BMW Z1, The Most Unique Rodaster Of All Time
In the 1980s, BMW began to flourish as a manufacturer of sports cars or, at least, of highly dynamic cars. It was in this decade that the first BMW Ms of different models began to be offered, but a playful little sports car was lacking to rival the king of the segment (Porsche), resulting in the BMW Z1.
The BMW Z1 can be regarded as the first serious attempt by the German manufacturer to resurrect the legacy of the BMW 507 from the 1950s. This role would end up falling years later on the BMW Z8, a modern reinterpretation of the 507 that did not hide its inspiration.
The first time that the Z1 was known was in 1985, as a result of the information extracted from the development of the BMW M3 E30, the first of the BMW M saga. The production of the brand’s new convertible would not begin until 1988, and from the first moment It proved that it would be a full-fledged classic.
The BMW Z1, in detail
If you talk about the BMW Z1, it is impossible not to start with the doors. Neither trace of conventional opening nor gull wings. Instead BMW surprised everyone with an innovative automatic door system that was hidden in the body itself : it was possible to drive with the doors lowered.
It also set a trend with its bodywork. All panels were made of plastic materials, although this limited the range of colors available to four. In contrast, each and every one of the panels except for the headlights were interchangeable.
Depending on the brand, in about an hour it is possible to change all the body panels with just a screwdriver and some care. In terms of dimensions, it was quite compact, at 3,921mm long, 1,690mm wide, and a paltry 1,277mm height.
Inside, the Z1 is not as distinctive as it is on the outside. In this respect it looked very similar to the BMW 3 Series, with which it shared most of the components. However, having pieces shared with other models of the brand was not a problem, as space was.
The interior space is highly conditioned by the intrinsic door opening system. Once the door is lowered, it is hidden in the lower frame, which is larger than usual and reduces the side dimensions of the seats. This also makes entry and exit action difficult.
Under the hood it was not short either. He was riding a 2.5-liter inline six-cylinder, 170 hp and 222 Nm of maximum torque, a purely BMW mechanic that earned such a good reputation over the years. This level of performance was added to a bare mass of 1,250 kilos : it managed to reach 220 km / h.
Associated with this engine was a five-speed manual transmission with short and precise runs, as was the steering. The steering was noted for its lightness at low speeds and for its precision once the pace picked up.
BMW Z1 Art Car
The peculiar style of the BMW Z1 earned it to be the twelfth of the BMW Art Car saga. These cars were unique, decorated by a renowned artist to whom the brand gave carte blanche to decorate each car with its own artistic identity. In the case of the Z1 the work was carried out by AR Penck.
Inspired by the work of artists such as Picasso, on a bright red base stood out a series of figures in black that hid an encrypted code of symbols that only Penck knew. “An ode to engineering and modern technology”, commented its author when it was released. Who knows, but the result is unrepeatable.
The great forgotten
The great popularity of the BMW Z1 has eclipsed what might have been the most interesting version of the German roadster , which remained in the prototype phase. This was the BMW Z1 Coupé Prototype, which was presented with a shooting brake body and an adventurous look.
In a way, it was a preview of what would end up being the BMW Z3 Coupé years later, although the prototype would now be branded an SUV. It would have been the germ of a wide range of compact sports cars that BMW dreamed of, but everything remained in that, in a dream.
