BMW partnered up once again with the Italian coach builder Zagato to introduce a one-off model to premiere at the Concorso d’Eleganza Viall d’Este for 2012. The concept is clearly based on the BMW Z4, conveniently called the BMW Zagato Coupe. This is a handcrafted work of art created with close collaboration between the two iconic companies. Leaves us enthusiasts wishing for a production version.

Zagato is a family owned company that builds custom road and track ready works of art. It took home the renowned Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award two years in a row, 2010 and 2011. With that said, the BMW Zagato Coupe is a registered street legal machine that incorporates crash and pedestrian safety equipment under it’s skin. A great design challenge went into making this road going coupe a safe, functional, and a masterpiece of design.

Italian designers had previously designed the iconic BMW 3200 Michelotti Vignale in 1959, BMW 700 in 1959, BMW 3200 CS Bertone in 1962, and the infamous BMW M1 in 1978 that started the whole M-Power craze. Designers started out with a fully functional BMW chassis and powertrain. From that point, skin was beautifully sculpted to fit the existing mechanical construction, optimizing the curves, creating a striking aluminum sheet metal of this coupe.

The flowing roof dissolves into to the compact, deliciously carved rear, where the z’s power is transferred to the open road. Front-end design proportions are extremely wide and powerfully shaped. It’s dynamic forward pointing front-end shoots down towards the road giving it a sense of agility and purpose. Embedded bi-circular BMW signature angel-eye headlights, and the classic kidney grill are undeniably BMW, even at the fastest glance. The BMW kidney grill features matt kidney frames with Zagato “z” letters cleverly cut into its body. The contoured hood adds to the front-end’s vibrant flair, with its clean lines and tight surfaces. The hood features a pair of functional air intakes that channel air into the engine bay, keeping the power-plant at an optimum temperature. The roof picks up the Zagato signature double bubble feature, enhancing aerodynamics and chassis rigidity.

Clearly present is the Z4 signature long hood. It forces the engine visually towards the rear of the car, adding to the dynamics of the design, as the side-view reveals the clear BMW influence on the sweeping lines. In turn, enhancing the width of the rear fenders, to create hips that bring out the muscular rear-drive layout of the car. The lines continue from the hips, flowing back to the trunk spoiler, adding to the sportiness. The rear is constructed of uninterrupted flow of surfaces that neatly sculpt the end of the BMW Zagato Coupe, while a pronounced rear bumper flows into an oversized diffuser.

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