Press Kit MY 2000: BMW Z8: THE NEW CENTURY BEGINS WITH A POWERFUL AND SENSUOUS EXPRESSION OF BMW'S PASSION

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, March 7, 2000...Throughout its history, BMW has
designed and produced limited-production automobiles that are quintessential
expressions of the passion for driving that is the company's soul. The
legendary 328 roadster made its 1937 debut as a race car at Germany's famous
Nurburgring. Renowned designer Count Albrecht Goertz's 507 roadster,
introduced in 1955, is considered by many enthusiasts and collectors to be one
of the most beautiful cars ever built. A sensation on the road and on the race
track, the mid-engine M1 coupe, built from 1980-1982, redefined the term
"exotic car." In 1987, prompted by an enthusiastic public response to spy
photos of a car built as an engineering concept project, BMW unveiled the Z1
roadster.
The Z8 roadster, introduced at the 1999 Frankfurt Auto Show, is a continuation
of this tradition but in a new, compelling format. When developing the Z8, BMW
designers were challenged to imagine what the original 507 would be like if it
had never ceased production and had evolved over four decades. The result of
this creative direction is a thoroughly contemporary interpretation of that
famous roadster, a car that is truly a perfect blend of performance and
sensuality; of modern technology and classic elegance.

Z8 DESIGN: TAKING CUES FROM THE PAST, SETTING TRENDS FOR THE FUTURE

The world's first look at the Z8 concept was the Z07 design study displayed at
the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show and shortly thereafter at the1998 North American
International Auto Show in Detroit. Based on favorable public reaction, BMW
decided to build the Z8 in limited numbers.
BMW 507 designer Count Albrecht Goertz paid the Z8 the ultimate complement,
saying, "If I were to design the 507 today, it would look like the Z8." Vastly
different than current exclusive high-performance car styling trends, the
front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car features a long hood, tapered
overhangs, a cockpit positioned toward the rear and a low beltline. The front
fender air intake grilles, in this case with integrated turn signal lights, are
a design element usually associated with the classic 507, although the concept
dates from earlier BMWs. In a world of sharp-edged, angular sports cars, the
Z8 is romantically curvaceous.
"All these features from the bible of sports car design, though entirely
reinterpreted, contribute to the appearance of the Z8," said Chris Bangle, head
of BMW design. "And of course, the wide, squat kidney grille in the front was
first seen on the 507. It gives the new sports car that distinctive look that
says, 'This is a BMW - the legend lives on!'
"Just looking at those beautiful, classic lines, I get the feeling of romantic
passion," said Bangle. "This body, built in BMW's high-end technology using
the most sophisticated aluminum spaceframe, represents the ultimate standard of
fascinating motoring: A classic roadster - and the Z8 is indeed a classic
roadster in every respect - simply has to have a long engine bay, body lines
swinging down at the sides from door level, a sexy 'derriere' and big wheels."
Yet the Z8 is unmistakably modern. The long, flowing hood allows the engine to
sit well back in the chassis making the Z8 a front/mid-engine design. Aluminum
construction is used extensively throughout including the spaceframe - an
industry first, suspension and all body panels with the exception of bumpers
(made of impact-resistant polyurethane) and steel door hinges. Other
contemporary details include 18-inch alloy wheels and low-profile, run-flat
tires.
The roadster's advanced lighting technology includes dynamically adjustable
Xenon headlamps with high-pressure washers concealed in the leading edges of
the headlamp covers. The Z8 is the first car ever with neon turn signals and
brake lights that illuminate ten times faster than conventional bulbs, giving
other drivers more time to react.
Another example of the attention to detail the Z8's designers lavished on the
new roadster is the two round, red lights on either side of the rear license
plate. The left light is a rear fog lamp, marking the first time BMW has sold
a car with such a safety device as standard equipment in the U.S. market. The
right light is the back-up light that, despite its red lens, illuminates in
white when the driver selects reverse gear.
Building the Z8 is as unique a process as is the car itself. Z8 bodies are
constructed and painted at BMW's Dingolfing plant, approximately 60 miles
northeast of Munich; the front and rear bumpers are manufactured at the nearby
Landshut facility. Completed bodies are then shipped to the former pilot plant
area of the company's Milbertshofen factory in Munich, where the limited
production Z1 was built, for final assembly. For 2000, a small team of highly
skilled craftsmen will largely hand-build approximately 400 cars for the U.S.
market in 31 assembly steps. The complete assembly and finishing period for a
Z8 is about 10 times longer than that for a 3 Series sedan.

Please download the attached file for more detailed information about the
following:
- The Z8 Cockpit
- The Z8 Engine
- Aluminum Body And Spaceframe
- Dynamic Stability Control
- Run-Flat Tire Technology
- Special Delivery Experience

Other files available to download will provide information about:
- Product Highlights
- Technical Specifications
- Standard Features