BMW has unveiled its Concept Touring Coupe at the 2023 Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza in Italy. The design is a nod to the convertible M Coupes of the past, with the current-generation Z transformed into a shooting brake. The Z3 M Coupe was the first practical version of the M convertible, adding some of the structural rigidity it lacked. Equipped with the brand’s iconic S52 engine, the Z3 M Coupe was about as focused on the fundamentals of driving and became even more focused when the Z4 M Coupe was released. Its sloping backside meant the hunchback aesthetic was gone. But so was some of the storage capacity. The suspension was tuned to be a little harder and the implementation of the S54 engine meant there was more power. However, this was also the period where BMW was just starting to move away from analog cars and some would undoubtedly argue that the model came immediately after the company’s golden age had ended.
The new concept based on the current G29 Z4 roadster is curious. While there has been a lot of hype surrounding shooting brakes over the last decade, they aren’t produced very often and remain a tough sell. While technically a one-off, the concept is made from parts the automaker already uses. It’s powered by the familiar turbocharged 3.0-liter, B58 straight-six engine that’s found in both the Z4 and Toyota Supra. That means power should probably ballpark somewhere around 350 horsepower. Wheels are unique 20-pronged alloys and come in at 21 inches at the back axle, while the frontal pair are only 20 inches. The interior is likewise bespoke, with leather coming from Poltrona Frau.
In its current format, the BMW Concept Touring Coupe seems to be a premium product and would likely retail much higher than the car it’s based upon. The Z4 is also presumably not going to be around much longer, as the company plans to shift production entirely to hybrids and all-electric vehicles. Though I suppose the most-jaded part of my soul could see the brand transforming desirable combustion models into limited-run experiences it can charge extra for.
Based on what BMW has said it wants to do in terms of electrification, developing a vehicle like this doesn’t seem to make sense. But what a company signals to the public rarely has anything to do with the actions it ends up taking. Partnerships like the one with Superstile will be integral to any production plans for the Concept Touring Coupe, according to van Hooydonk.
“It seems that if the Concept Touring Coupe does see production then, it’s both going to take some time to happen and will be in very limited volumes. Still, van Hooydonk seemed upbeat and confident about the car’s production chances.”
A limited production run would presumably mean the resulting model would retail for much far more than the Z4 it’s based upon. BMW could probably name its price if it’s seriously only going to build a few dozen examples. But maybe isolating demand and milking the vehicle as hard as possible is the entire point of this exercise. It at least sounds like leadership has given the premise some thought.
