Possibly the prettiest interpretation of the Z4, the Zagato Coupe is now on display at the BMW Museum in Munich. Part of the “Belle Machine” exhibit dedicated to cars with an Italian connection, this stunning two-seater sports car was first shown 13 years ago. Some of you may remember seeing the concept at the 2012 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
As with most cars unveiled on the shores of Lake Como, a production version sadly never came to be. However, BMW didn’t rule out building a limited series, primarily for the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The original plan was to produce 2,000 cars and sell them at around $150,000 apiece, but that proved too much of a hassle.
BMW would’ve needed to substantially modify the Regensburg assembly line, which was building the E89 at the time. The Zagato Coupe featured a completely different body, handcrafted from aluminum, and included the design house’s signature double bubble roof. It was more than just a gorgeous concept, as BMW conceived it from day one as a road-legal machine. The company even conducted high-speed tests, so it was closer to a fully functional prototype than a static show car.
There was another reason it didn’t get the green light. BMW was concerned that the proposed price tag might have deterred buyers. Rumor has it the higher-ups weren’t confident that Zagato was a big enough name to justify a massive premium over the regular second-generation Z4. The two companies also collaborated on a roadster version, revealed later that same year at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The open-top derivative also didn’t make it to production.
The Italian design house recently pampered another BMW by designing the Bovensiepen Zagato. It’s an M4 Convertible turned into a coupe for a new company founded by Andreas and Florian Bovensiepen. Unlike the Z4 projects, including BMW’s own 2023 Concept Touring Coupe, this one is going into production.
Although Zagato’s Z4s never reached production, the M8-based Skytop and Speedtop are encouraging signs that more low-volume special cars are planned for the years ahead.
