{"id":81114,"date":"2025-03-12T09:59:36","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T13:59:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=81114"},"modified":"2025-03-12T09:59:36","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T13:59:36","slug":"bmw-skytop-limited-edition-targa-testing-austria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=81114","title":{"rendered":"BMW Skytop Spotted Winter Testing in Austria: Exclusive Roadster Nears Production"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s not every day that you see a BMW prototype with a targa roof<\/span> carving through the snow, but the Skytop<\/span> isn\u2019t your everyday BMW. Spotted in Austria this past week, the camouflaged grand tourer was undergoing cold-weather testing<\/span>\u2014a final test before the first deliveries roll out later this year.<\/p>\n

Originally revealed as the Concept Skytop<\/span> at Concorso d\u2019Eleganza Villa d\u2019Este<\/span><\/a>, BMW has promised that the production model will remain almost identical<\/span> to the show car. That\u2019s no small feat, considering how concept cars often undergo significant changes before hitting the road. Last year, Tobias M\u00fchlbauer, the Skytop\u2019s product manager, confirmed that only minor refinements were made<\/span> to improve the driving experience and usability. Everything from the headlights to the upholstery<\/span> is being individually crafted, a level of attention reserved for BMW\u2019s rarest models.<\/p>\n

Under the Skin: The Most Powerful V8 BMW Has Ever Built?<\/h4>\n

Powering the Skytop<\/span> is BMW\u2019s twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8<\/span>, delivering 617 horsepower<\/span>. That\u2019s a serious amount of grunt, though it falls just short of the 627-hp M5 CS<\/span><\/a>\u2014a technicality BMW would probably prefer to gloss over. Paired with an eight-speed automatic<\/span> and xDrive all-wheel drive<\/span>, it rockets to 62 mph (100 km\/h) in just over 3.3 seconds<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Design Inspired by BMW Icons<\/h4>\n
\n

Blending BMW\u2019s rich design heritage with <\/span>modern performance, the <\/span>Skytop echoes legendary models like the <\/span>BMW Z8<\/a> and classic <\/span>sharknose designs. Its <\/span>two-piece removable roof panels neatly <\/span>stack on top of each other in the trunk, ensuring <\/span>easy one-person operation. A key highlight is its <\/span>leather-wrapped rollover bar, reinforcing the car\u2019s <\/span>high-end craftsmanship\u2014though owners might want to <\/span>think twice before driving it in the rain.<\/span><\/p>\n

When we spoke to BMW <\/span>design chief, Adrian Van Hooydonk<\/a>, emphasized that the production <\/span>Skytop will be virtually unchanged from the concept. The <\/span>only modifications include <\/span>the addition of parking sensors for improved usability. The car\u2019s <\/span>striking muted silver exterior finish, created by a <\/span>master painter at BMW\u2019s Dingolfing plant, will carry over unchanged. The <\/span>taillight signature, featuring <\/span>a thin LED strip, and the <\/span>razor-thin headlights, which Van Hooydonk calls <\/span>the slimmest ever seen on a BMW production vehicle, will also remain intact.<\/span><\/p>\n

Few modern BMWs have drawn comparisons to the iconic Z8<\/span>\u2014but the Skytop<\/span> earns that honor. It\u2019s a low-slung, shark-nosed beauty<\/span>, complete with a leather-wrapped roll hoop<\/span> and a removable two-piece targa roof<\/span> that stacks neatly in the trunk. Unlike some complex convertible mechanisms, the Skytop\u2019s roof panels are light enough to be handled solo<\/span>. Just don\u2019t leave them behind if rain is in the forecast.<\/p>\n

Adrian Van Hooydonk, BMW\u2019s design chief<\/span>, confirmed that the muted silver exterior finish<\/span> from the concept will remain, along with the sleek taillight strip<\/span>, further distinguishing the Skytop from anything else in the lineup.<\/p>\n

A Production Process Fit for a Special Machine<\/h4>\n

Like the BMW 3.0 CSL<\/span>, the Skytop<\/span> won\u2019t be assembled on a conventional production line. Instead, BMW is adopting a bespoke manufacturing approach<\/span>, ensuring meticulous attention to every handcrafted detail<\/span>. This is necessary given its high level of customization and limited volume<\/span>.<\/p>\n

A \u20ac500,000 Collectible\u2014Already Sold Out<\/h4>\n

With only <\/span>50 units set for production, exclusivity was always a given. Unsurprisingly, every single <\/span>Skytop has been <\/span>sold out at a staggering \u20ac500,000 ($540,000 USD) price tag. Deliveries are expected <\/span>before the end of 2025, marking one of the most <\/span>prestigious and rare BMW creations in recent history.<\/span><\/p>\n

[Photos and Videos: @iliaswauters<\/a>]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s not every day that you see a BMW prototype with a targa roof carving through the snow, but the Skytop isn\u2019t your everyday BMW. Spotted in Austria this past week, the camouflaged grand tourer was undergoing cold-weather testing\u2014a final test before the first deliveries roll out later this year. Originally revealed as the Concept […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":81115,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=81114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/81115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=81114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=81114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=81114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}