Auction Highlight: 1990 BMW Z1 Roadster

Motoring history is rich with extravagant designs, pioneering technologies, and innovative solutions. Cars like the striking Alfa Romeo SZ, visionary Citroen SM, segment-defining Range Rover Classic, affordable Volkswagen Beetle, and plug-in hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder all pushed the boundaries of what an automobile could be in their own ways.

The first in BMW’s now celebrated line of ‘Z’ cars was too a pioneer. Devised in 1985 by the newly established BMW Technik GmbH – a special operations department with the goal of developing innovative products – the Z1 Roadster was a test bed to experiment with new materials and launch a revolutionary bodywork concept.

The first Z1 Roadster (the Z standing for zukunft, or ‘future’ in German) of only 8,000 cars rolled off the Munich production line in October 1988. A coupe variant was also contemplated by designers, though this idea was shelved before production began.

It featured the traditional BMW front-engine, rear-drive layout with a 2.5-litre straight six from the E30 325i, producing around 170hp, coupled to a five-speed manual transmission; however, this is where the familiarity ends. ‘Enter a new world’ was the car’s advertising slogan, and true to this mantra the Z1 Roadster was like nothing that came before it, with a revolutionary design featuring wonderfully idiosyncratic doors that plunged into high sills to allow entry and exit. The car could even be driven with the doors down.

The Z1 also showcased one of the earliest applications of multi-link suspension, delivering far greater stability and refinement, as well as thermoplastic and GRP body panels that were completely removable and interchangeable, giving owners the option to change the colour of their car in a matter of hours – though few took advantage of this quirk.

In September 2020, Collecting Cars offered this remarkable, low-mileage example. Finished in the sought-after colour combination of Metallic Green over a beige cabin, this Z1 Roadster had covered just 10,234 km (6,359 miles) from new.

Acquired by the Munich-based seller four years before its sale on Collecting Cars, it was one of only around 1,500 cars allocated outside of the German market, first delivered to Italy where it remained with a single private owner for 26 years.

Presenting with a few age-related blemishes, the car was offered in very good overall condition and accompanied by its original Italian purchase contract and all the handbooks and original documentation.

Secured by its new owner with a winning bid of €43,500, this cherished BMW Z1 Roadster represented a rare opportunity to acquire a low-mileage example of the genesis of the marque’s ‘Z’ lineage, and arguably one of the most intriguing and innovative BMWs ever produced.