Due to the relatively low production volume and limited availability of the BMW Z1, the rarely seen convertible is heralded by car enthusiasts as a collectable modern classic. Manufactured by the German marque for only two years, just 8,000 examples of the Z1 were made between 1989 to 1991. The model would form the basis of BMW’s Z Series, paving the way for the later, more widely available Z3 and Z4, also the performance focussed Z8.

As the earliest of BMW’s open-top roadsters, with production beginning in the late-1980s, the Z1 was designed with unusual features that only add to the car’s character. Most notably, the model’s barchetta shape is enhanced by vertically sliding doors. Removable body panels were made of thermoplastic, constructed by GE, and BMW claimed that the entire body could be swapped over within 40 minutes.

The example offered for sale here is finished in Urgrün over a light tan leather interior, complemented by a black fabric soft-top hood. In recent years, the Z1 has been part of a museum display curated by the consigning owner, and at the time of cataloguing the odometer reads just 61 kilometres. As a result buyers are encouraged to carry out a mechanical inspection prior to returning this car to the road, while this lot is offered for sale without registration papers. It is noted that some plastic body panels show signs of wear, while the car is offered with selected BMW books, a partially complete tool kit, and a spare wheel. A modern classic masterpiece whose stock seems on the rise, this car’s green-over-tan colour combination only adds to its considerable appeal.