence, letting the quality of proportions and the honesty of materials speak for themselves.
That mindset aligns naturally with BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse generation of electric vehicles, a range that will redefine the brand both technologically and visually. Missoni described the Neue Klasse as a “moment of rebirth” — an opportunity to return to the essential values that once made BMW design timeless. He even suggested that some upcoming models could become “future classics,” reflecting the same sense of purpose that defined icons like the E30 3 Series and the original 2002.
The Rebirth of ALPINA
Alongside his BMW responsibilities, Missoni inherits the delicate task of reinventing ALPINA, the storied brand that BMW formally acquired in 2022. For decades, ALPINA has occupied a unique niche — building refined, high-performance versions of BMW models distinguished by their smooth power delivery, lavish craftsmanship, and understated style.
Until 2025, ALPINA continues to operate independently from its base in Buchloe under existing agreements with BMW. From 2026 onward, the brand will be fully integrated into the BMW Group, a change that brings both opportunity and risk. BMW’s design chief Adrian van Hooydonk has assured fans that ALPINA will retain its individuality, describing its future as “luxury in a very refined way,” rather than a mere extension of BMW or BMW M.
“We always hope to do something special with design,” he old Autocar. “Design isn’t compensation for the lack of something else. It should always be excellent. We’ll give the ALPINA brand a nice, holistic launch soon, where it’s all explained. You just have to wait a bit longer.”
That statement underscores the brand’s repositioning. The ALPINA of tomorrow might no longer rely on bespoke engines or transmission tuning to define its identity. Instead, design and experience will become its new signatures. Missoni will be responsible for translating ALPINA’s mechanical soul into visual and tactile language — the way a surface catches the light, the way materials meet at a seam, the way a car feels composed even at rest.
Missoni’s challenge is to ensure that design carries the same weight of meaning once delivered by hardware.
The iX7 ALPINA 100 — The First Rumored Electric ALPINA
One of the first tests of this philosophy could be the iX7 ALPINA 100, reportedly the brand’s debut fully electric model. As reported by us, the vehicle will build on the next-generation X7 architecture, delivering more than 800 horsepower and targeting a range of roughly 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) on the WLTP cycle. It is expected to become the most expensive BMW Group product outside Rolls-Royce.
For the ALPINA brand, this car represents a milestone — not only its first step into electrification but a chance to redefine what quiet performance means. The model will rely on design and atmosphere, not engine note, to communicate its presence. In many ways, it encapsulates Missoni’s approach: understated power, deep craftsmanship, and a sense of emotional calm wrapped around new technology.
Missoni’s arrival comes at a time when BMW’s visual identity is under close public scrutiny. Enthusiasts have called for a return to cleaner forms and purer proportions, while new generations of buyers expect innovation and digital intelligence. The new design leadership structure — van Hooydonk at the top, Heilmer on the core and M cars, Missoni on luxury and ALPINA — gives BMW the flexibility to balance both.
[Source: Autocar UK]
