1990 BMW Z1 – Auction Car of the Week

Cast your mind back to the late ’80s. The class-defining Mazda MX-5 was just around the corner and things were about to get interesting in the two-seater sports car market. BMW hadn’t made a roadster since the 507 back in the ’50s but that all changed in 1986 when the German giant unveiled the Z1 prototype – a car that would kick-start BMW’s modern, sporty roadster line with the subsequent Z3, Z4 and Z8 models, and whilst they were incredibly popular cars, they failed to be as distinctive or as enigmatic as the Z1.

A product of BMW’s newly set up ‘Technik GmbH’ division for emerging technologies the Z1 was developed by Bez. No, not that weird dancing bloke from The Happy Mondays, Ulrich Bez, the man in charge of this new concept department. Klaus Faust took over in ’88 with the actual lines being penned by Dutch designer Harm Lagaay and with its removable plastic body panels and now iconic sliding doors, the Z1, much like Sean Ryder’s mate, was definitely unique.

The Z1 was more than just a pair of fancy doors though. Its newly-designed, multi-link ‘Z’ axle proved to be a winning configuration, going on to feature in the E36, and we all know how well those things drive. The front suspension may have been pinched from the E30, along with a few other bits and bobs, but the monocoque chassis was exclusive to the car and featured a composite under tray making the Z1 incredibly rigid. Endowed with a 2.5-litre, straight-six- engine (again nabbed from the E30) the Z1 produced 170 horsepower and could get to 60mph in around 7.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 140mph. Narrowly beating the aforementioned MX-5 to the punch the Z1 was well received when the production version hit the streets in early 1989 but with only 8,000 ever produced its a hen’s teeth car nowadays. It’s a quirky and characterful roadster and while those particular adjectives may not usually be associated with the then current crop of BMWs the Z1 retains a build quality and level of performance that we’ve come to expect from the German auto maker.

An innovative machine indeed then and the 1990 BMW Z1 we have available via our auctions platform is a particularly special example. With only two owners throughout its life, the most recent of which having been in possession for twenty years, this Z1 has truly been cherished. Don’t just take or word for it though, a look through the extensive and well-documented history file will tell you all you need to know. Beautifully finished in BMW’s desirable Urgrün metallic paint this Z1 certainly looks good and those famous sliding doors that disappear onto the car’s body operate seamlessly.

Mechanically speaking the six-cylinder engine and five-speed manual gearbox are buttery smooth, thanks in part to the fact that the car has covered less than 70,000 miles in its life. The all-important belts were changed last year and the car also benefits from a stainless exhaust system proving that this is a well-maintained example, a fact backed up by that impressive history file. The black leather interior presents well throughout and the cockpit of this Z1 is a nice place to sit as you enjoy the incredibly fun and involving drive that these cars provide. All of the electrical bells and whistles work exactly as they should and the convertible roof mechanism operates perfectly.

Rarer than an MX-5 and arguably more fun the Z1 remains an individual, iconic and exclusive sports car that still turns heads to this day. This low owner, low mileage model is a peach so chuck in a bid for your chance to own a rather one-off slice of BMW’s illustrious history.