BMW introduced its quirky Z1 Roadster with roll-up doors in 1988. Next on the scene was the mass-market Z3 in 1995. The Z8 arrived in production form in 2001. The three cars could not be more different in their design, engineering, and intention. However, like the Z3, the Z8 was chosen to star in the newest James Bond film, The World is Not Enough, where it unfortunately met an untimely end!

Inspiration for the Z8 came in 1993 when BMW’s Wolfgang Reitzle and Bernd Pischetsrieder attended a party at the factory where a vintage BMW 507 was displayed. The duo liked what they saw and decided that, one day, they would try to repeat the trick. Conceived under code Z07, a team from BMW Technik GmbH developed a concept car that was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1997. The production car remained amazingly similar to the initial concept in 1999, a few months before deliveries were to actually begin.

The Z8 was to serve not only as a “halo” car for the entire BMW lineup but was also used as a test bed for new engineering techniques. The real technical achievement was hidden away from view—an advanced form of welded and extruded aluminum space-frame chassis construction. Despite the high cost, it proved feasible. Ultimately, the same construction methods were used to underpin the BMW-engineered Rolls-Royce Phantom when it appeared four years later. The beautiful and timeless styling was the work of Henrik Fisker, who was then heading up BMW’s Designworks studio in California.

The understructure was built up at BMW’s Dingolfing plant, with final assembly in dedicated workshops at the Munich plant. All Z8s were fitted with BMW’s silky smooth and powerful 400-horsepower 4.9-liter V-8, as used in 5- and 7-series models, while backed up by a Getrag six-speed transmission from the M5. The limited-production model went on sale in 2000, and just less than half (2,543 of the 5,703 built) came to the United States at a base price of $128,000 fully equipped.

The beautiful Titanium Silver-over-black example offered here is in virtually brand-new condition, with only 550 actual miles! It is complete with not only the desirable removable hardtop but also the original window sticker, books, spare keys, tools, and dealer coffee table book, presenting it exactly as the BMW dealer would have in 2002. Surely, few of these cars are in as spectacular of condition or as remarkably well preserved.

For the buyer who missed out on this modern successor to the 507 when it was new, this is the next best thing!