It’s fair to say BMW has had a rough few months. The Bavarian brand has received plenty of flack online from enthusiasts, due to a spate of cars with wild styling and plenty of technology (of varying degrees of usefulness). However, this is the car that will quite likely boost the German manufacturer’s ego. The BMW Skytop is a stunning V8 roadster, harking back to convertibles from the company’s past.
An Elegant, Timeless Design
It’s fair to say recent BMW designs haven’t been well-received. The Skytop bucks this trend, though. The design evokes memories of the iconic Z8, with its shark-nose and heavily sculpted bonnet. A pronounced line runs through the car, from the front to the boot lid. The illuminated grille and the slimmest LED lights currently available for headlights portray the classy, yet futuristic, appearance that BMW wanted to shine through.
From the side, the Skytop is muscular, but also simultaneously sleek. This is partly due to the winglets integrated into the door shoulders to avoid the visual distraction of handles. The alloy wheels with fins between the spokes are a brave move, but they add further elegance to the overall design.
At the rear, there is a slight ducktail spoiler, like CSLs of recent times, and incredibly thin tail lights. The lower half is reminiscent of a Porsche 911 Turbo S to my eyes. The ‘boat tail’ rear end is complemented well by the reddish-brown roof, which works in beautiful harmony with the Floating Sundown Silver paint.
Quality Craftsmanship Throughout
The exterior design is exquisite, but BMW promises the interior is too. There is a distinct lack of interior shots, but BMW’s description seems to be pretty spot-on. The leather seats are finished in the same shade as the roof. Meanwhile, there are crystal ornaments embedded into the cockpit.
The luxurious soft-close doors and the premium Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System demonstrate more quality. Despite a retro-inspired design, there’s still the usual serving of technology in the form of the BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which features a central screen, digital cockpit and the BMW Head-Up Display.
A Fitting Engine Features
It would be wrong to stick anything other than a big engine in a limited-run roadster, so that’s what BMW has done. The Skytop utilises a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 with 625hp and an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. It also uses the BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive system, boosting traction while also allowing some good old two-seater fun. BMW reckons the gorgeous Skytop will do 0-62mph in around 3.3 seconds.
Only 50 examples of the BMW Skytop will be made and, unfortunately for you, they’re probably sold out. If not, now’s your chance to convince BMW you’re a collector or enthusiast – as the Skytop won’t end up in the hands of anyone with a sizeable wallet.