BMW Skytop Prototype Rolls Out As Rare 616 HP V8 Targa Icon

The BMW Skytop has finally ventured onto public tarmac, its sculpted aluminium skin and twin removable roof panels glinting beneath early-summer sun. Spied during low-profile shakedown runs, this prototype previews the finished two-seat targa that BMW will build for just fifty collectors—every slot was spoken for long before a wheel turned in anger. With styling cues drawn from the 507 and Z8, the Skytop pairs a shark-nose grille and turbine-style alloys with a clean, horizontal tail that shuns the ornamentation of today’s mainstream BMW line-up.

Beneath that coach-built body lies the familiar CLAR platform and a twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 borrowed from the M8 Competition. In this application, the engine’s 616 bhp heads to both axles through an eight-speed automatic and xDrive, delivering a projected 0-62 mph sprint of 3.3 seconds. The powertrain remains resolutely combustion-only, a deliberate nod to classic roadsters at a time when hybrids crowd the spec sheets of Munich’s latest saloons.

Designers have matched the Skytop’s burnt-sienna roof panels with an aerobridge that flows into a leather-clad roll hoop, creating an unmistakable silhouette when viewed in profile. A raised central spine runs the length of the bonnet and rear deck, lending visual tension without resorting to excessive creasing. Slim LED lamps front and rear keep the surfacing crisp, while the restrained kidney grilles lean forward in a subtle homage to BMW’s historic shark-nose coupés.

Although camera lenses barely glimpsed the cabin, the dashboard architecture appears lifted from the 8 Series and wrapped almost entirely in hand-stitched leather. Amber crystal accents shimmer on the steering wheel spokes, and a traditional joystick gear selector replaces the toggle switch fitted to most modern BMWs—another deliberate link to past icons.

With on-road testing now underway and public debut set for Villa d’Este, the Skytop looks destined to join the marque’s pantheon of collectable specials. For everyone outside that ultra-short customer list, these covert prototype photographs may be the closest encounter with BMW’s latest open-air statement.