BMW has pulled the wraps off its latest design indulgence, the Concept Speedtop, at the prestigious Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy. Based on the M8 Competition, this shooting brake concept is both a nod to touring elegance and a lesson in excess.
BMW says the Speedtop will enter production later this year, capped at just 70 units worldwide. Each one will set you back by around ₹4.96 crore (that's £430,000, for those counting in sterling).
Design:
At first glance, the Speedtop is unmistakably dramatic. There's a familiar shark-nose front with a long bonnet, an illuminated kidney grille, and those slim, almost judgmental-looking LED headlamps. Vertical air vents sit just below, giving the fascia a properly aggressive face.
A sharp spine runs from the bonnet to the rear spoiler, adding a layer of visual drama, as if the car needed any more. Along the sides, you'll find frameless doors with tiny winglets instead of handles, bespoke 14-spoke wheels and a gently sloping roofline that glides into a raked rear windscreen. The back is neat, with slim LED tail-lights, twin exhaust pipes and a subtle camera for when you're reversing a 625hp V8 super-coupe into your third garage.
Interior:
Inside, the Speedtop leans heavily on its M8 roots. It gets digital displays for both driver and infotainment duties, plus a crystal-finished gear selector and steering inserts. BMW has used a mix of brown and white leather, with matching bags you can stow behind the two bucket seats. Yes, just two – there's no room for passengers or excuses.
The most curious detail? A central light beam that runs through the roofliner, echoing the spine outside. As for the boot, it's lined in leather with a slim LED strip, because why shouldn't your luggage compartment feel like a luxury lounge?
Performance:
While BMW hasn't disclosed full specs, they've confirmed the Speedtop packs the brand's most powerful V8. That likely means the same 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol engine from the M8 Competition. Expect a top speed close to 305 kmph and a 0- 100 kmph time under 3.3 seconds, if it mirrors the M8.
India launch? Don't hold your breath.
For those in India hoping to spot one on the road, don't. The Concept Speedtop is unlikely to make it here officially, and with only 70 units being built, it's rarer than common sense in a supercar design meeting.
