BMW Concept Speedtop Summary Points
- BMW unleashed the eye-catching Concept Speedtop station wagon (or “shooting brake”) amidst a picturesque Lake Como backdrop, a sterling follow-up to the Concept Skytop unveiled in 2024.
- Based on the 8 Series, the Concept Speedtop will enter a limited production run, albeit at an expected sky-high asking price.
- BMW previously divulged that its entire lineup will undergo Neue Klasse styling transformations in the following years, and the Concept Speedtop’s shark-type front end is a taste of what’s to come from BMW’s design team.
BMW Concept Speedtop & The 503
The Concept Speedtop left quite an impression at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2025. Never has a station wagon looked so desirable yet so intent in its sport-touring aspirations.
BMW is no stranger to grand touring machines, unveiling the 503 Gran Turismo at the 1955 International Motor Show in Frankfurt. For the time, the 503 had a modern 3.2-liter V8 with 140 horsepower (top speed 118 mph) and a gearbox positioned under the front seat for ideal weight distribution.
Available in coupe and convertible models, it should have sold in droves in the United States. Yet not even Elvis Presley himself could change the tide for the 503, which was plagued by a high starting price and a limited number of potential buyers.
It could be said that cars like the 503 Gran Turismo were too good to be true. Will that be the case with the BMW Concept Speedtop?
Powertrain & Performance
BMW said the Concept Speedtop will be motivated by the automaker’s most potent series-production V8 engine, most likely a 617-horsepower twin-turbocharged unit derived from the current M8 Competition. The automaker didn’t reveal much else during the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2025 event.
Conventional logic suggests the twin-turbo V8 will be paired with an eight-speed automatic and feature a rear-biased all-wheel drivetrain, similar to the M8 Competition. If that holds true, expect the Concept Speedtop to have a zero-to-60 mph time between 2.5 and three seconds.
Shark-Faced Shooting Brake Design
The Concept Speedtop is a refreshing turnaround for the BMW engineering and design team, a sign that BMW styling is (finally) pointing in the right direction.
It takes just a passing glance at the Speedtop’s shark-faced nose and curvy station wagon body to forget some of the polarizing aspects of the Bangle era, including the automaker’s existing penchant for ridiculously oversized kidney grilles.
“The BMW Concept Speedtop is very unique in the automotive industry,” said Head of BMW Group Design Adrian van Hooydonk. “In this way, we have created an exclamation mark for our entire lineup of vehicles, especially for the Touring models.”
Unique Color Gradient
The most defining styling element of the Concept Speedtop is the central spline that begins at the hood and extends to the roof-mounted rear spoiler, blessing the vehicle with a “dynamic Touring profile,” wrote BMW in its press release about the Concept Speedtop.
Additional style points include the 14-spoke two-tone wheels and a transitioning color gradient on the roof, which moves from the body’s Floating Sunstone Maroon paint to the Floating Sundown Silver hue of the roof.
Posh, Brogue-Style Cabin
Whereas the Skytop is an open-roof two-seater, the Concept Speedtop is a two-seat station wagon with two doors and a hatchback rear. As such, the design concept has a lavish interior with top-notch materials that befit a sport-luxury shooting brake.
The exterior’s two-tone concept is also evident in the brogue-style interior, featuring Sundown Maroon trim and Moonstone White leather upholstery. An LED light beam in the two-tone headliner mirrors the central spline in the roof, providing indirect ambient lighting.
Luggage by Schedoni
BMW collaborated with Italian manufacturer Schedoni for hand-made leather goods designed explicitly for the Concept Speedtop. The lineup includes a pair of made-to-measure Schedoni bags (that fit snugly in the rear seats) and a matching weekend bag for the luxuriously appointed trunk.
The leather-wrapped cargo area features two compartments, including a lower section for carrying larger items. An integrated light beam provides illumination for the cargo bay at night.
BMW Concept Speedtop Starting MSRP
When BMW unveiled the Concept Skytop, it left an indelible mark among deep-pocketed enthusiasts, prompting the automaker to announce a small production run of 50 units. The Concept Speedtop generated a similar buzz, to which BMW confirmed a slightly larger but still limited production run of 70 units globally.
As for the price, rumor has it that the Skytop starts at around $500,000. We have reason to believe the Concept Speedtop will carry a similar half-million-dollar starting MSRP, thanks to its exclusive two-door shooting brake body and unmistakable presence.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
BMW Concept Speedtop Design Gallery
BMW Concept Speedtop Gallery
Photos & Source: BMW of North America, LLC.
