BMW Z8
The BMW Z8 is a 2 seat, 2 door sports roadster that blends old school designs with modern day performance. It’s a good looking car, and has terrific performance as well. Most notable for being sawn in half in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough, there’s a lot to like about the Beemer, which is why Britain’s secret weapon drove one in the first place.
With quite a short life, the Z8 was released in 1999 and withdrawn in 2003. Over that time only 5,703 were made, and that’s exclusivity at its best. Built with the famous 507 from 1956 in mind, the designs are fantastic all round. The 4.9 litre V8 under the bonnet produces 400 horsepower and has a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds- that’s quick by any stretch of the imagination. The aluminium chassis and body provides a good power to weight ratio, and the car really does fly along the road. A high performance Alpina Z8 model was created in 2003, which was superb.
The Z8 does indeed look like the 507 of old, and both are incredibly stylish cars. The retro designs really do work well, and everything from the quirky front grille to the side vents and the small rear end take you back in time. Inside it’s much the same story, with 1950s colour schemes combined with Millennium technology. A generously sized cabin is comfortable and spacious, and you do get a big boot even with the soft or hard top roofs down.
As soon as you get in and fire up the huge engine, it’s clear you’re in for a good ride. Wonderful on the road would be an understatement. Sharp, responsive, agile, grippy and athletic are all words that could be used to describe the Z8, but ‘wow’ seems most appropriate. Whether you’re pushing hard on some windy roads or cruising along motorways, you’ll do so with a smile on your face. There are 2 main issues with it though- firstly it’s only available as left hand drive, and secondly, the speed limits don’t let you put your foot down as much as your heart wants you to.
The limited production and superb quality means even a second hand BMW Z8 could be pricey as people don’t have much to compare it against. Shopping at Motors.co.uk though will allow you to browse through a huge number of used cars for sale, and the sliced prices mean big money off is the norm. It’s easy to get a great deal once you know how!
At the end of the day, the BMW Z8 is one of the best roadsters ever to come out of the German automaker’s gates. It’s absolutely sublime both in design and performance, and gets your emotions running high. If you can get past the steering wheel being on the left side, there’s not much that can beat it out there. Put the roof down and have the drive of your life!