BMW is, as is its tradition, bringing a striking concept car to the Concorso D’Eleganza classic car event on the shores of Lake Como in Italy this weekend.
Star of the Concorso
Last year, BMW showed a gorgeous shooting brake version of the Z4, which was sadly nixed for production, but this year’s Concorso star seems to have a better chance of production reality - meet the Concept Skytop.
It’s an open two-seater with fixed windscreen and rear screen sections, in the classic ‘Targa’ style. BMW calls it ‘a meticulously crafted vehicle structure.’
Elegance at the highest level
“The BMW Concept Skytop is a truly unique and exotic design, in the tradition of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design. “It offers a combination of driving dynamics and elegance at the highest level, comparable to its historic ancestors, like the BMW Z8 or BMW 503.”
The nods to the Z8 - BMW’s short-lived two-seat roadster launched in 1999, which briefly became a Bond car - are most obvious around the rear of the Skytop, with a pair of ultra-slim LED brake lights which resemble those of the Z8 (although they also seem to reference the slim rear lights of the current BMW iX SUV).
Slim grilles
Up front, there’s a new interpretation of the classic BMW shark-nose, with an exaggerated overhanging top section which seems to lean way out over the lower bumper and grilles. On the subject of which, those grilles are broad and slim, suggesting (we hope) that BMW might be slowly backing away from its controversial big upright grille layout.
There are other nice details, including aerodynamic ‘winglets’ on the edges of the doors which take the place of door handles, while there’s a ‘spline’ - a slim, sharp crease that extends from the bonnet, through the cabin and down to the rear bumper in a clear nod to BMW designs from the 1950s and 1960s. The bonnet also features a massive air vent.
Leather roof
The fixed rear section of the roof is finished in leather, as are the two lift-out roof panels, which store in the boot when it’s sunny out. The Skytop’s silvery colour, which blends into the cabin, was created by a ‘master painter’ in Munich while the cabin’s sumptuous seats are finished in a warm saddle-style brown leather.
Unlike some concept cars, the Skytop gets an engine, which BMW says is ‘the most powerful V8 in the BMW drive train portfolio.’ That would suggest a power output of at least 600hp.
Any chance of production? It seems at least possible, especially as the Skytop seems to preview a replacement for the current 8 Series coupe, convertible and four-door Gran Coupe. Here’s hoping...