2001 Bmw Z8 on 2040-cars

The originalZ07 had been designed with production in mind. As a result, practical andregulatory considerations necessitated very few changes for the productionmodel. Nevertheless, the windshield of the Z8 was extended upward, and a largerfront airdam was fitted. Both changes were implemented to provide aerodynamicstability and a reasonably placid cockpit environment. The four-spoke steeringwheel of the concept car was replaced by a three spoke design. The hardtop waschanged from a double-bubble form with a tapering faring to a single dome witha truncated convex backside. The concept's exotic driver's side helmet fairingwas eliminated to allow easy operation of the power soft top.

Despite thesechanges, the Z8 remained extremely faithful to the concept car. Theside-mounted turn indicators were integrated into the side vents in a fashionthat rendered them invisible until activated. The vintage simplicity of theinterior was preserved by hiding the modern equipment under retracting panels.Complex compound curves were preserved through the use of an expensiveMIG-welded aluminum space frame. The Z8 even retained the concept's five-spokewheel design, albeit without the race-style center lug nut.

The $128,000car had an all aluminum chassis and body and used a 4.9 L(4941 cc) 32-valve V8, that developed 400 hp (300 kW) and 500 N·m (370 lb·ft) torque.This engine, known internally as the S62, was built by the BMW Motorsport subsidiary and was shared with theE39 M5.^[1] The engine was located behind the frontaxle in order to provide the car with 50/50 weight distribution. The factoryclaimed a 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) time of 4.7 seconds; Motor Trend magazine achieved 0–96 km/h(0–60 mph) in 4.2 seconds. Road and Track measured the car's lateral grip at.92. Car and Drivermagazine also tested the car and found that it outperformed the contemporarybenchmark Ferrari 360 Modenain three important performance categories: acceleration, handling, and braking. As with most BMW products,its top speed was electronically limited to 155.4 mph (250 km/h).

The Z8 includedan innovative use of neon exterior lighting. The tail lights and turnindicators are powered by neon tubes that offer quicker activation thanstandard lightbulbs and are expected to last for the life of the vehicle.

Every Z8 wasshipped with a color-matching metal hardtop with rear defroster. Unlike manyaccessory hardtops, which are provided for practical rather than stylisticconsiderations, the Z8 hardtop was designed from the outset to complement thelines of the roadster.

BMW Z8 interior

In order tokeep the interior uncluttered, a number of convenience functions wereintegrated into multifunction controls. For example, the power windows andmirrors were controlled by a single instrument. Also, the center-mountedinstrument cluster was canted slightly toward the driver. The displacement ofthese gauges to the middle of the dash was intended to offer an unimpeded viewof the hood and the road ahead.

In order to promote the Z8 to collectors andreinforce media speculation about the Z8's "instant classic"potential, BMW promised that a 50-year stockpile of spare parts would bemaintained in order to support the Z8 fleet. Due to the limited volume of Z8production, all elements of the car were constructed or finished by hand,thereby compounding the importance of ongoing manufacturer support for the type

Introduced at the 1999Frankfurt Auto Show, the BMW Z8 sports car was the company's conception of whatits famous 507 roadster would have been if built past the 1950s. Stylistically,it offered many of the same cues, such as a long, sloping hood with roundheadlight blisters, twin-kidney grille, distinctive vents aft of the frontwheels and a striking leather interior with a simplistic layout.

Not all was retro,though. The Z8's aluminum space frame was draped with aluminum body panels, andhidden from view was BMW's typical front strut/rear multilink suspensionarrangement. For power, the Z8 relied on the same engine used for thethird-generation M5 sedan.

The BMW Z8 was alwaysintended to be a "halo" car, designed to draw attention to BMW andlead to increased sales of other BMW vehicles. BMW produced it for just fouryears with an annual production rate of about 1,500 cars. Naturally, Z8 ownershipis an exclusive club. Given that the 507 is coveted by collectors and a goodone can fetch more than half a million dollars, a similar future might be instore for the Z8.

MostRecent BMW Z8

The BMW Z8 roadsterwas produced for the 2000-'03 model years. It possessed all the necessaryingredients of a true sports car: superior performance, outstanding design andrarity.

Its all-aluminumchassis was exceptionally stiff and light, resulting in exemplary road feel.Driving hard, one could feel what was happening -- and, more important, whatwas going to happen -- better than seeing it. This lent extraordinaryconfidence when exploring the outer limits of its performance envelope.

Likewise, the steering,suspension and braking systems connected to this super-solid chassis operatedwith pinpoint precision. Many chassis components were borrowed from BMW'sworld-class sedans and recalibrated, and the resulting ride wasn't quite assupple as those vehicles but certainly not harsh either.

Under the hood was a4.9-liter V8 producing 394 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. Power wassent to the rear wheels through a standard six-speed manual transmission. (Theone-year run of the Z8-based BMW Alpina came with an automatic transmission.)Thanks to its electronic variable valve timing system, the Z8 could purr abouttown, and then let loose with a shriek once pointed down a deserted road. Intests of the time, the Z8 typically posted 0-60-mph times in the mid-4-secondrange.

In general, the BMW Z8was a pretty easy car to drive. And thanks to BMW's effective Dynamic StabilityControl (DSC) system, the Z8 was kind to drivers who weren't professionallytrained. It combined antilock brakes, traction control and corneringstabilization to ensure that over-eager drivers were appropriately reined inbefore they completely lost their substantial investment in a smoldering heap.

Due to its stellarperformance, early association with James Bond in The World is Not Enough andthe reaction of people on the street, there was always a feeling that you weredriving a surreal Hollywood creation. When it rolled down the boulevard, peoplewere mesmerized by its stunningly unique styling and the sonorous note of itsexhaust system.

Perhaps even morebeguiling was its interior. In a nod to the past, BMW moved the speedometer,tachometer and other gauges to the center of the dash. The retro-styledsteering wheel also evoked classic sports cars with its three metal-roddedspokes and fat, leather-wrapped rim. What wasn't brushed aluminum was coveredin supple leather, including parts of the dash, center console, door skins andeven the rollover bars. The final touch was a viscerally black push-buttonstarter located next to the steering wheel. Turn the ignition key to On,depress that button and the muscular V8 roared to life -- a thrill every time.