Zagato Made a Prettier BMW M4 With a Double Bubble Roof

We typically associate modern shooting brakes with Zagato’s stunning cars. However, the Speedtop unveiled this past weekend at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este was an all-BMW effort based on the M8. The legendary Italian coachbuilder also attended the annual event held on the shores of Lake Como to introduce a different car. Coincidentally, also a BMW beneath the surface. Say hello to the Bovensiepen Zagato.

If the Bovensiepen name sounds familiar, the company was created by brothers Andreas and Florian Bovensiepen, sons of the late Alpina founder Burkard Bovensiepen, who passed away in October 2023. While Alpina now operates under the BMW Group umbrella, Andreas and Florian are venturing out with a new firm, which is also headquartered in Buchloe. Their first project is a collaboration with Zagato, based on the M4.

Rather than using the coupe as the foundation, Bovensiepen took the convertible and removed its electrically folding fabric roof. You can tell it’s based on the droptop because it lacks B-pillars. Additionally, the small rear-side windows go down, enhancing the distinctive character of a pillarless coupe.

Zagato’s signature double-bubble roof, a design motif dating back to the 1950s, replaces the factory soft top. The curvature of the rear glass and the integrated rear spoiler signal that this is no ordinary M4. Newly designed 20-inch forged wheels further distinguish it from the donor car. Still, the laser taillights unmistakably reveal its M4 origins, even if the bodywork is entirely new.

Most panels are crafted from carbon fiber, and a redesigned front end features an elongated hood with a U-shaped vent. We can all agree that the absence of oversized kidney grilles is refreshing. BMW itself did a current-generation M4 with a different take on the controversial front grille. In 2022, it celebrated 50 years of M with the retro-flavored 3.0 CSL. So, who wore it better?

Photo by: Motor1.com

Bovensiepen and Zagato have also developed a more aggressive rear diffuser, flanked by dual exhaust tips from a titanium Akrapovič system that reduces weight by 40 percent compared to the M4’s standard exhaust. The wraparound design at both ends gives the car a fresh identity, though the interior remains unmistakably BMW. Blue leather and Alcantara trim the cabin, but the embellishments can’t completely disguise its origins, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Under the hood lies an upgraded S58 engine: a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six producing 602 hp and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. That’s more horsepower than the 3.0 CSL, BMW’s most powerful inline-six production car to date. It also delivers more torque than the M4 CS. Bovensiepen quotes a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed exceeding 186 mph (300 km/h). Since it’s based on the M4 Convertible, this new coupe with Italian flair comes exclusively with an automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

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Source: Motor1.com

Transforming the M4 Convertible into the Bovensiepen Zagato takes more than 250 hours, so it’s safe to assume the car won’t come cheap. Pricing and production numbers will be announced in the fourth quarter of the year. Deliveries are expected to begin in the second quarter of next year. A base M4 Convertible in the United States already starts at nearly $100,000, so this “strictly limited” grand tourer will venture deep into six-figure territory.

It’s been a minute since Zagato worked on a BMW. In 2012, it unveiled a coupe and roadster pair based on the second-generation Z4 (E89). The former also debuted at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, while the latter was revealed a few months later at Pebble Beach. Unlike Bovensiepen’s inaugural car, neither concept entered production.

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Source: Bovensiepen Automobile

As for the future of the historic Alpina brand, BMW has indicated plans to move the niche marque further upmarket. Under this new direction, which aims to position Alpina as a bridge between BMW and Rolls-Royce, lower-end models based on the 3 Series and 4 Series could be phased out. As a result, expect the new Alpina to focus on BMW’s largest vehicles, such as the 7 Series and X7.