BMW Concept Skytop – a properly elegant BMW Roadster – debuts at Villa d’Este

The BMW Concept Skytop debuts at the 2024 Villa d’Este as an elegant BMW Roadster taking inspiration from the BMW Z8 and 503.

BMW has a long history of showing up at Villa d’Este with stunning concept cars (and some not so stunning) and it’s back at Villa d’Este this year with this – the BMW Concept Skytop.

The BMW Concept Skytop looks like a production-ready model (we can only hope) and appears to be based on BMW’s 8 Series, complete with a big V8 under the bonnet, elegant lines and a removable Targa top.

There’s a shark nose at the front and a properly sensible Kidney grille, door handles integrated in to the shoulders for clean lines, ultra-slim headlights and even a Hofmeister kink.

Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design, said:

The BMW Concept Skytop is a truly unique and exotic design, in the tradition of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. It offers a combination of driving dynamics and elegance at the highest level, comparable to its historic ancestors, like the BMW Z8 or BMW 503.

At the back, the Concept Skytop features ‘buttresses’ reminiscent of cars like the Jaguar XJS, there’s a pair of removable leather-trimmed Targa panels which can be stored in the boot, and even the roll bar is covered in leather. Inside, it’s back to traditional luxury with acres of ‘Brogue’ biscuit leather.

Despite the Concept Skytop looking production-ready, it’s hard to imagine BMW actually putting it on sale.

But we can hope.