The plastic roadster: a BMW Z1 arrived in Argentina

[Inkriql]

Between 1989 and 1991, BMW manufactured a roadster with a plastic body. It was called Z1 and was the precursor of a long family of two-seater convertibles, known as Z3, Z4 and Z8.

Until recently, in Argentina there were only two copies of Z1. They belonged to Diego Maradona and actor Ricardo Darín. It is a very rare model to see, since 8,000 units were manufactured, of which some 6,500 remained in Germany.

However, there are now three in our country. This newly entered specimen arrived through the repatriation system (see how the procedure is done). That is why he received a new "AD" patent.

His public debut was days ago, during the event that Track Day Argentina organized at the Autodromo de Buenos Aires. The photos published here were sent to info@autoblog.com.ar by JuanT, Autoblog's paparazzo.

The Z1 has a six-cylinder in-line engine, with 2.5 liters of displacement, 168 horsepower and 222 Nm of torque. It is combined with a five-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive.

The plastic body allowed it to have a fairly contained weight: 1,250 kilos. Almost as heavy as the entire body, however, was its complex system of retractable doors. When they touched the button on the lock, they hid in the lower part of the body.

It was a complex and heavy system, although it had a great reward: it allowed to drive the Z1 with the doors "open."