It's been half a decade since BMW and Toyota announced their new sports car platform partnership, so isn't it about time we saw some results? Absolutely. BMW beat Toyota to the punch when it unveiled its stunning Z4 Concept last August, thus clearly indicating the production version isn't far behind. Thanks to spotter Automotive Mike, we can see a far less disguised Z4 mule out testing on the holy grail of curvy road courses, the Nurburgring. There's no mistaking this prototype for anything other than the Z4, with its twin kidney grille uncovered.

Even the headlights are close to being identical to those on the concept. The hunch over the rear wheels is also clearly visible. However, and we hope this is due to the camo, the overall exterior doesn't appear to be quite as dramatic as the concept's.

It's not unusual for automakers to tone down styling from concept to production car, but the Z4 concept looked totally doable, save for the narrow side mirrors and larger wheels. Let's hope that'll be the case. Under the hood, rumor has it a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 180 hp will serve as the base engine, though buyers can opt for a more powerful version with 250 ponies. The top-of-the-line Z4 will come powered with a turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six with up to 385 hp, thanks to the expected Competition Package. The Z4 is expected to be a 2019 model, so chances are BMW will reveal it very soon, perhaps as soon as next month at LA or at Geneva in March.