Wild new BMW roadster teased

BMW design chief Domagoj Dukec has posted teaser images of two new models to be revealed at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este car fest in Italy – and one of them is tipped to be a modern interpretation of the 1998-2003 BMW Z8.

Dukec released a picture of what looks like the rearward view of a sharply-creased flying buttress that rises up to the rear screen, accompanied with the cryptic “the sky is the limit” caption – a likely reference to the car’s removeable roof.

Some pundits have suggested the car will be a BMW Z8-inspired roadster as the German car-maker has already announced plans to mark the 25th anniversary of its launch at Villa d’Este.

If so, expect plenty of tributes to both the Z8 and the original 1956 BMW 507 roadster that inspired the former.

The Z8 is perhaps most famous for its role as one of James Bond’s cars in the 1999 blockbuster, The World is Not Enough, where the Henrik Fisker-designed roadster ended up being sliced in half by a helicopter carrying a circular saw.

As well as the mystery roadster, BMW’s design boss also revealed that the car-maker’s 20th BMW art car will be based on the BMW M Hybrid V8 race car that will compete at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

This year it’s the turn of Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu, who is known for large-scale paintings built up through layers of acrylic paint that capture movement.

BMW M is also primed to unleash a new model at the glamorous car show for the rich and famous, with many tipping the BMW M4 CS will make its first public appearance.

It’s thought more teasers will be released in the build-up the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este that begins on May 24 in Cernobbio, northern Italy.

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