Although the skytop is a derivative of an existing car, it has to undergo the usual test process. As such, the Targa-M8 miles used up miles at the Nürburgring. BMW wants to ensure that it is flawless before the limited production begins. Only 50 cars are made for which everyone was spoken for a long time. It is the second coachbuilt project from Bavaria in recent years after the 3.0 csl based on the M4 CSL.
As BMWblog The SkyTop only learned the S63 engine from the M8 at the beginning of this week. The sound you hear comes from a 4.4-liter V8 turbo V8. The S63B44T4 produces 617 hp, and although it may not deliver the most exciting soundtrack, they do not accuse BMW. Stricter emissions and noise regulations in Europe themselves force large shift engines to sound more steamed. We assume that it sounds better in countries outside the EU.
But the skytop is not really about power or soundtrack that is delivered by its eight -cylinder engine. If this is all you are looking for, an M8 convertible is much more sensible because it is much cheaper. The real capital here is styling. It returns to the legendary BMW design cues, especially the front end of the sharki and a z8-like rear. BMW said it was also inspired by the 507 roadster.
Although this prototype is wrapped in camouflage, the cladding cannot hide the fact that the skytop is essentially different from the donor car. While the M8 convertible is equipped with an electrically retractable fabric roof, the red top consists of two manually removable fields. After removing, they can be stowed away in a special compartment in the trunk. We are excited to see whether the production version maintains the leather and roller bar of the concept. If this is the case, it is probably advisable not to drive the car in the rain.
Similar to the show car from Concorso d’Elanza Villa d’Este of the last year, the final version has no regular door handles. Instead, it uses winglets along the Belt line, similar to the next generation X5 (G65). BMW showed the Skytop concept with a contained quarter glass and a slide rear window, which we would like to see transferred to the 50 cars.
The price was not officially announced, but it is known on the street that customers paid around 500,000 euros. This is more than twice as high as the costs for a fully loaded M8 convertible when comparing the German prices. Too much? Not necessarily. Apart from the exclusivity factor, many of the Skytop components are manufactured individually by a special team. This type of craftsmanship is certainly not cheap.
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