One to Buy: 2001 BMW E52 Z8 Dinan S
At the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1999, BMW unveiled a flagship Roadster inspired by the car that nearly drove the company to bankruptcy 40 years beforehand: the legendary late fifties 507.
Built around an aluminium spaceframe with MacPherson strut suspension up front and a multi-link arrangement out back, the Z8 was powered by a BMW Motorsport developed V8 engine that in standard trim pumped out 394bhp at 6600rpm and 369lb-ft at 3800rpm. Transmission was through a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox.
Cosmetically, the Z8 tapped into the late 1990s trend for retro design and was effectively a modern homage to the 507. Each car came with a double bubble hard top as standard and was electronically limited to 155mph. 0-62mph took just 4.7 seconds.
Z8 deliveries began in early 2000 and continued until June 2003. 5703 were built in total, all of which were left-hand drive. Of these, 2453 examples were bound for the North American market with 2382 sold in the United States.
Currently on offer with Issimi in Redwood City, California, is this one owner triple black Z8 that has covered a little under 20,000 miles from new and comes with a fully documented service history
Significantly, chassis 60331 was further enhanced with the rarely seen addition of a Dinan S upgrade pack which included a re-mapped ECU, a carbonfibre intake system and a set of handsome seven spoke alloy wheels.
Reprinted below is Issimi’s description for this superbly configured Z8:
One-Owner Northern California Car with Dinan S Upgrades
Very Complete - Includes “The Book”
VIN: WBAEJ13431AH60331
Mileage: 19,925 miles
Price: $205,000
In 1997, BMW released the Z07 styling study, which became the production Z8 with impressively minimal changes. Initially penned by Henrik Fisker (later to become head of design at Aston Martin and then develop his own global automobile company), the Z07 concept was inspired by the legendary 507 and was never intended for production. But the car generated overwhelmingly enthusiastic response and BMW elected to make a production version of the car.
Only one configuration, the roadster, was available, and would be constructed from 2000 to 2003. The production Z8 differed only slightly from the concept Z07, retaining most of the details of the Z07. The Z8 featured a long hood and short deck, placing occupants nearly at the rear axle, in keeping with the traditions of great sports car design. The small doors, curvaceous fenders, and low-slung stance evoked a retro feel while simultaneously creating a fresh and unique look.
All Z8s came with removable hard tops, unique keys, an embossed tool roll and a host of other Z8-specific extras, and a color-matched dashboard with centrally placed instruments.
Mechanically, the Z8 was both sophisticated and technologically exciting. The aluminum chassis is lightweight and is paired with forged independent suspension components. The E39 M5's S62 4.9 liter quad-cam V8 engine, mounted well behind the front axle for optimal weight distribution, delivers a remarkably usable 400hp.
Not simply a pretty face, the all new Z8 arrived as a legitimately high performance machine, yielding .92g of lateral acceleration, and posting a 4.2 second 0-60 time. Car and Driver's tests proved acceleration, grip, and braking figures competitive with the contemporary Ferrari 360.
Just 2,382 examples were sold in the United States. Today, Z8s have continued to appreciate in value due in part to their exceptional design, high performance, and limited production.
This particular car is a one-owner car which has spent its entire life in Northern California and was fitted with a Dinan S upgrade package, including intakes, software, and wheels. The car is complete with hard top with trolley, hard top cover, “The Book” (properly serialized to this VIN), books set, wind deflector, tonneau cover, sales brochure, flashlight, both main keys plus plastic valet key, Z8 leather key case, tool roll, battery charger, and luggage net.
