LAVALINA – OUTSTANDING LEATHER QUALITY

For the ALPINA automobile manufactory, nothing less than leather in its most luxurious form will do.
One-of-a-kind LAVALINA leather is unequalled in terms of feel, climate comfort and appearance, and thus occupies a special place in the automotive sector. It is lovingly crafted into custom leather interiors in ALPINA’s in-house leather workshop. Here you will learn more about where this unique raw material comes from, how it is processed and the best way to care for your LAVALINA interior.

Origin and its comfort characteristics

LAVALINA leather is a cask-pigmented full-grain cowhide. The raw material is sourced exclusively from specially selected farms in Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Northern Italy. The proximity to the ALPINA factory means the hides do not need to be preserved using chemicals before undergoing a careful vegetable tanning process. This involves working natural oils into the hide fibres in a special additional tanning stage. No lacquers or chemicals of any kind are used, since they seal the pores and would spoil the hide’s natural characteristics. This makes the LAVALINA leather pleasantly moisture-regulating as well as breathable and temperature-balancing. What sets it apart is its natural feel, supple sheen and cloth-like softness. The natural grain markings can still be seen on the surface of the leather – and no two hides are alike. This is a unique leather characteristic prized by connoisseurs worldwide.

The leather is dyed using UV-resistant mineral dyes, making LAVALINA a semi-aniline leather.

Upholsteries

Every BMW ALPINA automobile is fitted as standard with a leather sports steering wheel painstakingly hand-finished in LAVALINA leather.

» More about the ALPINA steering wheel

Customers who would like LAVALINA leather throughout the interior of their vehicle can choose from two handcrafted interior packages: the less opulent of the two upholstery packages (LAVALINA I) includes the seats and armrests and is suitable for customers who want to take advantage of the LAVALINA leather’s comfort and climate characteristics. With the full-leather option (LAVALINA II), almost all of the interior is designed to the customer’s wishes – for a bespoke and ultra-luxurious finish.

Craftsmanship

The premium leather is masterfully worked into a one-of-a-kind interior composition in ALPINA’s in-house leather workshop. First each hide undergoes quality control and is checked – inch by inch – before being cut into form by a dedicated craftsman. A full-leather interior for a BMW ALPINA XB7, the most time-consuming LAVALINA interior currently offered by the ALPINA leather workshop, represents up to 120 hours of work by an experienced car upholsterer.

Colour palette

The ALPINA standard line-up offers sixteen harmonious shades: from Ivory to Atlantic Blue to ALPINA Green. But the LAVALINA colour line-up doesn’t end there: ALPINA will dye the leather according to the customer’s choice and even to a specific colour sample. A dying process developed over many years minimises colour variations and ensures a natural, durable appearance.

In addition to the LAVALINA upholstery choices, Alcantara is also available in 45 different colour variants. The quality suede-like microfibre material complements LAVALINA upholsteries perfectly, especially for a “sporty” finish when applied to seats and other areas of the interior.

ALPINA Identity

Piping, stitching, thread colours, embroidery, punching and embossing according to the customer’s wishes, there is lots of creative freedom for making the interior of a vehicle truly one-of-a-kind. Customers can define their custom interior design right down to the last detail, working from samples with their ALPINA specialist dealer. The ALPINA leather workshop can also prepare a digital visualisation of a customer’s LAVALINA interior on request. For particularly elaborate designs with lots of bespoke content, we recommend a personal consultation with our experienced master upholsterer in the ALPINA manufactory in Buchloe.

The right care

Caring for LAVALINA leather couldn’t be easier. Light soiling can be removed with just some water and two lint-free cotton cloths. Wipe the leather with a damp cloth and then dry it with the other cloth. For heavier soiling, use lukewarm water and a tiny bit of neutral soap. Remove soiling with a damp sponge and then dry the treated area with a cloth. Take care never to clean the leather in direct sunlight when the material is warm as the water can dry quickly and leave spots. Please do not use any solvents or other abrasive cleaning agents as they can permanently damage LAVALINA leather.

To keep the uniquely pleasing character of the LAVALINA leather interior in good condition, we recommend applying a LAVALINA leather conditioning lotion to the leather twice a year. This gives the leather the nutrients it needs to stay soft and supple. The lotion, which is formulated specifically for LAVALINA leather, should be applied in a thin layer to the clean, dry leather and is quickly absorbed. There is no need to buff it in. Please be careful with other leather care products. This is particularly true for care products containing silicone, which can irreversibly damage the hide characteristics of the LAVALINA leather.

» LAVALINA Care Set