Classic pearls of the future - BMW Z8
06/03/2013
No, the Z8 was not a BMW like the others. Built in 5,703 units from 2000 to 2003, it almost looked like a neo-Cobra. Thanks to the five-liter, 400 hp V8 engine, which was coupled with a mechanical six-speed gearbox, it offered outstanding performance despite its considerable weight of over 1,600 kg.
The two-seater body was designed by Henrik Fisker and was particularly appealing due to the tapered rear end with its slit-like light units, while the front differed from other sports cars mainly due to the centrally positioned additional headlights in the wide kidney grille. The interior was dominated by fine materials and the instruments were arranged in the center of the dashboard, as in some English classics.
Alpina did produce an automatic version for the Americans, which was produced 555 times within the total production run.
The small number of units, the individual look, the addictive sound and the loving design made the Z8 an almost instant classic. The prices never really dipped. Today, good Z8s are already being traded close to their original price (235,000 DM or around 120,000 euros). So if electronics problems do not cause any unforeseen problems in the future, the Z8 will certainly not be denied entry into classic car heaven.
