Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW might be about to revive the Z3 M Coupe ‘clownshoe’

A new Z3 M-inspired shooting brake will be unveiled at Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este later this month – here’s a sneak peek

BMW Z3 M Coupe teaser

BMW is set to turn back the clock by unveiling a new model inspired by the iconic Z3 M ‘clownshoe’ at this month’s Villa d’Este concours. Following in the footsteps of the Skytop two-seat roadster that was shown at the same event in 2024, and the Concept Touring Coupe a year before that, this will be another example of BMW’s designers being let loose to produce something bespoke with a nod to the past. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

It’s hard to deduce anything from the teaser images BMW has shared ahead of the full reveal, but the new car is certain to be a shooting brake of some sort, and appears to share a similar tail light design to the Skytop. There are other similarities too, with the rear end featuring a Skytop-style angled boot lid. A more revealing teaser shot shared by BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk hints at the Z3 M Coupe-esque proportions, with a wide stance, swept back roofline and hatchback tail. 

This isn’t the first time BMW has used the ‘clownshoe’ for inspiration, with the Z4-based Concept Touring Coupe drawing heavily from the Bangle-designed hatch from 1997. Though this new model does reference the Z3, it’s significantly different to the Touring Coupe in a number of areas – namely the glasshouse and the flanks, which lack the distinctive side vents of the 2023 show car. 

In the past, BMW has used Villa d'Este to test the waters for its concept cars, and as demonstrated by the Skytop, it is feasible to bring them to market if there’s sufficient customer demand. Positive reception to the elegant GT pushed BMW to produce 50 road-going examples, each packing a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 with 616bhp and xDrive four-wheel drive. Given the bespoke nature of the project, each customer will hand over at least £400k to own one. 

It remains to be seen whether BMW’s latest creation is just the whim of a designer or another low-volume production car. We’ll know more when it’s unveiled later this month. 

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Japan’s supercar: revisiting the Honda NSX – car pictures of the week
Honda NSX front
Features

Japan’s supercar: revisiting the Honda NSX – car pictures of the week

While all the attention is on the ‘80s stars in evo issue 334, we revisited a ‘90s Japanese legend too
7 Jun 2025
Lotus has launched a new flagship Emira, and it starts from almost £100k
Lotus Emira – front
News

Lotus has launched a new flagship Emira, and it starts from almost £100k

Lotus’s range-topping Emira V6 SE has arrived, packing a retuned chassis and 400bhp to take on the Porsche 911 Carrera
5 Jun 2025
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS 2025 review – hybrid done the right way
Porsche 911 GTS – front
Reviews

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS 2025 review – hybrid done the right way

A new hybrid engine and chassis upgrades have injected personality and huge capability into the 992
3 Jun 2025
£15k off the price of a new Porsche 911
Porsche 911 deal 2025
News

£15k off the price of a new Porsche 911

A base 911 might now cost over £100k, but there are sturdily-optioned examples already built that you won’t pay any more for
29 May 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Lotus has launched a new flagship Emira, and it starts from almost £100k
Lotus Emira – front
News

Lotus has launched a new flagship Emira, and it starts from almost £100k

Lotus’s range-topping Emira V6 SE has arrived, packing a retuned chassis and 400bhp to take on the Porsche 911 Carrera
5 Jun 2025
The Peugeot 208 GTi is returning, just not quite in the form you might expect
Peugeot 208 GTi teaser SJ
News

The Peugeot 208 GTi is returning, just not quite in the form you might expect

Peugeot is lifting the covers on an all-new 208 GTi on June 13, and it’s expected to take a slightly different approach to its predecessor
3 Jun 2025
Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk4) – the car world's greatest misses
Golf GTI Mk4 – front
Features

Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk4) – the car world's greatest misses

The Mk4 Golf was a classic piece of design, but the GTI version was barely warm, let alone hot
2 Jun 2025