BMW Concept Touring Coupe Debuts As Gorgeous Clown Shoe Revival

In recent decades, BMW has developed a habit out of making concept cars to showcase at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Relevant examples that spring to mind include the GINA Light Visionary Model and the Gran Lusso Coupe. There was also a Z4 Zagato Concept in 2012, and this year, the Bavarian brand is reviving the Z4 with a fixed metal roof. Meet the Concept Touring Coupe – a shooting brake presented on the shores of Lake Como in Italy.

Much like the previous concept car based on the Z4, it's a one-of-a-kind creation that pays tribute to the past while adopting a modern design. Essentially, we are witnessing the return of the famous Z3 E36/8 aka the "Clown Shoe." With BMW saying the Concept Touring Coupe has an inline-six engine, you can think of this car as a 2023 version of the oddball Z3 M Coupe.

It's basically a Z4 M40i that has had its electrically folding fabric roof deleted to make room for a hardtop with the signature Hofmeister kink. Finished in Sparkling Lario with flakes of blue glass, the unique coupe has bulging rear fenders and unique wheels. These measure 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear and have a 20-spoke design reminding us of the achingly beautiful Z8. You'll also notice the silver-bronze accents and a slightly modified kidney grille with double vertical bars.

While the layout of the interior has been essentially carried over from the production Z4, the cabin has been spruced up with fancy upholstery from the Italian leather workshop Poltrona Frau. It has a two-tone finish with dark brown in the upper area and a light saddle brown for the lower section. The braided leather oozes sophistication while reminding us of the original Audi TT's "baseball" upholstery.

As with other concept cars introduced at Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este over the years, there are sadly no plans to put the Concept Touring Coupe into production. That said, BMW is no stranger to coachbuilding projects since last year's limited-run 3.0 CSL was essentially a reskinned M4 CSL with a manual gearbox and extra horsepower.