z1???

[euro]

i found this roaming through ebay auctions

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...514267699&rd=1

this is new to me i never new a z1 ever existed.....anyone know if this is a actual bmw and any specs on the car???

[Spahrman5]

I dont have any specs right now but i know only a few exist in the US. The doors can drop down into the body of the car to create more of an open drive. I also heard that the car sold with two sets of body pieces so that the owner could change the color of the car. The body pieces could be taken off and replaced with different color ones within a day. I think the body was made with some type of plastic. Thats about all i know about the z1

[carstereopro]

The Z1 was a concept car built on an E30 chassis. All fiberglass body, and cool hide-away doors made it a unique looking car.

There was a red one on display at the 2004 Bavauto Show and shine. There were some good pics.

go to: http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp#undefined
and click on gallery #2.

[Puntr26]

I got some specs on it... thanks to "Santa" for my complete book of BMW every model since 1950.... mmmmm

there were 8,000 produced from 1988-1991
Its an Inline 6-Cylinder
Bore & Stroke 85x75
Capacity, cc, 2494
12 valve, Sohc
170hp @ 5800
222tq @ 4300
max speed 220km/hr
0-100km, 11.0
launch date 3/89
price, 80,000DM

here's a little write-up on it
"...The press and public reaction was immediate and enthusiastic: the smart little roadster had novel drop-down doors which disappeared down into the substantial sills of the steel chassis, and the 2.5 litre 325i six-cylinder engine up front promised entertaining performance. the caar could even be driven with the doors retracted, BMW said.

Almost instantly, some 5,000 buyers ordered Z1's, without even knowing its price or likely performance figures: BMW decided it would triple its production rate to save the customers from having to wait too long. And that is where things began to go wrong.

As soon as the price was announced - DM 80,000, later raised to 89,000 - interest collapsed and it emerged that most of the supposed customers had been speculators hoping to make a five-figure profit on a high-profile car in short supply. Even before the production cars finally apeared in the spring of 1989 the speculators had been discounting the cars they had ordered: the situation was confused and chaotic.

A further blow to the Z1's already damaged credibility came when people drove the car. Everyone admired the Z1's originality and style, its workmanship and of course its party-trick doors, but for many the driving experiance failed to thrill in the way they had expected. the car felt underpowered for a sports roadster, espically as the six-cylinder engine lacked low-down towque and had to fight against a kerb weight of 1290kg - 100kg more than the 3 Series saloon with the same power unit."

[Attila]

In Jermey Clarkson's Top 100 Cars, he does a big thing about the Z1, quite funny actually, I suggest you watch it.