BMW Just Unveiled a Slick Shooting Brake Concept That Might Actually Go Into Production
BMW figured out a way to improve the styling of the already sleek Z4 roadster—add a hard-top roof that extends to the rear of the vehicle.
The German marque unveiled a head-turning shooting brake called the Concept Touring Coupé at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este this past weekend in Italy. The rakish two-door is one of the more interesting prototypes we’ve seen from the brand in recent years, and there are already murmurs it could go into production.
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The new concept is basically a modern update of the beloved Z3 M Coupé, which was in production from 1997 to 2002 and known, affectionately, as the “clown shoe” because of its dramatic proportions. Follow-ups to the beloved model called the Z4 M Coupé and the Zagato Coupé arrived in 2006 and 2012, but they were fastbacks not shooting brakes. The new concept falls very clearly into the latter category. It may look identical to the recently refreshed Z4 from the front, but approach it from any other angle and you’ll see that everything from the B-pillar back is different. Thanks to a number of well-chosen modifications, including a rear hatch and more prominent rear fenders, the longroof feels at once more athletic and streamlined than the convertible it’s based on. We imagine more than a few enthusiasts will be pleased by the metallic brown one-off.
The Touring Coupé Concept’s roof doesn’t just change how the car looks from the outside. The cabin features two seats and a driver-oriented cockpit, just like the roadster, but also has real cargo space. The marque didn’t provide trunk dimensions, but images of the shooting brake show that it has more than enough room for three weekender bags and a garment bag. The cargo space would make the vehicle well-suited for long weekends on the road. The entire cabin is also done up in dual-tone leather.
The concept may be more of a design showcase than anything else, but it also sounds pretty capable. The vehicle is powered by the same turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six found in the European-spec Z4, according to Road & Track. The mill in that version of the roadster is connected to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and can produce up to 340 hp. That means the shooting brake won’t just look good, it will also be fun to drive as well.
As of now, the Concept Touring Coupé is strictly a one-off, but chatter at Villa d’Este suggests that could change. Over the weekend, BMW’s design director, Adrian van Hooydonk, told Motor1.com that the two-door could one day go into production as a low-volume model. When reached for comment on Monday, a representative for the automaker told Robb Report that while there are no plans to put the concept into production right now, the brand “might take a closer look at it” if there turns out to be strong demand. That’s enough to keep hope alive for now.
Click here to see more photos of the BMW Concept Touring Coupé.
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