Almost cartoon-like in its detailing, the Mille Miglia 2006 runs on 20in rims, has boldly accentuated front wheelarches, spat-covered rear wheels, a split windscreen, asymmetric rear window and rear bodywork, and vaguely sinister, flat, round LED headlamps. Its aerodynamic body is made from carbonfibre-reinforced plastic stretched over a steel frame.

The concept car has no doors - the whole glasshouse is hinged at the rear and a leather flap, stored in the cockpit, can be draped over the side of the bodywork to protect the paintwork from scratches as you get in and out.

As befits a motorsport-inspired concept, the Mille Miglia 2006 is powered by the Z4 M Coupe's 338bhp 3.2-litre straight-six, but with its inlet and exhaust systems tuned to create a 'racier' sound at both idle and full throttle.

Unlike many concept cars, this retro coupe, which took four months to build, won't be doing the rounds of the world's motor shows - BMW says that the Mille Miglia 2006 was designed to be 'a hero for a night' in Brescia on the eve of this year's event and won't be seen again until it becomes a star attraction in the revamped BMW museum in Munich next year.