Revealed at this year’s Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance, the Speedtop is BMW’s latest concept to break cover at Lake Como, following in the path of its 3.0 CSL homage (2015) and the Skytop convertible (2024).
Like its predecessors, BMW has confirmed there will be a production run – just 70 examples to be exact, each with an undisclosed price, but more than $1 million is highly likely.
Based on the 8 Series, the BMW Speedtop is closely related to last year’s Skytop, but there’s not a shooting brake-style roof and rear end compared to the convertible body style.
Its slim headlights and front-end design are vastly different from the 8 Series, and while BMW says the concept “reimagines the sporty Touring”, there’s more Alfa Romeo Brera than 5 Series wagon about its styling.
Rather than most of BMW’s flagships which are hardcore M-branded performance cars, the Speedtop is undoubtedly a luxurious grand tourer, with sleek 14-spoke wheels sitting comfortably under the guards.
Inside the 8 Series cabin has been upholstered in leather by Italian firm Schedoni, with the Sundown Maroon and Moonstone White finish complementing the Floating Sunstone Maroon exterior.
Despite looking like a two-door wagon the Speedtop is a two-seater, as a pair of storage areas sit behind the occupants, fitting Schedoni’s bespoke bags made exclusively for the concept car.
A special car also needs a special engine, and the Speedtop has been given “the most powerful V8 engine currently offered by BMW”.
Based on this, the Speedtop is powered by the twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 from the M8 Competition, which in that car makes 460kW and 750Nm, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Time will tell if the Speedtop influences future limited-run models, or even core vehicles in BMW’s lineup.
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