There are 42 BMWs and MINIs at Auto Shanghai, where the Group hosts its biggest exhibition booth in the world. While everyone has their favorite models, I think we can all agree on which car wins the beauty contest. Never has the M8 looked this pretty, and that’s because the Skytop is far more special. Sure, a truly bespoke interior would’ve made it even better, but even so, this is a highly desirable roadster.
At least 50 people thought so too, as BMW had no problems finding customers for the Skytop’s 50-unit production run. Although it’s been nearly a year since we saw the concept at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the final version is still missing in action. That said, a camouflaged prototype caught at the Nürburgring suggests the street-legal model won’t stray far from the showcar.
BMW is showcasing the Skytop without the targa top, which features two manually removable panels wrapped in leather. When the reddish-brown roof is removed, the parts are stored in a dedicated area of the cargo compartment. Beyond the special body reminiscent of the Z8 and 507, the car features the thinnest headlights of any model the Bavarian marque makes today. It also features a unique set of wheels styled to resemble turbines.
Unlike the M8 Convertible with its rear seats, the Skytop can only accommodate a front passenger. The rest of the cabin is carried over from the donor car, but with reddish-brown leather to match the targa top. To spruce things up, BMW adds crystal accents here and there, though nothing extravagant.
We still don’t know how much the car costs, and we’re not sure whether we’ll ever find out through an official communication channel. Maybe when the production version finally debuts? If not, all we have are reports stating BMW set a price tag of €500,000 or even more. That didn’t deter wealthy customers from signing on the dotted line. The concept broke cover on May 24, 2024, and BMW announced the production model less than five months later, on October 11.
Hopefully, the Skytop’s success will convince higher-ups in Munich to green-light other special cars in the future. However, the ship has probably already sailed for the 2023 Concept Touring Coupe. A clownshoe revival based on the Z4 M40i would’ve been great, and it almost happened.
