BMW Z8 Roadster, 2003
BMW Z8
BMW Z8•
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Chassis No.: WBAEJ13403AH62007
- Odometer: 13,690 miles
- Engine: V-8
- Transmission: Manual
- Exterior: Black
- Interior: Black
- Body: Roadster
- Highly original example
- 1 of 2,543 standard U.S. spec BMW Z8s produced
- Odometer reads 13,690 miles
- 4.9L V-8 engine
- 6-speed manual transmission
- Black convertible soft top and removable hardtop
- Leather interior
- Heated seats
- 4-wheel disc brakes
- 18-inch BMW wheels
- Recent mechanical service completed
- Owner’s manual
Based on the Z07 concept car unveiled at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show, the BMW Z8 was designed and positioned to evoke the famed BMW 507 Roadster of 1956 to 1960. The 507, conceived by New York automotive impresario Max Hoffmann and designed by German industrial designer Albrecht von Goertz, drew international acclaim for its beautiful styling, but disappointing performance and high production costs forced BMW to abandon production after 1959. In contrast, the Z8 proved incredibly successful, even as a limited-production model.
Imagining how the 507 would have evolved over the 40 years since its production, the BMW design team of Chris Bangle, Henrik Fisk and Scott Lempert produced a stunning retro-modern design that still impresses with its deftly executed references to the 507. BMW’s engineering section took over from there, endowing the Z8 with the contemporary M5’s sensational 4.9L/395 HP V-8, a hand-built, all-aluminum, DOHC piece incorporating 4 valves per cylinder and port fuel injection. The M5’s 6-speed manual transmission, a lower-geared limited slip differential and 500 fewer pounds allow the Z8 to improve on the M5’s performance, producing a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds and 155 MPH limited top speed.
Riding on the Z7-design 18-inch five-spoke wheels mounting Continental rubber, the Z8’s finer suspension tuning gives both exceptional ride comfort and superior handling, with the added benefit of ABS-controlled 4-wheel disc brakes. The highly original, low-mileage 2003 BMW Z8 offered here is one of just 2,543 standard U.S.-spec BMW Z8s produced over the model’s brief three-year production run. The car’s gleaming black paint is matched with a black convertible soft top (or the included black removable hard top) and black leather interior, which includes heated Sport seats, a banjo-style leather-wrapped steering wheel, centrally located instruments and a host of power accessories.
Fresh from a recent mechanical service, this BMW Z8 roadster combines style, performance and rarity in what is now considered a modern classic.
