BMW's Hidden Shooting Brake Has Been Revealed, and It Could Steal the Spotlight from the Skytop | Carscoops

      Power for the Speedtop Concept is anticipated to come from the same twin-turbo V8 utilized in the M8 Competition.

      BMW's Speedtop concept has emerged online prior to its official debut at Villa d’Este.

      This sleek shooting brake design contrasts with last year’s Skytop but shares various components. The elongated roofline enhances aesthetics and offers some practicality, although the interior largely remains the same.

      It has been a year since BMW introduced the stunning Skytop concept, and in recent months, the car has been sighted during testing in anticipation of a limited production run. Now, BMW seems ready to unveil a shooting brake version of this attractive two-door model, with images surfacing online before its world premiere this weekend. In a time when surprise reveals are infrequent, this early leak is not particularly surprising.

      We first caught a glimpse of the new design earlier this week when BMW released several teaser images for the concept, which is scheduled to be officially unveiled at this weekend’s Concours d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, located by Lake Como.

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      Images circulating on social media, including those shared by Cardesignworld on Instagram, showcase the complete design of what is being referred to as the BMW Speedtop Concept. Its profile leans more towards a classic shooting brake compared to the uniquely designed Z3 “clown shoe,” which is likely an improvement. While it adheres closely to the design language of the Skytop roadster, the Speedtop appears more cohesive than the Z4-based Touring Coupe concept from 2023.

      The interior of the shooting brake looks nearly identical to that of the Skytop, featuring a customized version of the standard 8-Series layout, but lacking the Skytop’s more extravagant two-tone color scheme. The extended roof provides slightly more room behind the seats, although it's clear this isn't intended as a family wagon.

      If the new concept mirrors the original roadster, it will probably maintain the same architecture as the BMW 8-Series, using the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 found in the M8 Competition. This engine, boasting 617 hp, is expected to deliver performance that matches its striking appearance.

      Fan Render Accurately Portrays Design

      Shortly before the leaked images surfaced, rendering artist Sugar Design presented his vision of what the production Speedtop might resemble, and he captured it quite well. His renderings included both two-door and four-door variants. For the two-door shooting brake, the designer preserved the front half of last year’s concept but replaced the removable roof with a fixed design that extends to a sharply angled rear window. The wheels, doors, and mirrors appear to carry over as well.

      The four-door version he illustrated resembles a more conventional estate while maintaining the Skytop’s design. It also looks appealing, but considering the original Skytop will be extremely pricey and limited to just 50 units globally, a four-door estate version seems somewhat mundane. It’s likely that BMW would find it more challenging to persuade customers to pay a substantial amount for a four-door estate than for a luxurious two-door shooting brake that showcases a more stylish profile.

      It remains uncertain whether BMW will approve the Speedtop for a limited production run similar to the Skytop, which is restricted to just 50 units. However, given the excitement and the apparent readiness of the design, the chances seem favorable.

      John Halas contributed to this report.