2000 BMW Z8

As is the case with most low production number special edition models, the BMW Z8 became a collector’s favourite almost overnight. Though its reception among the motoring press was a little less enthusiastic, one famous on-screen owner did more to cement the car’s desirability than any other. Yes, I’m talking about James Bond... it was inevitable really wasn’t it.

Nearly six thousand Z8s (5703) were made between 2000 and 2003, with production shared between Dingolfing (chassis) and Munich (final assembly). All were left-hand drive with a third (1895) painted in the same shade of Titanium Silver as Bond’s ill-fated Z8. The rest were either painted in Black (1572) or Topaz Blue (319) with BMW’s Individual catalogue accounting for the majority of the rest. This Z8 with its Imola Red exterior and Sport-Rot interior is thought to be one of only 77 made with this colour combo.

Low mileage is usually a given for a car this special so it’s hardly a surprise to find just 57,026 km on the clock (35,434 miles). That’s the kind of mileage that shows it’s not just been a garage queen all its life; someone’s enjoyed driving it too. It has spent much of its life in Qatar, with a decode of its chassis number showing it was originally supplied here by BMW. It came to the UK in 2015 where it spent time in the capital and has covered minimal mileage since.

Being confronted with a Z8 is rare enough, but one in this shade certainly draws some attention. Its twenty-year-old paint retains much of the deep shine and even colour coverage it had from new and certainly makes it hard to miss. There are some very minor marks here and there, mainly front-end stone chips, but these certainly don’t spoil the otherwise very good impression this car makes. When the soft-top is up you can see a section of the trim above the rear screen peeling but otherwise it’s sound and fits well. The factory hard-top and its headlining also remain in great order.

We’re unable to confirm, but as the tyres lack the four-digit DOT code (likely pre-2000), it appears this Z8 is wearing its original Bridgestone Potenza RE040s. These first-generation run-flat tyres have received a mixed reception among owners, many claiming great increases in comfort and handling from fitting newer, non run-flat alternative. Worth bearing in mind and as they’re likely twenty-year old plus rubber, they’re certainly due a replacement. Visually they still appear to be in excellent condition (though run-flats often do) with just a small chunk out of the nearside front sidewall to report. The original 18-inch alloy wheels, upon which they’re wrapped, still appear to be in fine condition.

The retro inspiration for the Z8 continued with Scott Lempert’s interior styling. The stunning alloy multi-spoke wheel, switches and bezels give this cabin a real touch of glamour. This Z8 feels that little bit more special in two-tone red and black. The leather surfaces are indicative of a car with such limited use. There’s precious little evidence of wear anywhere other than the light scratches to the airbag centre boss of the wheel and the door kick plates.

The brushed surfaces of the inner door pulls and grab handles have a similar light smattering of nail scratches, but you really have to be scouring the cabin to notice. The striking red leather covering the lower dash, seats, door cards and transmission tunnel remains rip-free and vibrant. Oh, and the glue securing the door card pocket material on both sides has lost much of its adhesive power, but that’s an easy fix.

A further delve into the chassis decoder shows that this Z8 had a navigation delete from new. Hardly a great loss, as it’ll be considerably out of date by now anyway, though the stereo tuning frequency of 315mhz for the UAE may mean it doesn’t work, we weren’t able to test it. There is a six-disc cd autochanger however, so if you do get bored of the engine note (we can’t imagine why you would) you’ll have something else to listen to.

A cursory inspection under this Z8 wasn’t ideal but it was enough to reveal what BMW itself reported in 2015, that all’s well. There are the usual spots of surface corrosion to the steel bolts and nuts but as the majority of the underside of the Z8 is aluminium, this isn’t of any real concern. The condition of the rubber bushes (always a vital part of any BMW) shows no obvious cracking and our photographer didn’t report anything untoward with the way this Z8 drove down the road.

Not that we were expecting to find much in the way of corrosion – especially considering this car’s former life in Qatar – but we were still pleased with how clean it appears to be. With an alloy spaceframe and suspension, it’s really only the subframes that can suffer and these both appear to be in fine order, from what we could see. There’s a lot of plastic still covering the key areas, so for real peace of mind, removing these and getting the car on a ramp would be ideal.

Sadly, there’s a decade of this car’s history and 16,000km that we simply don’t know anything about. As mentioned, it was supplied to the UAE from new and the BMW service record shows the pre-delivery inspection was carried out by official BMW importers Alfardan Automobiles in Qatar. The history shows regular visits back here for oil and two major inspection II (all filters and fluid) services from 2000 up to 2005. There’s then a gap of ten years until it came to the UK.

Once on our shores the next owner took it into Hampshire’s Ridgeway BMW Centre for yet another inspection II service. At the same time, in July 2015, taking the opportunity to have the car fully inspected. This revealed nothing more serious than a need for a replacement wheel-arch liner, key battery and locking wheel nut. All of which were carried out. The last stamp in the book shows an inspection I service at 56,796km carried out by Cooper BMW in Colchester. Clearly, as it’s now showing just 230kms since, it’s safe to say that other than potentially fitting some new tyres, it’s good to go.

The rarity of the Z8 and its categorisation as a collectible from new has meant it’s never really depreciated. There aren’t many cars you can say that of and certainly, though recent auction results might have plateaued, there’s plenty of room for future growth. The irresistible combination of stunning looks, a genuinely thrilling driving experience and silver-screen fame clearly hasn’t hurt this rare Munich muscle car’s potential.

Condition is key with any collectible and this one’s in fine shape. The originality of this Z8 shines through, it’s even got the hallowed complete tool roll and warning triangle in the boot. The relatively recent BMW inspection should certainly fill any buyer with confidence. In fact, it makes up for a lot of its lost history during its stay in the Gulf. Though looking at this another way, this Z8 is one you could enjoy for a summer or two without the guilt and still get back what you put in. As such we’re estimating that one of Munich’s rarest machines could be yours for between £136,000 and £146,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.