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Frankstephenson Design Shapes the New 800-HP Bovensiepen 05 GT

Frankstephenson Design Shapes the New 800-HP Bovensiepen 05 GT

Built on the BMW M5 Touring, the 05 GT makes the case that German performance still has room for restraint

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When the Bovensiepen name returned at Villa d'Este last year with the Zagato coupe, many expected the company formerly known for ALPINA to continue pursuing increasingly exclusive grand tourers. Its latest project pushes that strategy even further, this time with the involvement of one of the automotive industry's most influential designers.

Handmade in Buchloe, Bavaria, in Southern Germany, the Bovensiepen 05 GT is the second model from the company established by the founding family of ALPINA, who continue to build performance cars under their own name after BMW absorbed the brand effective January 1, 2026. This time, the foundation is BMW's latest M5 Touring, transformed through a combination of extensive engineering upgrades and a carefully considered exterior redesign developed by frankstephenson design.

Frank Stephenson's portfolio comprises some true automotive heavyweights, including the likes of the original BMW X5, the MINI Cooper and Fiat 500 revival, the Ferrari F430, McLaren MP4-12C, the McLaren P1, and the Maserati MC12 that we spotlighted recently. Yet the 05 GT takes a notably restrained approach, one that aligns with an argument we made on Petrolicious last month about how German performance has, gradually traded stealth speed for visual dominance over the past two decades.

Compared to the standard G99 M5 Touring, frankstephenson design has focused on refining proportion and stance rather than adding visual aggression. At the front, previously separated intake elements unify into a broader, cleaner graphic that visually lowers the car, reinforced by a more pronounced front splitter and wider visual elements that balance the proportions of the underlying platform. 

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Along the flanks, a newly integrated air duct ahead of the rear wheel connects the widened rear arches to the sill, while a black visual band runs from the front intakes through the side profile and into the rear, reducing perceived mass throughout. 

But it is at the rear where things have been drastically simplified over the stock M5 Touring. Four Akrapovič titanium exhaust outlets pushed toward the outer edges emphasize width while saving 17 pounds over the stock system, and parking sensors integrate cleanly into a dark trim strip. Inside, a numbered production plaque identifies the launch vehicle as "Bovensiepen 05 GT 001." 

The standard cabin features a handcrafted Lavalina steering wheel with milled aluminum shift paddles, with a full Lavalina interior upgrade available for an additional €20,000, approximately $23,000, covering virtually every surface in barrel-dyed cowhide suede sourced exclusively from farms across southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and northern Italy. From Alcantara trunk linings and embossed headrest stamps to custom embroidery and color-matched seatback panels, the personalisation possibilities are endless.

"The most successful bespoke automotive projects are rarely about noise; they are about judgement. This car shows how careful, intelligent exterior design can transform the character of a car without losing the integrity of what made it appealing in the first place," said Frank Stephenson, Founder of frankstephenson design.

Beyond the visual changes, the 05 GT also receives extensive mechanical upgrades. Engine software was recalibrated following testing at Papenburg and Nardò, with a revised intake funnel and the Akrapovič exhaust creating the conditions for an increase to 800 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque from the hybrid twin-turbocharged V8, up from 727 on the stock M5 Touring. 0-62 mph takes under 3.6 seconds, and top speed is just shy of 190 mph.

The suspension receives modified support bearings, Eibach springs, and a strut tower brace, while 21-inch lightweight 10-double-spoke forged wheels wearing custom Pirelli tires stamped with a "BOV" sidewall marking complete the chassis package. 

Pricing in Germany starts at €198,900, or roughly $231,000, before local taxes and options. Production is capped at 200 units per year, with first deliveries scheduled for Q4 2026.

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Images: Bovensiepen, frankstephenson design

Khris Bharath