BMW Roadster Heritage
Z Series
1989 - 2026
'89
'95
'99
'02
Z1
1989
to 1991
Power Output
168 hp
Chassis
Z1
Body Style
Roadster
>Featured unique vertically retracting doors that disappeared into the sills
>Only 8,000 units were produced
>First BMW Z-series model
>Plastic body panels could be removed and replaced individually
Z3
Roadster
1995
to 2002
Power Output
115-228 hp
Chassis
E36/7
Body Style
Roadster
>Featured in the James Bond film "GoldenEye" before launch
>First BMW manufactured in Spartanburg, South Carolina
>Based on the E36 Compact platform
>Nearly 300,000 roadsters were produced
Z3
M Roadster / M Coupe
1997
to 2002
Power Output
240-325 hp
Chassis
E36/7
Body Style
Roadster
>Powered by S50, S52, and later S54 M engines
>European models initially received the S50 engine
>2001 models gained the S54 from the E46 M3
>Featured wider rear fenders and quad exhaust outlets
Z3
Coupe
1998
to 2002
Power Output
193-325 hp
Chassis
E36/8
Body Style
Coupe
>Nicknamed the "Clown Shoe" due to its distinctive shooting-brake profile
>Considerably stiffer than the roadster variant
>Originally developed from an internal enthusiast project
>Combined sports-car dynamics with practical cargo space
Z8
1999
to 2003
Power Output
395 hp
Chassis
E52
Body Style
Roadster
>Designed by Henrik Fisker as a modern homage to the BMW 507
>Featured in the James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough"
>Used an aluminum space-frame chassis
>Only 5,703 units were produced worldwide
Z4
E85 Roadster
2003
to 2008
Power Output
150-265 hp
Chassis
E85
Body Style
Roadster
>Designed by Chris Bangle and Anders Warming
>Introduced BMW's "flame surfacing" design language to the Z range
>Significantly stiffer chassis than the Z3 Roadster
>Featured near 50:50 weight distribution
Z4
Coupe
2006
to 2008
Power Output
265 hp
Chassis
E86
Body Style
Coupe
>Fixed-roof version of the E85 Roadster
>Offered in both standard and M Coupe variants
>Provided greater structural rigidity than the Roadster
>Combined sports-car handling with practical hatchback cargo space
Z4
M Roadster / Coupe
2006
to 2008
Power Output
343 hp
Chassis
E85
Body Style
Roadster
>Powered by the S54 inline-six from the E46 M3
>Available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission
>Featured M-tuned suspension, brakes, and limited-slip differential
>Produced for only two model years
Z4
E89
2009
to 2016
Power Output
156-340 hp
Chassis
E89
Body Style
Retractable Hardtop
>First Z model with a retractable hardtop roof
>Roof operation took approximately 20 seconds
>Introduced turbocharged engines to the Z roadster range
>No dedicated BMW M model was produced
Z4
G29
2018
to 2026
Power Output
194-340 hp
Chassis
G29
Body Style
Roadster
>Co-developed with Toyota and shares its platform with the A90 Supra
>Returned to a traditional fabric soft-top roof
>M40i models use BMW’s B58 turbocharged inline-six
>Built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria