BMW has never been a company to lean too heavily into nostalgia, generally preferring to have one eye focused firmly on the future when it comes to design and engineering. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t ever allowed itself the occasional bit of retro indulgence, though, whether that’s the sporadic revivals of the CSL badge or a throwback special edition like the M2 Turbo Design Edition.
Peak retro BMW, though, has to be the Z8, the gorgeous and rare early 2000s roadster that was once a little misunderstood by the world’s press but now seems all but guaranteed to follow the car that inspired it into being a certified classic. Now, just in time for spring and proper top-down driving weather, we’ve found one up for auction.
A Retro Cruiser With an M5 Heart
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The Z8 was an unapologetic throwback to the BMW 507, the rare and jaw-droppingly gorgeous V8-powered roadster that arrived in 1956 with a view to capturing the wealthy American market. Though the 507 was not a financial success, it became an icon thanks to its looks and its association with famous owners like Elvis Presley and Ursula Andress.
In the 1990s, BMW began working on a spiritual successor to that car, another two-seater, V8 roadster. The exterior styling was led by Henrik Fisker, later to join Aston Martin before founding two ill-fated electric car manufacturers, and it referenced the 507 with details like its wide, slender kidney grilles and vents set into the front fenders.
The new car sat on a bespoke spaceframe chassis clothed in aluminum bodywork, and borrowed the 4.9-liter, 395 HP S62 V8 from the contemporary E39 M5. Power was sent to the rear wheels by way of a six-speed manual. 0-62 MPH was quoted at 4.7 seconds, and top speed was limited to 155 mph. Initially produced between 1999 and 2002, it was followed up by a run of Alpina-tuned versions, which used a different 4.8-liter V8 and swapped the manual for a five-speed automatic. Overall, 5,703 were produced, 555 of which were Alpina versions.
Misunderstood When New
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When it launched, neither the media nor buyers were quite sure what to make of the Z8. The car gave off rather mixed messages with its full-fat M division engine and manual transmission but its soft, relaxed suspension setup and laid-back steering.
Its muted press reception wasn’t helped by the high price being asked – at launch, the Z8 cost around $130,000 – not far off $250,000 in today’s money. As such, the Z8 was a slow seller, and spent plenty of time not being fully understood or appreciated by enthusiasts.
The Modern Appeal
Foreign Cars Charlotte / eBay
That’s no longer the case, as the appeal of the Z8 has only grown over time. With naturally aspirated V8s and manual gearboxes ever rarer in new cars, the Z8’s boulevard cruiser attitude has become far easier to forgive, and its retro styling has aged beautifully. It’s the sort of car for wafting about in on a sunny day with the roof down, enjoying the soundtrack of one of the greatest V8 engines of all time.
Naturally, the market has noticed this, and Z8s are now worth serious money. This one that’s currently up for auction on eBay with North Carolina-based Foreign Cars Charlotte has covered a healthy 27,000 miles, and with around 20 hours to go on the auction as we write this, bidding is up to $50,100. With Z8s now often comfortably cresting $150,000, we don’t doubt that price is going to surge before the auction ends.
