[Auto]20 years since the launch of the BMW Z8

[SougarLord]

 

The BMW Z8 featured a 4.4-meter-long bodywork that was designed by Henrik Fisker and continued in the tradition of the legendary 1956 BMW 507, created by Albrecht von Goertz (1914-2006). "If I had to design the BMW 507 today, it would be like the BMW Z8," von Goertz commented in 2003. True to the brand's successful Roadster formula, the BMW Z8 sported a very long bonnet, a position of driving close to the rear axle and a low waist line.

 

 

Under the name of BMW Z07, the world got to know for the first time the BMW Z8 in the form of a concept vehicle at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show. It would take until the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show to see its production version.

 

In the year 2000, it would reach the global market. It was marketed for three years and 5,703 units were built. All of them, manufactured by hand by expert operators in the Munich plant, in Germany.

 

The most powerful engine of the moment

 

Among its main features, a chassis with numerous parts made of aluminum stood out. The careful 50:50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles, as well as the use of the BMW M S62 drivetrain from the BMW M5 E39 and tuned by BMW Motorsport gave the BMW Z8 extraordinary dynamism. It was a 4.9-liter naturally aspirated V8 block with 400 hp associated with a six-speed manual gearbox. At the time, this was the most powerful production engine BMW had in its portfolio, and of course the BMW Z8 deserved no less.

All of this power was sent to the rear axle and was governed by Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and a limited-slip differential. Furthermore, the BMW Z8 was the first European vehicle to offer run-flat tires on 18-inch wheels as standard and had tire pressure monitoring; an innovative technology for that moment. The BMW Z8 was capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km / h in just 4.7 seconds and its top speed was electronically limited to 250 km / h.

 

A Roadster full of exclusivity and curiosities

 

The BMW Z8 was a truly exclusive and unique model, and the brand wanted its acquisition to be an experience worthy of the vehicle. The brand offered the customers of this Roadster the possibility of going to the same factory in Munich and witnessing the last stages of the assembly of their vehicle. In addition, when the keys were handed over, they were accompanied by a handmade book that included photographs of the production process of that specific unit, as well as real samples of the painting and upholstery of the same.

The level of exclusivity of the BMW Z8 was such that it became one of the most famous secret agent vehicles of all time. The BMW Z8 was the James Bond costar, who debuted it for the movie "The World Is Not Enough" in 1999.

 

In addition, its high sportsmanship and cutting-edge technology earned the BMW Z8 to be a “safety car” in the MotoGP World Championship in the 2002 season.

 

Today, the essence of BMW Roadster continues with the current BMW Z4. This two-seater convertible offers the same design proportions that the BMW 315/1 debuted in 1934 and that were followed by iconic classics such as the BMW 328 Roadster (1937), the BMW 507 (1956) or the BMW Z1 of the 1980s.