Monterey Automotive Week is all the time filled with uncommon automobiles and surprises, however few drew extra double-takes this yr than the Bovensiepen Zagato. We had the prospect to see it up shut at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and once more on the Idea Garden at Pebble Seashore, capturing a brand new set of photographs of the automotive’s first American outing.
That is the third time the Bovensiepen brothers have proven their new creation, after its world premiere at Fuorio Concorso in Could and its run on the Goodwood Competition of Pace in July. Seeing it beneath the California solar, although, gave us a contemporary perspective on the proportions, the detailing, and the way in which Zagato’s design interacts with the carbon bodywork.
From ALPINA to Bovensiepen Car
BMW’s acquisition of the ALPINA title meant the Bovensiepen household might not use the model they’d constructed for many years. Somewhat than cease, Andreas and Florian Bovensiepen launched Bovensiepen Car. Their first automotive, developed with Zagato, is a carbon-bodied coupe constructed on BMW’s M4 Convertible platform. It marks a transparent continuation of the household’s custom in Buchloe — automobiles that mix efficiency upgrades with painstaking craftsmanship — however beneath a brand new title.
Why a Convertible Base Makes Sense
Our photographs spotlight the Zagato’s defining characteristic: the double-bubble carbon roof that flows into the rear glass. This design was solely potential as a result of the group began with an M4 Convertible (G83 LCI), which allowed them to remove the B-pillar altogether. From a distance, it seems like a bespoke coupe; beneath the pores and skin, it’s technically a hardtop cabriolet with a wholly new physique. Although the unique construction is retained for security and homologation, greater than 400 new elements have been developed. The carbon pores and skin, together with a number of light-weight chassis adjustments, shaves about 110 kilos in comparison with the donor M4 Convertible.
Efficiency Upgrades
Beneath the carbon hood, the Zagato makes use of BMW’s S58 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six, tuned effectively past the inventory M4. A redesigned consumption and exhaust system, new turbos, and a 22 kg titanium Akrapovič exhaust push output to 611 hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft). That interprets to 0–100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and a high velocity above 300 km/h (186 mph). Suspension tuning was dealt with in Buchloe in collaboration with Bilstein, leading to a customized Damptronic setup that gives Consolation, Sport, and Sport Plus modes — conserving with the Bovensiepen motto, “Tremendous Driving.”
Longer Than A BMW M8 Coupe
Up shut at The Quail, the Zagato’s dimension is extra obvious. At almost 5 meters lengthy, it’s truly longer than a BMW M8 Coupe by 5 centimeters. The headlights, taken from the 4 Sequence, are partially coated and sit decrease and additional ahead, giving the automotive a sharper face. The rear haunches have a extra pronounced character line than the donor automotive, whereas ALPINA-inspired wheels give a delicate nod to the household’s historical past.
Regardless of the added size, it doesn’t really feel outsized in particular person. If something, the steadiness of the proportions makes the Zagato look tighter and extra purposeful than an M4.
Cabin Craftsmanship
Inside, it’s enterprise as normal for Buchloe: Lavalina leather-based dominates. Masking almost each floor, the method calls for 130 hours of labor, 390 particular person cuttings, and 1,800 meters of thread. Prospects can select from 16 leather-based shades, 45 Alcantara choices, or fee absolutely bespoke designs.
The automotive we photographed at Pebble Seashore featured a brown-and-beige cabin paired with the Carbon Package deal, whereas the Lake Como prototype used a placing blue inside. Each present the vary of customization Bovensiepen is keen to ship.
Exclusivity and Timeline
Every Bovensiepen Zagato requires over 250 hours of hand meeting, and annual manufacturing will probably be capped within the low lots of. Homologation for the U.S. and Japan remains to be pending, so the ultimate quantity could also be even smaller. Pricing is anticipated to fall between €400,000 and €500,000, and the primary buyer deliveries are deliberate for mid-2026.
Seeing the Bovensiepen Zagato on American soil for the primary time was a reminder that whereas the ALPINA title is now BMW’s, the household behind it continues to construct automobiles in Buchloe. This coupe doesn’t disguise its BMW roots, but it surely reframes them — with a full carbon physique, a extra highly effective S58 engine, and an inside completed to an ordinary you received’t discover on the M4 order sheet.
