First Look: BMW Concept Speedtop

A glimpse of the future? Perhaps. BMW has a history of signaling where it might be going with a long-running series of concept vehicles brought to the annual Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. This year’s surprise: the BMW Concept Speedtop which “reimagines the sporty Touring” vehicle, the automaker said. Here’s a closer look.

The annual Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Italy’s scenic Lake Como is normally focused on automotive glories past. But BMW has turned the event into a showcase of the future, with a long-running series of show cars that borrow from the past to provide a glimpse of the future.

This year’s gathering is no exception. Those who’ll attend the Concorso over the weekend will get a good look at the latest BMW prototype, the Concept Speedtop. It’s intended to show what the classic “Touring” vehicle might look like in a world increasingly dominated by SUVs and CUVs.

If you’re not already on a flight to Italy, don’t worry. Headlight.News offers this sneak peek at what the BMW Concept Speedtop has to offer.

An automotive “exclamation mark”

“A true BMW exudes dynamism and elegance even when it’s standing still,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design, in a statement. “And that’s also the case with our new concept car. The BMW Concept Speedtop is characterised first of all by its profile. It is very unique in the automotive industry. In this way, we have created an exclamation mark for our entire lineup of vehicles, especially for the Touring models.”

The Concept Speedtop is a decidedly different creature from some of the new production and concept models we’ve seen from BMW, such as the iNext. It features a long, low, almost wagon-like silhouette with a V-shaped front end and shark nose with slim front lighting and an illuminated double-kidney grille.

A spline line flows across the hood, steeply raked windshield and gently curving roofline to create the classic Touring profile. Broad shoulders accentuate Speedtop’s muscularity. The show car is finished in Floating  Sunstone Maroon, with silver accents – a scheme repeated in the two-tone, 14-spoke wheels.

Sweating the details

As one should expect from a highline Touring car, BMW has focused much of its attention on Speedtop’s cabin.

The two-tone theme carries over into the interior and its “brogue-style” leather-trimmed surfaces. The spline on the roof, notes BMW, “is mirrored as a light beam in the two-tone leather headliner, providing atmospheric, indirect illumination.”

The trunk is also leather-covered and another light beam is used to divide it into two sections. The cargo bay has enough space, the automaker suggested, two keep you going over “multi-day trips.” And it shows off the design with matching hand-made luggage custom-made by Italian manufacturer Schedoni.

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Limited Run

When it comes to Concept Speedtop’s mechanical, BMW isn’t saying much other than the fact that “It is fitted with the most powerful V8 engine currently offered” by the automaker.

It is be being a little more generous when it comes to plans for the future, however.

A year ago, BMW revealed a similarly styled convertible, the Concept Skytop, at Vills d’Este. Responding to strong interest, the automaker decided to produce a limited run of 50 copies. And now, said Bernd Körber, Senior Vice President BMW Brand and Product Management, the automaker has similar plans for Speedtop.

“Thanks to this positive response, this year we have decided to also offer the BMW Concept Speedtop in a limited production series of 70 units,” said Körber. “This extraordinary vehicle is now available for order. We are pleased to be able to offer collectors and enthusiasts another exclusive model.”