BMW
Z1

Why it matters

The Z1 was the first product of the newly founded BMW Technik GmbH and was meant to refresh the company image with a modern two-seat roadster. Its electrically driven doors that drop into the sills, its zinc-coated steel structure and its removable plastic body skin set it apart from every other BMW of its time. Only 8,000 were built, unusually few for a BMW of the period.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Photos

Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.

• BMW Z1 (Wikimedia Commons: BMW Z1)
  Photo: MrWalkr · CC BY-SA 4.0
• BMW Z1 (Wikimedia Commons: BMW Z1)
  Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
• BMW Z1 (Wikimedia Commons: BMW Z1)
  Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
• BMW Z1 (Wikimedia Commons: BMW Z1)
  Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Management decided in early 1985 to build a two-seat sports roadster, and the work went to BMW Technik GmbH. Harm Lagaay, hired from Ford of Europe, became design chief under Ulrich Bez, who headed the new division. A working prototype existed within a year, using engine, drivetrain, front suspension and interior parts from the 3 Series. The production car was shown at the 1987 Frankfurt show, and BMW planned to build 5,000 on a dedicated line in Munich.

Production began slowly in 1988 with 58 cars, and customer deliveries started in March 1989. BMW claimed 5,000 confirmed orders at the launch, but demand fell short because many buyers were investors rather than drivers. Production was curtailed in favour of more profitable models and ended in summer 1991, after 8,000 cars plus 12 pre-production units.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

A Z1 has doors that retract downwards into the sills and a galvanised steel inner structure covered by demountable, injection-moulded thermoplastic body panels. It rides on alloy wheels made only for the Z1 and has a 2,450 mm wheelbase. The sources disagree on the paint range: the auction description says four colours, while the build statistics page lists six (Dream-black, Ancient-green, Fun-yellow, Magic-violet, Top-red, Pur-blue).

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Supercar Nostalgia – BMW Z3 M Roadster & Z3 M Coupé (history section on the Z1) Level C

   • 8000 Z1 built October 1988 – June 1991

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   BMW Z1 Level C Ultimatecarpage.com (Wouter Melissen)

   • six in line engine tilted 20 degrees to the right
   • hot galvanized monocoque chassis
   • body constructed from glass reinforced plastic
   • wheelbase of just 2450 mm

   Accessed 2026-11-13
3. 3
   1990 BMW Z1, lot 138 Level C not stated · RM Sotheby's · 2017-10-10

   • engine set far towards the centre of the car
   • 2,494 cc SOHC six-cylinder engine
   • 171 bhp, 2,494 cc SOHC six-cylinder
   • five-speed manual transmission
   • entire steel inner structure coated with zinc
   • independent front suspension with single-pivot struts and anti-roll bar
   • single longitudinal arm, double transverse arm, separate springs
   • four-wheel disc brakes with ABS
   • demountable injection-moulded thermoplastic body panels
   • Wheelbase: 2,450 mm

   Accessed 2026-11-13
4. 4
   BMW Z1 Level C not stated · Ultimatecarpage.com · 2004-12-13

   • 2 valves / cylinder, SOHC
   • Bosch Motronic Fuel injection
   • Naturally Aspirated
   • 170 bhp / 127 KW @ 5800 rpm
   • 222 Nm / 164 ft lbs @ 4000 rpm
   • Rear wheel drive
   • 1290 kilo / 2844 lbs
   • 225 km/h / 140 mph
   • 0-60 mph Acceleration 7.9 s

   Accessed 2026-11-13