BMW idea imagines a sexier bread van primarily based on the Z4

The BMW Concept Touring Coupe has been unveiled at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

Said to be a one off, the concept is based on the Z4, but instead of the donor car’s folding soft top and three-box shape, the Touring Coupe has a fixed roof, and a shooting break design with a flat rear hatchback.

The concept’s body is finished in a grey-brown paint that’s embedded with flakes of blue glass. In addition to this there are silver-bronze accents throughout, and a unique pattern for the double kidney grille with vertical bars.

While the Touring Coupe’s lengthened roof line doesn’t allow you to carry any extra passengers, it greatly improves cargo carrying capacity.

The boot has tie-down straps, leather lining the sides and floor, and a tub-shaped design that partially hides the brace linking the two wheel wells.

Leather for the concept’s cabin and boot was done by Italian interior design firm Poltrona Frau, while Schedoni, a leather goods firm from Modena, hand-crafted the car’s matching luggage set.

According to BMW the Concept Touring Coupe shares its name and draws its inspiration from the 328 Touring Coupe from the late 1930s, and which won the Mille Miglia race in 1940.

The concept is also said to pay homage to the first modern BMW to wear the Touring badge: the 02 shooting brake from the 1970s.

Interestingly, the automaker makes no mention of the Z3 coupe. Like the Touring Coupe, it was more of a shooting brake or hatch than coupe, but it missed out on BMW’s signature Hoffmeister kink.

Stylistically, it was an acquired taste and was described by some in the media as a “bread van”.

The Touring Coupe rides on light gold-colour 20-inch alloy wheels up front, and 21-inch rims at the rear. Under the car’s long bonnet there’s a straight-six petrol engine, but BMW isn’t saying which variant the concept is using.

Right now BMW is saying the Touring Coupe is a one-off car, but if it does make it into production, it will be the third body style on the platform that’s shared with Toyota for its latest Supra coupe.