Preparing unique show cars for the annual Villa d'Este Elegance Competition has already become a good tradition for BMW. For example, last year, the three-door BMW Concept Touring Coupe was presented at this event. And now the debutant is a larger vehicle—the BMW Concept Skytop with a targa body.

According to the official version, the design team, led by Adrian van Hooydonk, drew inspiration from the classic BMW 503 from 1956 and the BMW Z8 from 1998, although direct references to these cars in the concept’s appearance are minimal. Perhaps the narrow strips of the taillights are made in a style somewhat similar to that of the Z8 roadster.

In fact, the BMW Concept Skytop is a "re-dressed" convertible from the current 8 Series. All body panels have been newly made, the optics are completely original, and instead of the rear row of seats, there is a massive roll bar hiding the retractable rear window. Instead of traditional door handles, there are discreet "tabs" right under the window line.

The roof consists of two removable hard panels, covered in natural leather on both the inside and outside. These panels must be removed and installed manually, and they are stored in the luggage compartment. The interior of the original 8 Series has remained almost untouched, except for the use of monotone materials—plastic and natural leather—for the trim.

It is stated that the BMW Concept Skytop is equipped with the most powerful V8 engine in the lineup. This means that the base model is the M8 Competition, whose 4.4-liter twin-turbo engine produces 625 hp and 750 Nm of torque. No mention is made of any technical upgrades, nor of the possibility of a limited series production of such a car. Apparently, the BMW Concept Skytop will remain a one-off show car.