BMW Z1 (E30) 1988-1991 Photos, engines & full specs

It was the first BMW Z in history and it shared its main components with the successful BMW 3-Series E30. It was a pure roadster with huge imagination from its designers.

In the mid-'80s, BMW started to think about a revolutionary car. Something that nobody ever did. The idea was to revive the BMW roadster family, a category where the German car-maker was famous before WWII. At that time, there was only one convertible in its stable, the 3-Series. Then, in 1988, the Z1 was introduced to the market.

There was not a single panel carried-over from the 3-Series. The flat and low hood with narrow headlights were covered by a clear-lens. The magic was from the sides where the flared fenders attracted attention, as long as the doors were closed. The Z1 was the only car in the world to feature doors that open vertically into the body. They were sliding down to open and up to close. The rear deck was flat and short.

The cabin featured two bucket-seats in the front, separated by a center console and the transmission tunnel. On the center stack, the constructor placed the controls for the audio system and stereo. The instrument cluster was slightly different than the one found in a BMW 3-Series but featured the same arrangement of the dials.

The BMW Z1 was more of a concept car that made it into production. It was offered in only one configuration of engine and transmission: an inline-six 2.5-liter engine mated to a 5-speed manual.