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BMW Z1 - from concept car to fun and long-term automobile

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Created on November 25, 2011

Reading time 9min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

9

Bruno von Rotz

36

Archiv

20

Daniel Reinhard

9

Bruno von Rotz

36

Archiv

20

BMW Z1 (1991) - gedrungen und schon im Stand schnell

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BMW Z1 (1991) - die hohen Rückspiegel lassen ihn noch geduckter wirken

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BMW Z1 (1991) - mit geschlossenem Verdeck und Seitentüren

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BMW Z1 (1991) - alles offen - Seitentüren und Verdeck

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BMW Z1 (1991) - klassische Proportionen

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BMW Z1 (1991) - eigenständige Heckpartie, integrierte Auspuffenden

Bild von Partner Planai Classic 2025 Inline 1

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BMW Z1 (1991) - Silhouette mit geschlossenen Türen und Fenstern

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BMW Z1 (1991) - Silhouette mit offenen Türen

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BMW Z1 (1991) - der Auspuff wurde sorgfätig gestaltet, um die Aerodynamik nicht zu zerstören

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BMW Z1 (1991) - sofort als BMW zu erkennen

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BMW Z1 (1991) - Blick zum Scheitelpunkt und schon ist die Kurve gemeistert

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BMW Z1 (1991) - sehr handlich zu fahren

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BMW Z1 (1991) - weitgehend neutrales Fahrverhalten

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BMW Z1 (1991) - darf mit offiziellem Segen auch ganz offen gefahren werden

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BMW Z1 (1991) - denken und einlenken sind eins

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BMW Z1 (1991) - mit nach vorne öffnender Motorhaube

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BMW Z1 (1991) - der berühmte Reihensechszylinder aus dem 325i

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BMW Z1 (1991) - kein Chrom am Z1

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BMW Z1 (1991) - die BMW-Niere durfte natürlich nicht fehlen

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BMW Z1 (1991) - das schön gestaltete Interieur des BMW Z1, mit einer Kombination von fahrzeugspezifischen und Grossserien-Teilen

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BMW Z1 (1991) - das Lenkrad war eine Exklusivität für den Z1

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BMW Z1 (1991) - überall ist das BMW-Emblem sichtbar

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BMW Z1 (1991) - Armaturen aus der Grossserie

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BMW Z1 (1991) - rot steht dem Z1 besonders gut

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BMW Z1 (1991) - das Spiel von Kurven und Kanten

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BMW Z1 (1991) - der Z1-Schriftzug am Heck

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BMW Z1 (1991) - BMW-Zeichen am Heck, kaum eine plane Fläche am Fahrzeug

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BMW Z1 (1991) - Das Lampendesign macht einen erheblichen Teil der Reizes des Z1 aus

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BMW Z1 (1991) - hochliegende Rückspiegel sind gut einsehbar

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BMW Z1 (1991) - die charakteristischen Rückspiegel hatte nur der Z1

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BMW Z1 (1991) - die Seitentüren werden durch Motoren gesenkt und angehoben (1)

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BMW Z1 (1991) - die Seitentüren werden durch Motoren gesenkt und angehoben (2)

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BMW Z1 (1991) - die Seitentüren werden durch Motoren gesenkt und angehoben (3)

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BMW Z1 (1991) - die Seitentüren werden durch Motoren gesenkt und angehoben (4)

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BMW Z1 (1991) - hier startete vor vielen Jahren das Bergrennen Rheineck-Walzenhausen

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BMW Z1 (1991) - dem Himmel am nächsten - alles offen

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BMW Z1 (1989) - das Dach wird manuell geöffnet, ...

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BMW Z1 (1989) - ... was dank der genialen Konstruktion einfach ist, am Schluss ...

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BMW Z1 (1989) - ... verschwindet das Dach unter einer Klappe

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BMW Z1 (1989) - der Frühling kann kommen

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BMW Z1 (1989) - hervorragende Fahreigenschaften machen das Kurvenfahren zum Vergnügen

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BMW Z1 (1989) - neutrales Fahrverhalten dank guter Gewichtsverteilung

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BMW Z1 (1989) - schnelles Touren ist ihm auf den Leib geschrieben

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BMW Z1 (1989) - typische Farbkombination aus der Zeit

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BMW Z1 (1989) - der Reihensechszylinder, oft kopiert, nie erreicht

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BMW Z1 (1987) - der Prototyp, der an der IAA 1987 gezeigt wurde

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BMW Z1 (1987) - Prototyp von 1987 - etwas weniger kantisch wirkt das Konzeptfahrzeug

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BMW Z1 (1989) - der offene Sportwagn in Grün - Aufnahme aus Verkaufsprospekt

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BMW Z1 (1988) - das Konzeptfahrzeug war zum Serienmobil gereift, ohne wesentliche Abstriche akzeptieren zu müssen

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BMW Z1 (1988) - in seiner finalen Form

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BMW Z1 (1988) - Vorserienexemplar auf Demonstrationsfahrt

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BMW Z1 (1988) - Vorserienversion in voller Fahrt

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BMW Z1 (1989) - Dach geschlossen

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BMW Z1 (1989) - Dach halb geschlossen

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BMW Z1 (1989) - der Z1 und seine Vorgänger BMW 3 15, 315, 328, 507

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BMW Z1 (1989) - mit geschlossenen Türen

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BMW Z1 (1989) - mit geöffneten Türen

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BMW Z1 (1989) - mit offenen Seitentüren bei feuchter Witterung

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BMW Z1 (1989) - bereitet auch bei feuchter Witterung offen Fahrspass

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BMW Z1 (1989) - Lenkrad und Armaturenbrett

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BMW Z1 (1989) - Edelstahl-Chassis-Konstruktion

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BMW Z1 (1989) - Z1 ohne Verschalung

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BMW Z1 (1989) - die Kunststoff-Beplankung entfernt

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BMW Z1 (1989) - Strömungsverhältnisse mit Verdeck

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BMW Z1 (1989) - Strömungsverhältnisse ohne Verdeck

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Summary

Engineers and designers are rarely able to design on a greenfield site, and it is even rarer for the results of such work to be sold to customers at moderate prices. The BMW Z1 is one such exception; in the meantime, the last examples built have already matured into youngtimers, and in seven years' time Z1s will be on the road at classic car meetings. And they stand out among their peers with their timeless design and still impressive features today. Hardly any other classic car manages the balancing act between suitability for everyday use and individuality better than the Z1. This report takes a look at the development of the Z1 and describes driving impressions from today, supplemented by many current and historical photos and original documents.

This article contains the following chapters

From idea to customer in just three years
Two young savages step on the gas
Innovative ideas
Retractable doors
Large series as parts donor
Four colors
Long-term automobile
The roadster that is not a roadster
Enthusiastic and talkative press
The car that reads minds
"Instant Classic" - born to be a classic
The technical effort has its consequences
Not cheap, but affordable
Further information

Estimated reading time: 9min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Engineers and designers are rarely able to design on a greenfield site and it is even rarer for the results of such work to be sold to customers at moderate prices. The BMW Z1 is one such exception; the last examples built have already matured into youngtimers, and from 2019, Z1s will be on the road at classic car meetings. And they stand out among their peers with their timeless design and impressive features, even today. Hardly any other classic car manages the balancing act between suitability for everyday use and individuality better than the Z1. Work on the BMW Z1 began sometime in the spring of 1985, the first ready-to-drive prototype was presented to journalists in the summer of 1986, the sports car was the star of the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in September 1987 and series production began in the summer of 1988. Only three years for a completely new car from the drawing to series production, that was more than remarkable.

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