Just three months after announcing their collaboration with the BMW Zagato Coupe, BMW and specialist Italian coachbuilder Zagato debuted the BMW Zagato Roadster at the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The one-off BMW Zagato Roadster was handcrafted in just six weeks in order to debut with the other exotics wheeled-out alongside the Pacific Ocean in Northern California.
“It was only with the expertise of both companies in the manufacture of high-end one-off cars and another display of outstanding teamwork that we were able to finish the car on schedule,” revealed BMW Group Design Vice President Adrian van Hooydonk.
Like the BMW Zagato Coupe, the Roadster is not an immobile concept car – it’s ready to drive. The elegant two-seat convertible shows-off the blended design influences of the Bavarian giant and Zagato’s styling guru Norihiko Harada.
At the front, again like the BMW Zagato Coupe, the Roadster version is highlighted by a wide, three-dimensional front-end featuring the low-set BMW kidney grille with Zagato’s z-design grating. Headlights are mounted low and include a ‘razorlight’ thin strip of LED DRLs while the curved bonnet adds sporty air intakes.
From the side, immediately noticeable are unusual brown-coloured roll bars which were designed on the theme of aircraft wings and the exotic matt-finish 19-inch alloy wheels. The rear three-quarters of the BMW Zagato Roadster adopt a more elegant look than the sporty flanks of the Coupe version.
Of course the roof is the hallmark Zagato ‘double bubble’ design.
Paintwork is a remarkable liquid metal grey which changes according to light intensity – from dark grey to light silver and highlights the curves and creases of the bodywork.
Inside the BMW Zagato Roadster again shows-off the Zagato influence with shades of brown leather to match the rollbars and subtle use of the ‘Z’ logos.
