BMW reveals sleek R10 million Speedtop, M2 CS design at Lake Como
The BMW Concept Speedtop will be produced in a limited run of 70 cars.
Image: Supplied
BMW always puts on its Sunday best at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, at Lake Como, and this year's event saw the Bavarian company present a new limited production shooting brake as well as the final design of the upcoming M2.
The new BMW Concept Speedtop is the tin-top relative of the sexy Skytop Concept that was presented at the event last year, and it takes the form of a shooting break, with hints of the BMW M Coupe in its rear profile.
BMW is reportedly set to build around 70 examples of the Speetop, with a rumoured price tag of around R500,000, or R10.1 million in our currency.
The vehicle is based on the M8 Coupe, and with no specifications released we're left to assume it's powered by the same twin-turbo V8 that thunders out 460kW and 750Nm.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Beneath the skin beats the heart of an M8 Competition.
Image: Supplied
The Speedtop boasts unique exterior metal, setting itself apart with broad shoulders, shark-nose front end design, slim front lights and a central spine that runs from the bonnet, over the roof.
The colour gradient on the roof moves from 'Floating Sunstone Maroon' to 'Floating Sundown Silver'. Also sporting dual tones are the 14-spoke alloy wheels designed specifically for this car.
The cabin seats just two, with a luggage hold behind the chairs.
Image: Supplied
The cabin brings brogue-style details to create a unique and crafted feel, while the Floating Sunstone Maroon tone is carried over from the exterior, contrasting with the Moonstone White of the seats.
The central 'spine' is also carried over from the exterior, as a light beam in the two-tone leather headliner.
The boot area, a neglected afterthought in most cars, also receives leather trimmings and brogue-style perforations.
Customers will also receive two bespoke leather luggage bags, crafted by Italian manufacturer Schedoni. These slot into storage areas behind the seats, secured by leather straps.
The cabin has a unique two-tone colour scheme.
Image: Supplied
"Last year, the presentation of the BMW Concept Skytop at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on Lake Como generated great enthusiasm among connoisseurs and automotive enthusiasts," says Bernd Körber, Senior Vice President BMW Brand and Product Management.
"This led to a strictly limited production run of 50 units. Thanks to this positive response, this year we have decided to also offer the BMW Concept Speedtop in a limited production series of 70 units. This extraordinary vehicle is now available for order. We are pleased to be able to offer collectors and enthusiasts another exclusive model."
BMW M2 CS
BMW also presented the exterior design of the new M2 CS at the Lake Como show, while also confirming that it will be officially unveiled on May 28.
Exterior design of the new BMW M2 CS.
Image: Supplied
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Driving impressions: Why the BMW X3 20d xDrive M Sport stands out in the SUV market
The BMW X3 is a crucial mid-sized SUV for the Munich-based company and remains one of its top sellers and is also the most popular model in South Africa. Recently I was on the N1 driving to Johannesburg when I passed three trucks carrying proudly made in South Africa vehicles. There's a tinge of pride knowing that a load of Nissan Navaras, Ford Rangers and BMW X3s are on their way to foreign lands, the fact that they're on trucks and not on rail for reasons we all know notwithstanding. I happened to be testing the BMW X3 20d xDrive M Sport at the time and knew that the new owners would be well pleased. The X3 is a crucial mid-sized SUV for the Munich-based company and remains one of its top sellers and is also the most popular model in South Africa. With its overall refinement it's not difficult to understand why. Exterior Now in its fourth iteration and first launched in 2003, it has aged well, and as the generations have progressed, it has grown considerably in size, so much so that a friend that had the second generation years ago hardly recognised it. It's taken a while, but the large distinctive kidney grill seems to be less polarising than when it first saw the light and it actually suits this year's Car of the Year. Because it's such an important model for the brand they have tinkered too much with the exterior. It now sports more angular lines and what BMW calls a monolithic appearance and while personally I prefer the previous generation's look, the new X3 is one of those cars that look better in the metal than in pictures. The rear sports a flush-mounted window with a long roof spoiler and under the flared wheel arches it stands on attractive 19-inch alloys. Engine The BMW four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine stands out as one of the best motors ever made and in the X3 produces 145kW and 400Nm coupled to a 48V mild hybrid system adding an additional 8kW and 25Nm for short bursts. It's connected to an eight-speed Steptronic transmission driving all four wheels. Interior As you would expect, the interior is very much a glass screen and premium affair with an abundance of illuminated surfaces. While it looks pretty cool, especially at night in the different driving modes, I can't help thinking that it comes across as one of those flashing disco-type speakers sold at the China Mall. I mean, is a flashing red light bar across the dash when the hazard lights are in use really necessary? Regular touchpoints and plastic bits are covered with recycled materials which look like they'll stand the test of time, especially since the X3 is likely to be a family's main mode of transport. The door-mounted ventilation controls, however, felt flimsy and spoiled an otherwise well cocooned and solid cabin. Fitted with BMW Operating System 9, the infotainment system though is still a bit clumsy and not particularly user friendly. It's not the most intuitive system with most settings including the air conditioning requiring some form of double tap to get to the right menu. It's mitigated somewhat with the iDrive system with QuickSelect that allows functions to be activated directly without having to enter a submenu or using your voice to adjust certain functions. Fortunately the volume can still be adjusted via a dial.
The Citizen
6 days ago
- The Citizen
Frugal and fast BMW X3 20d proves that diesel is not dead yet
SUV well-priced offering in the premium segment inhabited by Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Because I have been around a while and by that I mean like forever, I was there when all everybody could talk about was diesel. If you didn't have diesel vehicles in your portfolio, you were struggling as a motor manufacturer. This was a time when diesel was the clever option. You didn't buy an oil-burner to show off. You bought it because you were the guy who could drive from Joburg to Cape Town on one tank. BMW keeps the faith Diesel was efficient, torquey and sensible. And then people decided that battery electric vehicles is the thing that was going to save the world. Conveniently ignoring how the batteries are made and that we burn coal to produce electricity to charge these batteries. And that's how diesel ended up in the naughty corner. But thankfully BMW didn't get the memo. Because here we are in 2025 and The Citizen Motoring has just spent a week driving the new G45 X3 20d xDrive M Sport. The idea being to figure out if diesel still has a place in a world that wants everything to plug in, light up, and talk back. And I can say without a doubt it absolutely does. The oil-burner offers the best of both worlds. Picture: Supplied Most of this sentiment is because under the bonnet is BMW's long serving, much-loved, tried-and-tested 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel. It is now paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system to help it not only meet emissions regulations, but to also provide a little extra urge when wanted. Talking of which, you have 145kW of power and 400Nm of torque on tap that runs through an eight-speed auto box to the xDrive all-wheel drive set-up. ALSO READ: PODCAST: Why all-new BMW X3 is just what the doctor ordered BMW X3 20d easy on the juice The BMW X3 20d's forte is gobbling up open road kilometres with absolute ease and returning real world fuel consumption figures that easily live around the mid 6-litres per 100 kilometres and offer close on 1 000 kilometres per tank. But it is also rather brisk for what is seen as the baby of the new BMW X3 range. Not that I think this aspect of my review will interest you too much if you are an out and petrolhead as this is more what the X3 M50 is about. But we had this BMW X3 20d at Gerotek and it hit 100km/h in 7.9 seconds, only just off BMW's claim of 7.7-seconds. Top speed is said to be 215km/h and that is more than enough for those long straight roads in the Karoo. If your conscience and wallet will allow you to treat the N1 as the Autobahn that is. ALSO READ: New BMW X3 ticks all the boxes with versatile powertrain line-up Practicality hasn't been forgotten either as you would expect from a mid-size family orientated SUV. There is a decent amount of space for the rear seat passengers, with 570 litres of boot space. This is expandable to 1 700 if you fold the rear seats down. The new BMW X3 20d is a solid choice. Picture: Supplied Making a lot of sense The latest in digital screens and infotainment systems are in use. And the cabin looks and feels as modern as ever without being too complicated or gimmicky. The BMW X3 20d xDrive is probably as flashy in M Sport trim, as it is well-made. Retailing for around R1 175 000, it is not here to compete with the high-end of the Chinese market. But rather be an exceptionally well-priced offering in the premium segment inhabited by Audi and Mercedes-Benz. ALSO READ: Finally priced: BMW puts stickers on all-new generation X3 You won't win any influencer points driving a diesel in 2025. But if you care about range, torque, comfort, and the ability to drive across provinces without needing to charge anything but your smartphone, this BMW X3 still makes a whole lot of sense. BMW X3 20d test results
Mail & Guardian
14-06-2025
- Mail & Guardian
The BYD Seal 7: Humbling BMW drivers since 2025
The BYD Seal 7. You're in the wrong country if you've never pulled up to a robot and heard a BMW driver rev his car before boosting to the next robot. It's usually a case of 'if you've got it, flaunt it' for those drivers, and some people want to be like them, while others of us laugh at them. One thing that you cannot take away from BMW drivers is that their vehicles can actually back up all the noise they make with the power they produce. However, since new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) entered the market, the power figures that we used to only see on performance cars have become child's play for NEVs. We constantly look at above 200kW of power and over 350Nm of torque. But one critique in the motoring world has been that, while everyone enjoys the power, they miss the noise. The term 'speed and sound' becomes redundant with EVs. With the BYD Seal 7, which is a fully electric sedan, the power figures are astounding. It comes in two variants: the premium and the performance, with the former producing 230kW of power and 360Nm of torque and the latter producing 390kW of power and 670Nm of torque. BYD claims that the performance model does 0-100 in just 3.8 seconds while the premium model takes just under 6 seconds to hit 100km/h. I had the premium model on test, so I didn't get the adrenaline rush I would have got from the performance, but the figures on it mean it is still extremely rapid. It's great to test the instant torque on the vehicles but you have to be a responsible driver and citizen. It's not as if you can go around racing everyone and making a noise — like those BMW drivers. But it also means that you can put them in their place should the need arise. Luckily for me, it actually did. I was going down Atlas Road in Boksburg on my way home after a long two-hour game of padel. I pulled up to the robot just before the highway and some smart BMW driver pulled up next to me revving his engine with his window down. He obviously couldn't hear my vehicle but the Seal 7 gives off real sports-car vibes, which is probably why he wanted to prove a point. I looked across at him and he made the same gesture that I've seen Vin Diesel make in the Fast & Furious movies. He basically challenged me to a race to the next robot. At first, I ignored the gesture and just looked forward but then he revved again. I was not going to just sit back now, so I gave him the signal that it was on. As we left that robot, he made a solid start because of his turbocharged engine, but when the BYD Seal 7 got moving, he just couldn't keep up. Bear in mind, because I was passing it, I didn't see what model he was driving. As we stopped at the next robot, he rolled his window down again, and he asked me about the car. It had obviously impressed him. What impressed me more was just how fast the arrogance disappeared off his face. The Seal 7 is an impressive vehicle. When I drove the BYD Sealion 7, I felt that, at higher speeds, the car seemed slightly nervous, but the Seal 7 got more and more comfortable as the speed increased. It feels extremely solid as the Seal 7 has a double-wishbone plus a five-link suspension. It uses the double wishbone set-up for individual wheel control, while incorporating five control arms for greater suspension geometry flexibility. The range of the car is also impressive. It uses the 82.5kWh BYD Blade battery and the premium variant has 570km of range while the performance variant has 520km of range. Comfort The Seal 7 comes with a beautiful interior that has heated and ventilated leather seats, a pleasing suede panel on the dashboard and a full leather steering wheel. The cabin is completed by the 10.25-inch instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch infotainment system that comes equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A nice touch is that there are a few buttons around the gear. These include the aircon and demister buttons. You still have to control temperatures on the infotainment system, but in a world where buttons in vehicles have become so rare, we appreciate the few that we see in a vehicle. There is ample room for backseat passengers to sit comfortably. The boot has 400 litres of space and the frunk, which refers to the storage space in the front of the vehicle, has an additional 53 litres. Safety The BYD Seal 7 has earned a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. It scored 89% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 82% for vulnerable road user protection and 76% for safety assist technology. It also comes equipped with a large amount of safety features like autonomous emergency braking, lane-support systems and advanced driver assistance systems. Pricing and verdict The BYD Seal premium variant is priced at R999 900 and the performance variant is priced at R1 199 900. It must be noted that this has been touted as the brand's flagship sedan. It's silent, but it is comfortable and, performance wise, it is deadly. So for a million rand, is it worth it? I'm actually surprised that it doesn't cost more. If this vehicle had a German badge on it, it would definitely surpass the R2 million mark. However, it is difficult to see the average South African affording a car worth a million rand. It is no wonder the NEV market is growing at such a slow pace in the country.
