BMW Speedtop arrives in Beijing as a V8-powered shooting brake concept
BMW Speedtop makes its Beijing debut
BMW Speedtop arrives in Beijing as a V8-powered shooting brake concept
BMW has brought the Speedtop concept to the Beijing motor show, pairing 8 Series underpinnings with a rare shooting brake body and a 625 hp V8.
2026-04-24T20:57:02+03:00
2026-04-24T20:57:02+03:00
2026-04-24T20:57:02+03:00
At the Beijing motor show, SPEEDME journalists spotted the BMW Speedtop, one of the most striking concepts on the brand’s stand. The photos show not a conventional coupe, but a rare shooting brake with a long bonnet, a large signature grille, slim lights and an elongated rear end. The car is based on the BMW 8 Series and packs a 4.4-litre V8 producing 625 hp, which moves it well beyond a design exercise and into genuine grand tourer territory.BMW brought the Speedtop concept to the Beijing auto show after showing it earlier at the Concorso d’Eleganza, but its Chinese premiere makes the model a more relevant part of the brand’s current agenda. Judging by the photos, the car is being presented as an image-building novelty: it has its own dedicated area, BMW Concept Speedtop signage, and an emphasis on blending a sporting silhouette with an expensive, near-collectible presence.The standout feature is the shooting brake body style. This is neither a classic coupe nor an estate in the usual sense, but a high-end grand tourer with a more practical rear section. In its proportions, the Speedtop is close to the 8 Series: a long bonnet, low stance, two-door layout and wide wheel arches. At the same time, the roofline flows more gently to the rear than on the coupe, creating a rarer and more visually expensive profile.The Speedtop uses the BMW 8 Series as its technical basis, but in concept it sits closer to exclusive coachbuilt projects than to a regular production model. Under the bonnet is BMW’s 4.4-litre V8 with 625 hp. That puts it at the level of the brand’s senior M models, so the car should combine the character of a large sports car with long-distance comfort.Compared with the standard 8 Series, the concept differs first and foremost in its body, rear-end design and cabin layout. The Speedtop is configured for just two occupants, while the space behind the seats is reserved for bespoke travel bags by Italian brand Schedoni. Visually, it also echoes last year’s Skytop show car: the slim lighting units, elongated nose and overall surfacing are clearly related, but the Speedtop trades the roadster theme for a closed grand tourer.The BMW Speedtop is unlikely to be a mainstream new model. It is better understood as a statement of what a premium car can look like for collectors who no longer want an ordinary coupe or convertible. In spirit, it is closer to rare Ferrari shooting brakes, the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake and one-off Bentley or Rolls-Royce projects than to ordinary Mercedes-Benz CLEs or Porsche 911s.For the Chinese market, the premiere is especially telling: demand for expensive cars with strong individuality is rising quickly, while European brands are finding it harder to compete with local EVs on technology alone. That is why BMW is showing not so much a new production model as an emotional brand argument — design, a V8, a handcrafted atmosphere and the status of a rare object.
BMW Speedtop, BMW 8 Series, shooting brake, Beijing motor show, concept car, 4.4-litre V8, 625 hp, grand tourer, Schedoni, BMW Skytop
BMW has brought the Speedtop concept to the Beijing motor show, pairing 8 Series underpinnings with a rare shooting brake body and a 625 hp V8.
Michael Powers, Editor
At the Beijing motor show, SPEEDME journalists spotted the BMW Speedtop, one of the most striking concepts on the brand’s stand. The photos show not a conventional coupe, but a rare shooting brake with a long bonnet, a large signature grille, slim lights and an elongated rear end. The car is based on the BMW 8 Series and packs a 4.4-litre V8 producing 625 hp, which moves it well beyond a design exercise and into genuine grand tourer territory.
BMW brought the Speedtop concept to the Beijing auto show after showing it earlier at the Concorso d’Eleganza, but its Chinese premiere makes the model a more relevant part of the brand’s current agenda. Judging by the photos, the car is being presented as an image-building novelty: it has its own dedicated area, BMW Concept Speedtop signage, and an emphasis on blending a sporting silhouette with an expensive, near-collectible presence.
The standout feature is the shooting brake body style. This is neither a classic coupe nor an estate in the usual sense, but a high-end grand tourer with a more practical rear section. In its proportions, the Speedtop is close to the 8 Series: a long bonnet, low stance, two-door layout and wide wheel arches. At the same time, the roofline flows more gently to the rear than on the coupe, creating a rarer and more visually expensive profile.
The Speedtop uses the BMW 8 Series as its technical basis, but in concept it sits closer to exclusive coachbuilt projects than to a regular production model. Under the bonnet is BMW’s 4.4-litre V8 with 625 hp. That puts it at the level of the brand’s senior M models, so the car should combine the character of a large sports car with long-distance comfort.
Compared with the standard 8 Series, the concept differs first and foremost in its body, rear-end design and cabin layout. The Speedtop is configured for just two occupants, while the space behind the seats is reserved for bespoke travel bags by Italian brand Schedoni. Visually, it also echoes last year’s Skytop show car: the slim lighting units, elongated nose and overall surfacing are clearly related, but the Speedtop trades the roadster theme for a closed grand tourer.
The BMW Speedtop is unlikely to be a mainstream new model. It is better understood as a statement of what a premium car can look like for collectors who no longer want an ordinary coupe or convertible. In spirit, it is closer to rare Ferrari shooting brakes, the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake and one-off Bentley or Rolls-Royce projects than to ordinary Mercedes-Benz CLEs or Porsche 911s.
For the Chinese market, the premiere is especially telling: demand for expensive cars with strong individuality is rising quickly, while European brands are finding it harder to compete with local EVs on technology alone. That is why BMW is showing not so much a new production model as an emotional brand argument — design, a V8, a handcrafted atmosphere and the status of a rare object.
