Earlier this month we brought you some new spy images of BMW's upcoming Z4 successor, the Z5. Actually, we can't even confirm whether or not Z5 will be the final name, but it's a fairly good guess. BMW has also confirmed to us that development is still ongoing, with the launch expected to happen in about 18 months from now. The Z5 will also be the first BMW co-developed with Toyota, which is reportedly working on a new sports car of its own, possibly a reborn Supra.

But those recent Z5 spy shots have given us a fairly good idea as what the car will look like: a long hood, short rear deck and, unlike the Z4, a soft top as opposed to a folding hard top (it'll also be offered as a coupe). But today, the crew over at OmniAuto.it has cooked up this rendered image of what the Z5 roadster could look like, taking into account BMW's current styling language. However, BMW Blog claims it's heard from inside sources the final design "will be a bit more daring" by taking cues from the 328 Hommage and Vision ConnectedDrive concepts. The Z5 will likely be offered with both four and six cylinder engines.

The top end M Performance version might be a hybrid with a four-pot with water injection. Total output? Around 600 hp. Rear-wheel-drive will be standard while an xDrive AWD system will be optional. But for now, let us know what you think about this rendering. Should BMW play it safe and stick with its current styling language, or go bold with something really futuristic or even retro? Rendering courtesy of OmniAuto.it