Hands down one of the most beautiful BMWs ever made, the Z8 is also one of the rarest as fewer than 6,000 units were manufactured. Their values have crept up in recent years, and a low-mileage example such as this one costs a small fortune. Pampered by a professional detailer before being listed on Bring A Trailer, this roadster painted in Bright Red will go for at least $225,000.
When drawing the car, designer Henrik Fisker took inspiration from another BMW stunner, the 507 Roadster sold in the second half of the 1950s. This example also doubles as a coupe since it comes fitted with the body-colored hardtop, which the new owner can take off and use the black fabric roof instead. With only 11,000 miles (17,700 kilometers) on the clock and having spent some quality time at a detailer in southern California, it’s as good as Z8s get nowadays.
The video attached below shows the car’s undercarriage being thoroughly cleaned using dry ice while the body receives paint correction to get rid of scratches and swirl marks. Everything on the inside has been cleaned as well, thus making the Z8 look almost as good as new. For a car built two decades ago, it looks remarkably clean inside and out.
As a refresher, BMW used the 4.9-liter “S62” engine from the M5 E39. The naturally aspirated V8 was good for 394 hp and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) in a car that’s roughly as long as a current 1 Series compact hatchback. Output is routed to the rear wheels via the more desirable six-speed manual gearbox whereas the grand touring-oriented ALPINA version had a five-speed automatic.
We will be keeping an eye on the BaT listing, which is set to end in three days. The Z8 has been listed without a reserve, meaning it will change hands for at least the current bid of $225,000. It’s located in California and has a clean CarFax report. Whoever buys the desirable roadster will also get the hardtop stand and toolkit, along with all the factory and service documentation.
Source: I AM Detailing / YouTube, Bring A Trailer
