The BMW Z8 Came With A 50 Year Spare Parts Promise

507 Reasons to Love the Z8

The BMW Z8 was never meant to go into production but after its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the response was overwhelming and Beemer decided to follow through. Its distinctive look is derived from a retro-futuristic design and the biggest influence is the BMW 507.

Designed by Henrik Fisker 

Chris Bangle was the lead of the design team when the BMW Z8 was in the pipeline during the 90s. Bangle has been responsible for the designs of several cars from BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce but it was Henrik Fisker who deserves the majority of the credit.

He then started his own company AKA Fisker which has been in a lot of trouble lately due to bad finances and vaporware offerings. The car was handbuilt in Germany using the Space Frame production process and inputs from BMW Individual.

The interior is a refreshingly eye-catching blend of big centrally mounted gauges and a wire-spoke steering wheel. All Z8s came with a color-matched hardtop and all-in-one controls that reduced the number of buttons needed for day-to-day operations.

The S62 was Shared with E39 M5

Bavarians decided to stuff in a heavily reworked version of the V8 used in M5. The all-aluminum block could make 395 hp at 6,600 rpm and 369 lb-ft at 3,800 rpm. The engine was mounted on the front axle and was mated to a six-speed manual or an automatic. 

R&T tested one and it could do 60 mph in a low 4-second range and had a limited top speed of 155 mph

Despite the Z8 being produced in large numbers, the BMW roadster was always a collector’s special. The main reason behind that was the uniqueness of hand-built features and finishes. 

Both Chassis and Frames were made out of Aluminum to meet the weight low which topped at 3494 pounds, quite heavy but nothing to scoff at as the Current M2 weighs 600 pounds more.

BMW also promised the Z8 owners of spare parts stock-piled for the coming 50 years. This saved numerous Z8s from being abandoned due to maintenance issues and ensured their future collectibility.

MotoGP Safety car from BMW M Division

Motorsports have a history of choosing odd cars for the safety services on the tracks but opting for a Z8 roadster was probably the craziest of them all. BMW’s M Division provided a lot of man-hours to upgrade the sports car to a track-ready mode.

A full roll cage and a limited-slip differential are among the few additions that were made alongside the special Moto GP safety car livery.

The Alpina Version

The Alpina Roadster V8 replaced the original Z8 after the completion of its production. It came with a slightly smaller 4.8L V8 engine and the 5-speed automatic was opted over the 6-speed manual. It was more of a GT version of the Z8 with a softer suspension and relaxed driving demeanor.

The Alpina version could deliver 375 hp of power while the maximum torque was 383 lb.-ft. The roadster with a top speed of 161 MPH had 555 examples built and was sold only through direct BMW dealerships.

The “Z8” Is Enough

The roadster’s fame is not limited to the automotive market only as you will find it in noteworthy movies and video games as well. The most famous appearance is obviously in the James Bond movie, “The World Is Not Enough”.

The Z8 was also seen in a spoof Bond movie called The Tuxedo starring Jackie Chan. You can also virtually drive the roadster in games like “Agent Under Fire” and “Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2”.Today a used one will set you back around $170,000 to $300,000 and is among the few BMW cars that don't depreciate like crazy.

Alternatively, you can check out the old BMW Z4 which is still in production and comes with a fabulous inline 6 and a manual transmission for less than $80,000.

Image Source- BMW Pressclub, Alpina Press