Photo: Autogespot
1989 was a controversial year from many points of view. The wall of Berlin was taken down and with it went the so-called Iron Curtain and the downfall of the USSR began to accelerate. It was also the same year when BMW launched its revolutionary Z1, marking a new age in its history.
Starting with this model, the German company introduced a new line of cars, the Z models. Over the years, we saw a number of cars using the last letter of the alphabet on their boots, such as the Z3 that went out of production a long time ago and the Z4.
Roadsters were a part of BMW for a long time, but they were never offered a special place in the line-up up until the Z1 came out. And what a car they used to debut this range of roadsters!
The Z1 was first shown in 1986 and entered production in March 1989. It was built on a lightweight chassis and the body was made of removable plastic parts that could be replaced. The doors would slide into the side sills and the whole thing felt like it was coming from the 2000s, not the 80s.
The biggest problem was that the engines and handling weren’t exactly up to par with what BMW stood for. That was rather peculiar because the 2.5-liter inline 6-cylinder engine under the bonnet and the 6-speed manual gearbox were coming straight from the E30 325i model which was praised for its characteristics.
However, the rear axle was developed for this car alone and featured a multi-link design, the first one of its kind in BMW’s history. There were plenty of things working in favor of the Z1 but in the end, the car was a flop.
No matter how many were sold, it’s still an iconic name in the history of the brand. Nowadays, they are exceedingly rare and starting to increase in value as their desirability is increasing. This one was just spotted in Altaussee, Austria and it’s looking fresh! If only it were for sale...
Roadsters were a part of BMW for a long time, but they were never offered a special place in the line-up up until the Z1 came out. And what a car they used to debut this range of roadsters!
The Z1 was first shown in 1986 and entered production in March 1989. It was built on a lightweight chassis and the body was made of removable plastic parts that could be replaced. The doors would slide into the side sills and the whole thing felt like it was coming from the 2000s, not the 80s.
The biggest problem was that the engines and handling weren’t exactly up to par with what BMW stood for. That was rather peculiar because the 2.5-liter inline 6-cylinder engine under the bonnet and the 6-speed manual gearbox were coming straight from the E30 325i model which was praised for its characteristics.
However, the rear axle was developed for this car alone and featured a multi-link design, the first one of its kind in BMW’s history. There were plenty of things working in favor of the Z1 but in the end, the car was a flop.
No matter how many were sold, it’s still an iconic name in the history of the brand. Nowadays, they are exceedingly rare and starting to increase in value as their desirability is increasing. This one was just spotted in Altaussee, Austria and it’s looking fresh! If only it were for sale...
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