Smit Oletha: The $450k Z8 Coupe BMW never made | Top Gear

[Mani59]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

It’s not what you think it is, this car. You’re probably looking at it and thinking ‘what have they done to a BMW Z8?’ But all is not as it seems here. This is not a BMW Z8 coupe so much as a greatest hits of BMW’s parts bin. It’s called the Smit Oletha and it’s the brainchild of two engineering-obsessed brothers from California, Willem and Kaess Smit. Both have mechanical engineering backgrounds, one in aerospace and advanced composites, the other in automotive with stints at both Tesla and Singer. But have they built the car BMW never would? We sent Top Gear Magazine's Ollie Marriage to California to investigate.

[Murf993]

That is very nice, everything my Z4MC wasn't. I'd love one of these. My wife needs to work harder.

[AutoCity]

Shaken not stirred

[///MPhatic]

Monumental IMO. I love it.

[WickedNy]

Love

[NightWriter]

Brilliant and gorgeous. BMW should hire these guys to spearhead a new Z8, regardless of what the business case for it is. This could be a proper halo car.

[ChampagneQrtzPapi]

Sweet car, but def prefer the front end of the Z8.

[BMWRL]

Damn…

What a beautiful car

[IB M]

When a Z4 dies and goes to Heaven.

Wow!

[Hutchinson04]

Who knew a German engine could sound so American?

[Pinkoboe]

So where in California is this beautiful magical road where the video was shot? I need to visit it ASAP!

And that car!

[Surgx5]

When dreams come to life.

[KoenG]

A splendid car that most BMW fans can appreciate. Nevertheless, the XM dystopic monster truck will become the new halo car. Such a shame BMW has lost its ways and denies its own core values.

[kyleb350]

Amazing

Wonder if they could have designed a rear diffuser to help more with the rear lift problem.

[MilehighM3]

Very pretty car. I have no idea what woudl make them swap in an S65 though. Lost 100lb of torque compared to the S62 especially down low, doesn't matter the engine was stroked.

[MSCD]

Looks great, expensive, but less than an original Z8 is these days!

[Trainwreck914]

That is beautiful. Just so we'll executed.

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by KoenG

A splendid car that most BMW fans can appreciate. Nevertheless, the XM dystopic monster truck will become the new halo car. Such a shame BMW has lost its ways and denies its own core values.

haha, “dystopic monster truck” made me laugh. They will be making the XM because they know that Americans will buy it. Americans love their trucks.

[DealBMW]

The rear end is gorgeous, but not sure about those kidney grills 😬

[MadBimmeRad]

The Smit brothers remind me of a little known Aussie called Sir Jack Brabham who was a Royal Australian Air Force flight mechanic and ran a small engineering workshop.

Having won the Formula One world championship in 1959 and 1960, in the 1966 Formula One season Brabham became the first – and still, the only – man to win the Formula One world championship driving a car he built entirely himself.

Here is to little known heros; I salute you all

[chris719]

Originally Posted by KoenG

A splendid car that most BMW fans can appreciate. Nevertheless, the XM dystopic monster truck will become the new halo car. Such a shame BMW has lost its ways and denies its own core values.

No one bought BMWs sports cars. They had to nearly give away Z4Ms, and it was actually pretty good. It's hard to fault them for chasing the money. I would like them to do both, however.

[cncmastr]

I'm really digging this!