BMW zagato coupé

the ‘BMW zagato coupé’ collaborative concept carall images courtesy BMW group

at the 2012 concorso d’eleganza villa d’este, BMW cars and zagato coachbuilders debuted their ‘BMW zagato coupé’, combining iconic zagato features like the double bubble roof and truncated rear proportions with the BMW’s signature roadster flanks, styled front face, and interior. organized by BMW, the prestigious competition along the shores of lake como, italy, awards elegance in classic and vintage cars, as well as offering a showcase for new vehicles. designed as a one-off concept but driveable and street legal, the ‘BMW zagato coupé’ features the glass split rear deck of the ‘zagato’, with a streamlined, criss-crossed form created by the intersection of the side and rear windows. the tinted rear window can be opened, providing access to the luggage compartment. the grille mesh on the front of the car is a pattern of interlocked ‘Z’s, in which chrome pieces seem to float on a sea of darker-toned letters, matched by polished ‘Z’ details along the side of the car. double air intakes are integrated into the bonnet, and the car features dual exhaust tips at its rear. twin circular headlights and the kidney-shaped grille highlight BMW’s DNA in the car defined as a ‘BMW seen through the eyes of zagato’.

concept, making-of, and demo of the ‘zagato coupé

front view

19-inch light-alloy wheels feature a five-spoke design suggestive of a propeller, hinting at origins of both BMW and zagato in the studies of aerodynamic rear ends for vehicles. the ‘BMW zagato coupé’ is likewise designed for aerodynamic efficiency, without need for rear wings. its chassis handcrafted and molded of aluminum sheet metal, the car features the specially-toned ‘rosso vivace’ paintwork which ranges from black to bright red depending on the way the light hits it, thanks to a multilayered paint job: black followed by shimmery metallic silver, followed by six thin coats of road and two layers of clear sealant.

detail on mesh grille, composed of interlocking ‘Z’ shapes of dark and bright silver

the 3/4 rear view highlights the double bubble form iconic of zagato

3/4 top view

rear view

seen from above, the car’s top and side sculpting is particularly evident.

detail on the side sculpting

the interior takes the classic style of BMW, reconceptualizing it with ‘Z’ details and custom colours and finishes

detail on 5-spoke wheel, referencing the aerodynamics research common to the origins of both BMW and zagato

concept sketches

design discussion

the car during manufacture