BMW Z8 - a bit retro with lots of style and power

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BMW Z8 - a bit retro with lots of style and power

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Created on July 22, 2020

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

50

BMW AG

8

Archiv BMW AG

2

MGM

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Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH

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BMW Z8 (2001) - a car for the good times in life

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BMW Z8 (2001) - a good 5000 cars were built

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BMW Z8 (2001) - can glide along surprisingly quietly

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BMW Z8 (2001) - can be driven fast, but also leisurely

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BMW Z8 (2001) - classic roadster stature also from the front

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BMW Z8 (2001) - good suspension without being excessively hard

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BMW Z8 (2001) - from 0 to 100 km/h in around five seconds

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BMW Z8 (2001) - why can't all cars look this good from behind?

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BMW Z8 (2001) - leisurely cruising with the Z8 is no problem

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BMW Z8 (2001) - doesn't have to be loud to please

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BMW Z8 (2001) - immediately recognizable

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BMW Z8 (2001) - the speed limit is set at 250 km/h

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BMW Z8 (2001) - a good 1.8 m wide, almost slender by today's standards

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BMW Z8 (2001) - classic roadster proportions

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BMW Z8 (2001) - long snout, short rear - classic proportions

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BMW Z8 (2001) - big wheels, short overhangs

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BMW Z8 (2001) - some observers consider the narrow rear lights to be a reminiscence of the Jaguar e-Type, so the cat fits quite well

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BMW Z8 (2001) - like the Z 07 prototype, the production Z8 also has a steering wheel with spring spokes and centrally arranged instruments

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BMW Z8 (2001) - easily accessible gearshift

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BMW Z8 (2001) - even an airbag steering wheel can look good

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BMW Z8 (2001) - nothing distracts the eye from the road

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BMW Z8 (2001) - nice detail, the white analog clock

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BMW Z8 (2001) - six-speed manual transmission

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BMW Z8 (2001) - smooth leather for the seats

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BMW Z8 (2001) - V8 installed as low and as far back as possible

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BMW Z8 (2001) - 400 hp from the five-liter engine

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BMW Z8 (2001) - four overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder - lots of technology

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BMW Z8 (2001) - unfortunately you can see very little of the engine

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BMW Z8 (2001) - the V8 engine was also installed in the BMW M5

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BMW Z8 (2001) - not everyone likes the xenon headlights under glass

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BMW Z8 (2001) - Warning in the rear-view mirror

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BMW Z8 (2001) - this air outlet on the flank is reminiscent of the BMW 507

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BMW Z8 (2001) - door handles integrated into the design

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BMW Z8 (2001) - certainly one of the most successful rear sections of all time

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BMW Z8 (2001) - American models have single-arm tail lights

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BMW Z8 (2001) - rear lights have rarely looked so elegant

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BMW Z8 (2001) - Neon technology for the rear lights

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BMW Z07 (1997) - Study, presented in Tokyo 1997

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BMW 507 (1956) - together with BMW Z8 from 2002 - how much do they really have in common?

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BMW Isetta (1960) - together with the BMW Z8 in 2002 - hardly any similarities

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BMW Z8 (1999) - Pierce Brosnan as James Bond with the Z8

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BMW Z8 Alpina (2002) - in the tradition of the AC Cobra

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BMW Z8 Alpina (2002) - in the tradition of the AC Cobra

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BMW Z8 (2000) - enough space for two people and the necessary weekend luggage

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BMW Z8 (2000) - standard version with hardtop

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BMW-Alpina Z8 Roadster (2002) - a total of 555 Alpina variants were produced between 2002 and 2003

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BMW Z8 (2000) - already a classic today and shown in the background together with the 507 - Auto e Moto d'Epoca 2014

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BMW Z8 - unmistakable rear signature - Techno Classica Essen 2019

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Summary

For years it was considered a classic of the future, but now the BMW Z8 has matured into a youngtimer. And its prices have remained at a high level for years. Anyone who sits in the elegant "roadster" will understand why this BMW is held in such high esteem. Because it is a super sports car and gentleman's grand tourer in one. This driving report describes the history of the BMW Z8 and shows it in current and historical pictures. There is also a sound sample.

This article contains the following chapters

Premiere at the IAA 1999
Design - Retro Plus
Technology - at the cutting edge
Completely
Seen is not yet built
Incomparable?
Halved for Bond
Stable investment
A true gentleman's GT

Estimated reading time: 10min

Preview (beginning of the article)

For years it was regarded as a classic of the future, but now the BMW Z8 has matured into a youngtimer. The magazine "auto motor und sport" ran the headline "Pfau Acht" (Peacock Eight) and characterized the new sports car at the launch of the Z8 in 1999 as follows: "The BMW Z8 Roadster, available from spring 2000, combines the 400 hp V8 from the new M5 and a design inspired by the timelessly beautiful 507 to create a sports car in a class of its own". "This is our gift to the millennium," Wolfgang Reitzle, Board Member for Development and Sales, was quoted as saying before he left BMW. Some things went well at BMW back then, some things went badly. The "Rover" adventure had not left a good aftertaste, but with the (re-)entry into Formula 1, BMW had big plans. And the Z8 was one of them.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

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