1989 BMW Z1 Roadster

A BMW Z1 is a car that almost all enthusiasts are aware of, but that almost none have ever seen. It was produced from March 1989 to June 1991. Although around 8,000 cars were sold, it was not available in North America. Today, only a handful of these fascinating roadsters have found their way to the U.S. shores.

The Z1 is known for its drop-down doors along with several other then-new innovations; removable plastic body panels, a flat undertray, a roll-hoop integrated into the windscreen surround and continuously zinc welded seams, all innovations that are now commonplace.

The side panels and doors are made of General Electrics Xenoy thermoplastic and are hung on a space frame. The hood, trunk, and roof are fiberglass. The car is painted in a special flexible lacquer finish developed jointly by AKZO.

During the Z1s launch, BMW suggested that owners purchased an additional set of body panels and change the color of the car from time to time. The car can actually be driven with all of the panels completely removed. BMW claimed that the body panels could be completely replaced in 40 minutes, although Z1 owners have reported that this may be a bit optimistic.

The sole drivetrain configuration is a 2.5 liter straight-six engine and five-speed Getrag manual transmission. The Z1 was available in six exterior colors and four interior colors.