At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2025, the renowned celebration of historic vehicles on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, where the BMW Group has long been a leading actor, the Munich company presented an exclusive new concept car that will subsequently be made available for purchase in a small series.
“The BMW Concept Speedtop reimagines the sporty Touring, blending the elegance of a shooting brake with unique proportions,” says the press release. “A true BMW exudes dynamism and elegance even when it’s standing still,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design.
“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,” he added.
The BMW Concept Speedtop shares its eye-catching form language with the BMW Skytop, which BMW presented last year. It will be offered to collectors and connoisseurs in a strictly limited small series.
“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,” says Bernd Körber, Senior Vice President BMW Brand and Product Management.
“This led to a strictly limited production run of 50 units. Thanks to this positive response, we have also decided to offer the BMW Concept Speedtop in a limited production series of 70 units this year. This extraordinary vehicle is now available for order. We are pleased to be able to offer collectors and enthusiasts another exclusive model.”
Shark-nosed and luxurious
The BMW Concept Speedtop’s unmistakable presence is due to its pronounced V-shape front end, shark-nose design, slim front lights, and illuminated kidney grille.
The interior of the BMW Concept Speedtop was designed with a strong focus on even the smallest detail. Skillfully crafted, traditional brogue-style details accentuate the leather-trimmed surfaces and emphasise the factory-level craftsmanship on display.
Despite its size, the Speedtop is only a two-seater, but it has room aplenty for the driver and passenger and a large, sophisticatedly treated luggage area. The trunk is leather-covered and refined with brogue-style perforations. A light beam illuminates the luggage compartment, which is divided into two sections.
Collaborating with the traditional Italian manufacturer Schedoni further enhances the whole area. Known for the production of exclusive and high-quality leather goods by hand, especially in the automotive sector, Schedoni has always stood for the highest quality and customisation.
Two storage areas with leather straps behind the seats provide space for two of Schedoni’s made-to-measure bags. The bags were designed exclusively for the Concept to match its colour and material scheme. A matching weekend bag can also be accommodated in the trunk.
Old-style V8
“The concept car’s engine ensures it scales the heights not only in terms of design, but also performance. It is fitted with the most potent V8 engine currently offered by BMW,” boasts the press release. It’s a pity that BMW hasn’t taken the opportunity to show something new concerning the drive. What about a V8 running on hydrogen or a forebode to ‘Neue Klasse’ electric technology?
It illustrates the complicated relationship the wealthy and famous have with the electric transition. BMW-daughter Rolls-Royce is proving that an electric drive can perfectly match with ultimate luxury with the Spectre, and Jaguar will try to do the same as of next year with its totally electric new luxury line-up.
But high-end sports cars are apparently having problems switching to electric drive. This is not because of a lack of performance; the efficiency and compactness of an electromotor outshine those of an internal combustion engine on all levels. But many rich people want to make noise, anywhere and anytime, also in the word’s most literal sense.
And a very powerful but quiet electromotor doesn’t fit in here. It’s a pity that a brand like BMW, wanting to show itself as a paragon of progress in the automotive world, hasn’t taken the opportunity to do something different also on the propulsion side.
