BMW Zagato Coupe Is the Coolest Z4 Ever

For the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este BMWBMWGermany, 1918 > present87 models
8471 photos
43 videos
will publicly reveal the BMW Zagato CoupeZagatoItaly, 1919 > present11 models
45 photos
. While it is mechanically identical to the current Z4, the styling is entirely penned by famous Milanese coachbuilder Zagato. The Zagato Coupe is a one-off concept for now, and the car is all style. BMW is not even talking about the engine or chassis, which are taken directly from the Z4BMW Z4 Gen.2Germany, 2009 > present42 versions
89 photos
. It has put the total emphasis on this modern-looking sports coupe. However, BMW has registered the Zagato Coupe as road legal in Europe; so a few lucky people might even get to drive it.

“It is relatively easy to build a design study which is not intended for use on the road. Not having to meet any stipulations governing crash safety or pedestrian protection opens up a host of new avenues in terms of design. The challenge lies in injecting the emotional appeal of a concept car into a road-legal machine. And we think we have succeeded in doing just that with the BMW Zagato Coupé,” said company boss and designer Dr. Andrea Zagato.

Dr. Zagato, Zagato chief designer Norihiko Harada, and BMW Group design boss Adrian van Hooydonk worked on the car together. The Zagato Coupe is a true one-off. Its craftsmen fashioned the aluminum body by hand .

The concept for the car was “Vmax concept.” That means that the car could be registered for the road and be able to achieve high speeds, but it would conform to crash safety standards.

The actual design is a reworking of the Z4. It has a low, sloping nose with a long hood and passenger compartment set back near the rear wheels. In common Zagato fashion, it has a double-bubble roof and Kamm tail. In a very intriguing way, the Zagato Coupe blends swooping lines around the front and middle of the car with more angular lines along the wheel arches and rear. There are also many cool little details like the repeating Z pattern in the grill and glass over the Kamm tail that makes it look like the tail lights are inside the cargo area.

Zagato is becoming something of a fixture at the Villa d'Este. Last year, Aston MartinAston MartinUnited Kingdom, 1914 > present62 models
1872 photos
24 videos
revealed the V12 ZagatoAston Martin V12 ZagatoUnited Kingdom, 2011 > present19 photos
1 video
at the show. There are rumors that Aston Martin will also reveal the next generation DBSAston Martin DBS (modern)United Kingdom, 2007 > present17 versions
65 photos
2 videos
at the show as well. 

Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este opens May 26 and there is a public day on May 27.