Latest news with #VillaDEleganza
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BMW Is Making 70 Of These Gorgeous M8-Based Speedtop Shooting Brakes
Last year BMW unveiled the beautiful 8 Series–based Skytop concept at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, a few months later announcing that it would be building a limited run of 50 production cars that would look nearly identical to the concept. We have yet to see the production Skytop yet, but this year's Villa d'Este gathering is upon us, and BMW has revealed a new concept called the Speedtop that is essentially a shooting brake version of the Skytop. The Speedtop looks absolutely gorgeous, and like its sibling it won't remain just a concept — BMW already announced that it will be making 70 Speedtops, available to order now. People were sad that the Z4 shooting brake concept from Villa d'Este 2023 was never made, but I think this is much better. It won't come to the U.S., sadly, but that doesn't mean we can't drool over the details. Head of design Adrian van Hooydonk says the Speedtop is "an exclamation mark for our entire lineup of vehicles, especially for the Touring models," and BMW describes the car as being perfect for a two-person weekend getaway. Read more: Every Car You Can Get With A Manual In 2025 Aside from chrome strakes in the grilles and intakes, the Speedtop is identical to the Skytop from the A-pillar forward, which is totally fine. With their shark nose front ends, clean surfacing, Bangle-like tail ends and thoughtful detailing, the Speedtop and Skytop are a lot more elegant and exciting than BMW's other current offerings, and certainly more beautiful than anything the company has put out since the i8. Obviously, the biggest changes are at the roofline and the rear end. The tailgate is raked steeply forward, with a sharp spoiler at the edge of the roof. The C-pillar's Hofmeister kink is both simpler and more dramatically shaped than what we've seen on other recent Bimmers, and the car's profile overall is quite athletic. The Floating Sunstone Maroon paint of the show car fades into Floating Sundown Silver in a gradient on the roof, which is bisected by a physical spine that appears to run from the tip of the nose all the way to the tail. BMW also gave the Speedtop different wheels from the Skytop, with a more open, less turbofan-style design. While I wish the interior of the Speedtop was more differentiated from the 8 Series on which it's based, the color scheme, details and cargo area make up for it. Everything is finished in Sundown Maroon and Moonstone White leather, and there are painted trim pieces that match the exterior color — thankfully there's no carbon fiber in sight. The two-tone split of the headliner echoes the design of the car's roof, with the spine being an ambient light bar. All of the leather is enhanced with brogue detailing, and thankfully there's a lot of BMW's faceted crystal trim, including in the headrests. Behind the two seats are open spaces for a pair of fancy matching handbags made by Schedoni, and between the two cubbies is a waterfall-style console with additional storage space. There's a third weekend bag that goes in the leather-lined trunk, which has multiple adjustable levels that reveal a fairly deep partially enclosed space and ambient lighting that encircles it all. BMW hasn't given any specs for the Speedtop beyond saying it has "the most powerful V8 engine" that the company currently sells. We know the car will use the M8 as its basis, which will mean at least 617 horsepower, all-wheel drive and fairly advanced chassis systems. The Skytop has been spied testing at the Nürburgring, so the Speedtop should have at least some sporting pretensions. Bernd Körber, senior vice president of the BMW brand and product management, says the Skytop "generated great enthusiasm among connoisseurs and automotive enthusiasts," and because of that positive reaction the Speedtop was able to be greenlit. BMW hasn't yet said how much the Speedtop will cost, but the Skytop will cost around $500,000, so expect the Speedtop to be at least that much. We don't know exactly when it'll enter production either, but the first Skytops will reach their owners early next year. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Motor 1
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
This Beautiful BMW Wagon Is Actually Going Into Production
BMW has a habit of bringing beautiful things to the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Lake Como, Italy. Last year, it was the Skytop , a stunning two-seat convertible destined for a limited-production run. The year before that, it was the Concept Touring Coupe , a gorgeous two-door wagon that, sadly, never went anywhere. This year is no different. At the 2025 Villa d'Este, BMW is debuting the Concept Speedtop. If that name sounds familiar, that's because this bonkers, beautiful wagon is based loosely on last year's concept. Just like the Skytop, it rides on the same base and features the same V-shaped, shark nose front end with matching light fixtures and an illuminated grille—only now with more storage. Photo by: BMW A subtle color gradient covers the Speedtop's roof, with Floating Sunstone Maroon paint blending into a Floating Sundown Silver hue at the rear. A central "spline" element flows over the hood and onto the roof and spoiler, with special two-tone, 14-spoke wheels filling the wheel wells—which were designed specifically for this vehicle. The interior wears a two-tone leather finish of Sundown Maroon and Moonstone White, with the same Floating Sunstone Maroon found on the exterior carrying over to certain elements of the cabin. And that same "spline" detail from the exterior also carries over as a light beam projected onto the two-tone leather headliner. The very same leather and lighting elements make their way to the trunk, which has a split luggage compartment for even more room. Naturally, the Speedtop comes with custom Schedoni bags that fit perfectly in either compartment. Photo by: BMW Photo by: BMW Photo by: BMW But it's not all show—the Concept Speedtop will, indeed, go. Although BMW is cagey on the specifics, the company says that the Speedtop packs the most powerful V-8 engine currently offered by BMW. Our guess would be the brand's ubiquitous twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 with the same 617 horsepower as the Skytop. Best of all, the Speedtop isn't just a concept. BMW will build 70 examples of the wonderful wagon for its wealthiest clientele (unfortunately, it still won't be available in the US). We don't know how much it costs, but it's safe to assume that it will be well out of reach for the average enthusiast. "Last year, the presentation of the BMW Concept Skytop at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on Lake Como generated great enthusiasm among connoisseurs and automotive enthusiasts," said Bernd Körber, Senior Vice President BMW Brand and Product Management. 89 Source: BMW "This led to a strictly limited production run of 50 units. 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. This extraordinary vehicle is now available for order. We are pleased to be able to offer collectors and enthusiasts another exclusive model." The new BMW Concept Speedtop makes its world debut this weekend at the 2025 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy. The Latest BMW News BMW: More Limited-Edition Models Are Coming BMW Keeps Hinting at an Electric 3 Series Wagon Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Car and Driver
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
BMW Gearing Up to Reveal Shooting Brake Based on the Skytop Concept
BMW teased a new shooting brake model ahead of this year's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Based on Instagram posts made by BMW and the automaker's head designer, the new car looks to be based on last year's Skytop concept. Following the reception of the Skytop at last year's Villa d'Este, BMW confirmed a limited-production run of 50 Skytops, which could lead to more of the same for this model. Each year, Italy's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is a gathering of some of the most famous and costly vehicles around the world—and of course, the people with the ultra-deep pockets to buy them. Naturally, it's the perfect place for a luxury automaker to launch a costly concept car. That's exactly what BMW did a year ago with the Skytop concept. Now, the brand appears poised to do the same once again with a shooting brake version. BMW teased the new model with a post on its Instagram account, describing the car as "dynamic, elegant, exotic." It shows two pictures of the same swooping bodywork and minimalistic taillight design as the Skytop, now in shooting brake form. And if the Skytop is anything to go by, the new model could be headed for production. BMW has plans to build 50 examples of the Skytop convertible. It's largely based on the M8 Competition, and it sources some 617 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 under the hood. Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW's head of design and the man in charge of the Skytop's look, also posted a preview of the shooting brake to Instagram. While Hooydonk's post is too blurry to gather any intricate details, it does show off the low-slung silhouette of the new car. BMW With the 2025 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este coming up this weekend, it's entirely plausible that BMW expects to sell a further 50 Skytop models to the wealthy clientele descending on Como, Italy. Either way, we expect to see many more revealing photos of the shooting brake by the end of the weekend. Jack Fitzgerald Associate News Editor Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio
