BMW Z3

BMW Z3 at a glance

Development began in 1991 under Burkhard Göschel. Joji Nagashima drew the exterior, finished in mid-1992, and the design was frozen in 1993. BMW filed the design patents on 2 April 1994 in Germany and on 27 September 1994 in the United States. Its predecessor in BMW's roadster line was the Z1, and the Z3 was the first BMW model built solely outside Germany. The Z3 is now a modern classic; you will find it next to other older roadsters in our classic cars section and with the rest of the brand in our BMW catalogue.

Generations and model history

The Z3 had a single generation with two body styles and one facelift.

Roadster production started on 20 September 1995. The film tie-in helped: the Z3 appeared in GoldenEye (1995), and the 1996 roadster run of more than 15,000 cars sold out before launch. BMW offered a James Bond Edition through the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue: based on the 1.9, finished in Atlanta blue with beige leather and with "007" in the VIN, it was first planned at 20 cars and then raised to 100.

The coupé, sometimes called a shooting brake for its long roof and hatch, entered production in January 1998 with deliveries from September 1998. It shares its platform and most parts with the roadster, but the closed rear makes the body 2.7 times stiffer. Only 17,815 coupés were built against 279,273 roadsters, about 6% of the total, which makes the coupé the rarer Z3 today.

From April 1999 the facelifted roadster gained new headlights, tail-lights, wheels and a three-spoke steering wheel. The four-cylinder cars stayed, while the six-cylinder range was rebuilt around new engines. The M models kept their original look.

Engines, transmissions and performance

There was also a 2.3 with 127 kW (173 PS) and, from 2000, a 2.5i with 137 kW (186 PS). The 1999 update first gave the 2.0, 2.3 and 2.8 the M52TU engine with double VANOS, then the M54 engines replaced them as the 2.2i, 2.5i and 3.0i. North American M cars used the 179 kW (243 PS) S52 until 2000, and the S54 with 235 kW (320 PS) after that.

Manual cars used a five-speed gearbox (Getrag or ZF). Automatics were the four-speed GM 4L30E and, later, five-speed units from GM and ZF. The M Roadster and M Coupé came only with the five-speed manual, a limited-slip differential, a wider rear track and the bigger brakes of the E36 M3. Need the outputs in horsepower or PS? Our power converter does the sums.

Dimensions and weight

At just over four metres long, with a wheelbase of under 2.5 metres and a kerb weight from 1,160 kg, the Z3 is compact and light by modern standards, and easy to place on narrow roads.

Running costs

The four-cylinder cars are the simplest to keep. The M43, M44, M52 and M54 engines were also used in BMW's 3 Series of the period, which helps with parts and specialist knowledge. The S50 and S54 engines of the M cars are high-revving motorsport-derived units (7,400 rpm peak power) and cost more to service. Estimate fuel bills for your mileage with our fuel cost calculator.

Equipment and safety

The Z3 has two fixed rollover hoops behind the seats. Automatic stability control (ASC) became standard on the 1.9, and the facelift replaced it with DSC, which later added Dynamic Brake Control and automatic differential brake functions. Dual-stage side airbags arrived with the facelift. We found no Euro NCAP rating for the Z3.

Reliability and known issues

We have found no source we can cite for model-specific faults, so we do not list any. As with any car of this age, condition and service history matter more than the badge: check the soft top, the bodywork and the service history of the M engines.

Awards and rivals

The M Coupé was Automobile Magazine's Design of the Year and Best Sports Car in 1999 and Top Gear's Driver's Car of the Year in 2000, and the M Coupé and M Roadster entered Car and Driver's Ten Best list in 1999. Edmunds named the Z3 2.8 its Most Wanted Convertible in 1999.

The Z3 competed with the Mazda MX-5, the Mercedes-Benz SLK, the Porsche Boxster and the Audi TT Roadster.