Cars

S_w203 · Site Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2006 Posts: 374

MODEL COVERED: (2 dr roadster, 4.9 petrol)

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Its odd how the James Bond connection stays with some cars. The Aston Martin DB5, the Lotus Esprit and even cars like the Citroen 2CV all have the indelible stamp of 007 about them. To this list we can add the BMW Z8, a car manufactured at BMWs specialist Dingolfing factory and which featured in 1999s The World Is Not Enough. The car in the movie was a pre-production mock up which was just as well, as it got cut in half by a huge buzz saw.

Were it a genuine Z8, one suspects the saw blade would have bent. This is one well-built car, a fact to which a handful of lucky owners will doubtless attest. As a used proposition it makes an interesting case for itself.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value
The Z8 is a brute-force roadster with Fifties retro looks, boasts a hugely powerful V8 engine and enough high technology to keep the most exigent button-jabber happy. Its also rather rare and exclusive as only 8,000 will ever be built at the German Dingolfing plant. All are left hand drive and only a small percentage have ever reached these shores. The high list price has been a point for debate given that performance isnt really a great deal stronger than a Z3-based M Roadster, plus the steering wheels in the wrong place - but then, this is a lot of car.

Anyway, its rarity makes it an appealing alternative to cars like the Aston Martins DB7 Vantage Volante and Mercedes-Benz SL55AMG. True, a Jaguar XKR Convertible or a Porsche 911 Cabrio would cost a fair bit less, but to be frank, both smack a little of mass-market next to a Z8. This is a car all about elegant design. The dashboard is a case in point.

Like the exterior, it could have been lifted straight from the Fifties though its a lot nicer than anything they produced back then. Theres a beautiful combination of soft leather, high quality plastic and lovely touches of aluminium, a metal used everywhere from the door handles to the indicator stalks, the steering wheel spokes to the ventilation switches. Theres even more aluminium under the skin: virtually the entire structure of the car is crafted from the stuff, one reason why this open-topped roadster has the structural rigidity and therefore the crash safety of a coupe. The resulting lack of body flexing makes it feel a far more solid car than the smaller Z3. And its a far better looking one. Its not perfect though.

Even if you ignore the problems of the left hand drive set-up, theres lamentable fuel consumption (expect to average around 15mpg) further emphasised by the limitations of the tiny fuel tank. Then theres the small boot, the irritatingly fiddly clip-on tonneau cover and the less than ergonomic dashboard layout with its scattered switchgear.

Naturally with a car as rare as the BMW Z8, a significant part of the valuation is decided by condition rather than age, but given a car with average mileage and in excellent condition, youll need around ฃ50,000 for a 2000 model year car rising to ฃ60,000 for a 2001 example. Insurance is predictably Group 20.

Despite the sleek looks, the Z8 is tougher than a two quid steak. The main thing youll need to watch out for is crash damage, as the aluminium body panels are hugely expensive to replace should they become dented or creased in any way. The flipside to that is that rust is unlikely to be a problem! The engine is a hardy unit, despite its heady bhp per litre rating and is good for more miles than most Z8 owners will inflict upon it. Check the hood for signs of damage and check the Nappa leather seats for signs of brittleness or UV fading if theyve been exposed to a lot of sunlight.

Enthusiastic driving will betray a ravenous appetite for rear tyres.

(based on a 2001 Z8, not including VAT!) A full exhaust system for the Z8 is pricey at ฃ2,744 and things tend to go down hill from there. Front and rear brake pads are ฃ70 and ฃ53 respectively, youll be looking at ฃ382 for an alternator and ฃ380 for a replacement headlight, ฃ155 for a starter motor and ฃ162 for a wing mirror. Can you say ouch?

Since this roadster borrows its 400bhp 5.0-litre V8 engine from BMWs M5, one of the fastest four-doors money can buy, the fact that its very rapid indeed shouldnt come as much of a shock. Sixty is a mere 4.7 seconds away from rest and, were it not limited to 155mph, the car would doubtless continue on towards 200mph territory.

Mid range punch is even more astounding, the 50-75mph overtaking increment occupying a mere 4.3 seconds. Nor need you to be going quite this quickly for instant response. Over 85% of the power is accessible from just 1,500 revs.

Absolute power then, which as we all know, can corrupt absolutely, or at least it would do were it not for the veritable forest of acronyms this BMW boasts after its name DSC, EBD, ABS, CBC and so it goes on. Most significant is DSC or Dynamic Stability Control which throttles back and selectively brakes each wheel should you chance to enter a corner too fast; a likely scenario for most owners within the first five miles one would have thought. Especially if they use the Sport button on the dash that remaps the electronic drive-by-wire throttle for even sharper pedal response. Just the kind of thing Bond would appreciate in a tight spot.

A few of the other clever hi-tech features might come in useful too. Take the sensors which monitor specially developed run-flat Bridgestone tyres, designed to travel up to 300 miles at 50mph without a breath of air inside. Other nice touches include neon brake and indicator lights that respond 10 times more quickly than normal, an electronic steering lock and standard satellite navigation so clever and compact that you hardly know its built into the dashboard.

The BMW Z8 is a very specialised car, its left hand drive layout ruling it from many buyers shortlists. If you dont mind cruising on the kerb side, the Z8 makes an intriguing used proposition. For about the price of a well-specified Porsche Boxster S you can instead buy a car thats genuinely exclusive and which packs the sort of punch that will see the Porsche disappearing in the rear view mirror. Im sure James Bond would approve.

S_w203 · Site Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2006 Posts: 374

Price New
$130,465 (2002 pricing)
Production
approx 5700 built from 2001-2003, when manufacture ceased
Engine
4.94 liter (302 cubic inch) DOHC V-8, VANOS variable valve timing
Horsepower
394 @ 6600 rpm
Torque
368 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
Curb Weight
3495 lbs (without hardtop); 3554 lbs (with hardtop)
Miscellaneous
Aluminum space frame, aluminum body panels
0-60 mph
4.7 seconds
Top Speed
155 mph (electronically limited)