The BMW Z5 looks great with its top down, even in the middle of winter

The upcoming BMW Z5 and Toyota Supra twins have been making more and more appearances of late, which most likely means the end of development is drawing near. Though there have been plenty of photos of the cars in both sunshine and snow, until now we haven't seen pictures of the BMW with its new convertible soft top down.

This gives us a very good look at the top-down profile. The Z5's new soft top replaces the retractable hardtop on the outgoing, second-generation BMW Z4. Aside from giving the car a more classic look, the new top appears far more compact than the last Z4's roof when closed. And there's a very good chance it and its mechanism weigh less than the Z4's hard roof.

The Z5's mustachioed driver is apparently not bothered by the cold, as our spy photographer reported a temperature of 7 degrees Fahrenheit in this particular part of Sweden. Count a win for BMW seat warmers, and if this guy is lucky the new car has BMW's in-seat neck warmers sending warm air to his shoulders.

We still don't have a date for either car's full reveal, but the factory line that will produce the Z5 and the Toyota Supra has been on hold for months in preparation. Don't expect to wait too much longer to see the fruits of this Japanese-German joint venture.

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