Virtually New 1990 BMW Z1 to Hit the Auction Block
auctions | bmw | convertibles

The BMW Z1 roadster was manufactured for less than three years, with only about 8,000 of them ever produced. The two-seater is rarely seen here in the states, as its unusual doors were never approved for driving here. Despite being 24 years-old, one of these cars has turned up for auction in brand new condition.
Silverstone Auctions is selling this Z1 with just 197km (~122 miles) on the odometer. The car has never been registered, so it’s just as if you just bought it from the dealership back in 1990.
Under its hood is a 168hp, 6-cylinder engine, connected to a 5-speed manual gearbox – both borrowed from the E3 325i. Also of note is the car’s unusual construction – a zinc-welded skeletal steel frame, wrapped with body panels made from a durable thermoplastic resin called XENOY. This construction technique resulted in a curb weight of just 2,756 pounds.
The car’s most distinctive feature is its unique half-height doors which retract into the body to allow driver and passenger to enter:
In fact, you can safely drive the car with the doors down for an experience that is described as driving a large go kart:
This BMW Z1 will be sold at auction this May 24, and is expected to fetch somewhere between £50,000 to £60,000 (~$84,000 to $101,000 USD)