As a kid, I used to pour over the pages of Road & Track and Car & Driver and would sit in wonder looking at all the cars that were forbidden to US consumers due to ever increasing safety and emission regulations. One of the cars that caught my eye in the late 1980s was the BMW Z1. It was apparent from the outset that this was going to be a limited production model, but it had me scratching my head, wondering why BMW had not yet exploited the two-seater roadster market stateside. It wouldn’t be until the mid-1990s that the Z3 would arrive on the scene and even though it was initially powered by a four-cylinder engine, people lined up to purchase this diminutive drop top in droves. Now that the Z1 has approached 25 years of age, a few examples are trickling in to the United States, including this example for sale in South Carolina.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 BMW Z1 on Hemmings Motor News
Year: 1989
Model: Z1
Engine: 2.5 liter inline-6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 22,154 mi
Price: $59,991
Recently Imported from the UK with only 22k miles and a MPH Speedometer. This unique find is extremely rare in the states and is a must for any serious BMW collection. This car can be seen by appointment at Maserati Lotus Greenville in upstate South Carolina. Feel free to call with questions or to set up an appointment. (864)255-3593
Due to their limited production (8,000 examples) the Z1 has always been highly prized, so you knew by the time private importers started shipping a few over to the US, they would arrive with a strong price tag. Prices for the few that have arrived stateside seem to hover around the $50,000 to $60,000 territory, so this one isn’t priced out of the realm of reason. There’s a lot of faster roadsters available for the asking price here, but if you consider the technology that went into building the Z1 and advancements that found their way into other BMW automobiles down the line, it puts things into perspective a little bit more.
-Paul
