New BMW concept is ‘dynamic, elegant, exotic’

BMW has a long and illustrious history when it comes to showing concept cars by Italian lakes in front of the world’s wealthiest. Last year it was the Concept Skytop at Villa D’Este, a great example of the breed: very few will be made, they’ll cost a lot of money, the underpinnings are familiar but the look is unlike any other BMW. 

There have been plenty of others over the years as well, some previewing production models and others, seemingly, just for the heck of showing people BMW can still make great-looking cars. The year before last it created the Concept Touring, like a modern M Coupe with the Z4 as its base and a hatchback grafted on. Lake Como has also witnessed reveals for the 2002 Hommage nearly 10 years ago (which a bit of the new M2 can be seen in), the 8 Series Concept in 2017 and also the glorious 328 Hommage back in 2011. Even the M4 CSL made its global debut at the Villa D’Este concours. BMW has something of a tradition now in bringing something exciting to Italy each May – and that’s set to continue for 2025. 

In fact, the firm has promised to celebrate no fewer than three world premieres, although it is the ‘sporting one-off designed to provide motoring pleasure for two’ that will surely draw most of the public’s attention. That’s what is being teased here, though even by the standards of shadowy preview pictures, it’s not giving much away. From where we’re sitting, it could be another Touring or shooting brake-style machine, given what can be seen of the roofline and glasshouse above the super-slim lights.

The latter echoes the Skytop, although that might be the extent of the connection. At any rate, the accompanying tagline – Dynamic, elegant, exotic – suggests that the firm has again put its back into producing something with slightly more visual appeal than it has summoned up elsewhere in the range. Moreover, tradition (and the tastes of rich folk) would dictate that this new concept is petrol-powered, like the V8 Skytop and straight-six Touring. On the other hand, it’d certainly get the crowds talking if BMW wheeled out a dramatic EV in front of the Como crowds. Either way, we’re looking forward to the weekend.