BMW decides to put the beautiful Skytop into production in a limited run of just 50 units

BMW surprised us in May with the presentation of the spectacular and truly beautiful Concept Skytop, a design exercise by the designers of the German brand, with which they intended to pay tribute to two other illustrious BMW models, the Z8, 503 and the 3.0 CSL “Batmobile”. Its public debut took place during those same days, during the celebration of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2024.

Such was the anticipation that BMW generated with the Skytop, both through images and among those present there, that the German brand has decided to put it into production. Unfortunately, only a few wallets will be able to afford to own and drive this gem, and not only because of its price but also because of the number of units to be built, since BMW only intends to produce 50 examples of the Skytop for the whole world.

This exclusive model is based on the BMW 8 Series, and in a thoroughly modern design the brand’s designers have sought to capture the characteristic “shark nose” design typical of BMW. For this, BMW had no choice but to use illuminated kidney grilles, though more discreet ones, that is, the classic ones we have always loved, which together with the pronounced arrow shape of the bonnet and the narrow tail are a direct reference to the BMW Z8. On the front, the headlight unit deserves special mention: mounted on an aluminium support, it features the slimmest profile ever produced for car headlights, a progressive design that also carries over to the rear light assembly.

From the side of the BMW Skytop we can also observe other design details by the brand’s engineers, such as the slender light-alloy wheels with a clean look that nonetheless include fins between the spokes, or the bold line running from the bonnet to the boot to emphasise its dynamism, not to mention the integrated handles that replace conventional door handles and are built into the shoulders of the doors.

From any angle we can also see the stylised roll bar, which incorporates a retractable electric window, giving it the classic roadster aesthetic, along with the soft top in high-quality synthetic leather. This top, which by the way splits into two sections that can be stored in a dedicated compartment in the boot when removed, is finished in a reddish brown that blends perfectly with the Floating Sundown Silver colour applied to the bodywork, a gradient hand-applied by the experienced master painters of BMW.

In the interior of the BMW Skytop, the leather-upholstered seats stand out, with brogue-style decoration in the same colour as the roof. Warm monochrome tones, combined with the chosen materials, create an unmatched sense of luxury and elegance; an example of this is the ornamentally inlaid glass applications in the cabin. Its equipment includes soft-close doors, the spectacular Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound system, and the BMW Digital Cockpit Professional, which includes a full-colour Head-Up Display.

Mechanically, as we previewed at the time, it uses the same engine as the BMW M8 Competition under its bonnet: a 4,400 cc TwinPower Turbo V8 petrol unit producing 625 CV, managed through the eight-speed Steptronic Sport gearbox and the intelligent all-wheel-drive system xDrive. Thanks to this combination, the BMW Skytop can accelerate to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds.