Reports are popping up saying that the BMW Skytop concept, unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este last week, may get an actual, though very short, production run.
Marketers have long known that short-run, exclusive merchandise can encourage and engage enthusiastic crowds. The uniqueness, scarcity, and prestige of snagging a rare item can prompt many to open their wallets and even compete to make the purchase.
BMW has definitely learned that lesson. In fact, they’ve tested it out before. And BMW Group design boss Adrian van Hooydonk told Automotive News (subscription required) that a production version of the Skytop concept is on the table. The report states that Hooydonk believes anywhere up to 25 cars could be built.
In 2022, BMW made 50 of the BMW 3.0 CSL to commemorate the 50th anniversary of M.
While BMW has long offered customization options ranging from simple paint color all the way to the detailed preferences possible via BMW Individual, actual limited-run vehicle production hasn’t happened all that often. Sure, the 2022 50-unit run of the BMW 3.0 CSL, celebrating the 50th anniversary of M, was an solid test for the market. But now, BMW is considering a run of the recently revealed BMW Skytop, inspired by the BMW Z8 series and the historic 507.
Could this be the beginning of an annual or more-frequent trend of short-run production vehicle models? Given all the advances in manufacturing that allow multiple models to be customized on the assembly line, virtually on the fly, it’s certainly technically possible. Will the market support it? It’s not as if dropping the reported $700k on the 50th anniversary BMW 3.0 CSL attracted the masses the way a new color for the (now almost cliche) Stanley tumbler would. But even at that price point, unique short-run BMWs could be compelling for a particularly well-heeled market.
Read the Report at Motor Authority.
