Lot Ended
Description
2000 BMW Z3 2.8i Roadster
Only 41,825 miles
from new with good history; three owners, the current for 20 years; facelift
model with potent 193bhp straight-six and 5-speed manual 'box; smart example of
this lively little sportscar
We have got used to it now, but when BMW’s Z3 Roadster
first came out in 1996 it caused something of a stir. Quite unlike anything else
in the Munich firm’s line up, it was styled by Joji Nagashima in BMW’s
Californian design studio and had lots of ‘wind-in-the-hair’ attitude. It also
had a whiff of the WW2 fighter plane about it, with an aggressively flared
bonnet sporting side vents that wouldn’t have looked out of place on an
ME109.
Initially powered by a 138bhp 1.9-litre 4-cylinder engine,
this was quickly deemed somewhat underwhelming and from 1997 BMW’s superb
all-alloy 24-valve 2.8-litre straight-six was made available. With a silky
smooth 193bhp on tap, this gave the car sparkling performance, launching it to
60mph in just 6.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 140mph.
First registered in March 2000, this post-facelift
wide-track Z3 has had just three owners from new, the current lady owner
acquiring it way back in 2001. It has covered only 41,825 miles to date and
comes with a good service history comprising four stamps in the book at the
following intervals: 9,055 miles in Feb 2001; 22,314 miles in Feb 2005; 35,112
miles in Dec 2013; 39,694 miles (undated but most likely in late 2017 judging by
the MOT history).
Finished in Titan Silver with a black leather interior it
appears to be in good order throughout, as you would expect from such a low
mileage example. The electric soft-top works as it should. The only real fault
we noted was the motor for the driver’s seat which does not function. The vendor
advises that it needs a wiggle to get it working properly and suggests a
loose connection somewhere. The gear knob on the car broke while we were moving
it around for the photos but a new one will be fitted in time for the auction (a
common fault on BMWs of this era because it has a plastic insert which goes
brittle over time).
Driven 100 miles to the sale, it has an MOT until October
2021 with just one minor advisory (‘brake pipe corroded, covered in grease’).
The 2.8 5-speed manual is a fabulous engine/gearbox combination and these
striking little roadsters scoot along very nicely indeed, being very smooth and
quiet when cruising with plenty of poke on offer when required.
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or
email [email protected]
* All charges are subject to VAT