It’s been a long time since BMW dared to flirt with the idea of a true shooting brake—since the head-turning, love-it-or-hate-it days of the Z3 M Coupe, affectionately dubbed the “Clown Shoe.” That car was part oddball, part genius, and it left a silhouette-shaped hole in the lineup for years. Today, at the sun-drenched shores of Lake Como, that void is gloriously filled. Meet the BMW Concept Speedtop: a limited-run, three-door ode to driving passion, unveiled at the 2025 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
Form Follows Flame
The Concept Speedtop takes the Touring ethos and reinterprets it through the lens of a design team clearly in their golden hour. Imagine a long, low, three-door grand tourer with the pulse of a GT and the soul of a fine leather travel bag. Adrian van Hooydonk’s crew call it an “exclamation mark” in the lineup, but that undersells it—this is punctuation you can hear rumble through your chest. The shooting brake profile is unmistakable, but unlike anything else in the modern automotive landscape.
The long central spine that traces from hood to spoiler carries over some of the design cues from last year’s Skytop concept, but here it’s wrapped in a color-shifting cloak: a gradient from “Floating Sunstone Maroon” to “Floating Sundown Silver” that glows with warm twilight tones. The visual drama continues in the sculpted fenders, muscular rear haunches, and 14-spoke, two-tone wheels that wouldn’t look out of place on a Pebble Beach concours lawn.
Craftsmanship, Not Mass Production
Inside, the Speedtop’s artisan leanings are on full display. This isn’t mere automotive luxury; it’s rolling craftsmanship. The interior bathes its occupants in “Sundown Maroon” and “Moonstone White” leathers, stitched with brogue-style details that recall classic shoemaking more than modern dashboards. The headliner even carries the spine motif forward with an illuminated leather “beam” slicing through the cabin in subtle symmetry with the exterior. And yes, even the trunk is fully leather-lined and brogued.
But what really sets the Speedtop apart from other concept cars with champagne tastes is that it isn’t just a design study—it’s destined for the open road. Under the hood sits the most powerful V8 in BMW’s portfolio. That likely means the S68 twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, pumping out somewhere north of 617 horsepower, backed by a chassis presumably tuned to the same high standard as BMW’s M Performance division.
Built for the Few, Meant to Be Driven
If the Skytop was the aperitif, the Speedtop is the main course. BMW will build just 70 units, a clear nod to exclusivity, and a wink to those who understand the blend of rarity and beauty. It’s not just a collector’s item; it’s a statement. A car that proves BMW can still play in the niche corners of automotive design, where passion trumps practicality.
Also worth noting is the collaboration with Italian leather masters Schedoni, who’ve hand-crafted bespoke luggage for the Speedtop. Two fitted bags slot perfectly behind the seats, and a matching weekend duffel tucks neatly into the back. This isn’t just a car—it’s a travel companion, tailored in leather and stitched with speed.
The Early Verdict
The BMW Concept Speedtop is a celebration. Of individuality. Of excess, in the best way. Of the joy that comes from building something that doesn’t have to exist—but should. For those who bemoan the brand’s shift toward mainstreaming, here is your rebuttal: a Z3 M Coupe spiritual successor with more elegance, more horsepower, and more swagger than anything else on the road.
And like all great things from Munich’s fever dream factory, blink and you’ll miss it—because only 70 lucky souls will get to call one their own.
BMW Speedtop Gallery
