A 1995 two-seater built on a shortened E36 platform, with a coupe, a limited M range, a 1999 V12 prototype and a film career that started in GoldenEye.
Built by BMW from 1995 to 2002 with roadster and coupe bodies, the Z3 rode on a shortened E36 platform. It was replaced in 2002 by the E85 Z4, the Z Series successor. Its M models and V12 prototype added to its reputation.
The BMW Z3 was a two-seater sports car range that BMW built from 1995 to 2002, sold as a roadster and later as a coupe. It was the first mass-produced Z Series car and rode on a shortened version of the E36 platform. Its M models, a 1999 V12 prototype and a role in the James Bond film GoldenEye gave it a reputation well beyond its size.
When did the BMW Z3 go on sale?
The Z3 was introduced by video press release from BMW North America on 12 June 1995. Production began on 20 September 1995, and the roadster was the first body style to reach buyers. Production finally ended on 28 June 2002, when the E85 Z4 took over the line.
Development of the roadster began in 1991 and was led by Burkhard Goschel. The design was completed in mid-1992 and frozen in 1993, and design patents followed in April 1994 in Germany and in September 1994 in the United States.
A compact two-seater built on a shortened E36 platform, which became the first mass-produced Z Series car and a Bond film star.
Who designed the BMW Z3 and where was it built?
The exterior was designed by Joji Nagashima, and The Z3 was the first BMW model built solely outside Germany, and the plant was in Greer, South Carolina. The Z3 therefore marks a turning point in where BMW built its cars.
The Z3 was built on the E36/5 compact platform, a shortened version of the conventional E36 layout. That platform was smaller and cheaper, and it carried the rear semi-trailing arm suspension from the older E30 3 Series. The approach kept costs down.
What body styles did the BMW Z3 come in?
The Z3 came as a two-door roadster, coded E36/7, and as a two-door coupe, coded E36/8. The roadster was the original body, and the coupe followed later. Both shared the same platform and most of their parts.
Roadster models launched with four-cylinder engines, and six-cylinder engines arrived in 1996. A removable hardtop roof was available as an optional accessory,.
Why is the Z3 coupe nicknamed a clown shoe?
The Z3 coupe was nicknamed the clown shoe and the bread van by critics because of its unusual side profile. In Germany it was called a turnschuh, meaning sports shoe, which captured the same joke in a different way. Production started in January 1998, with deliveries from September 1998.
The coupe shared its platform and parts with the roadster, but it added a chassis-stiffening hatch area that made it 2.7 times stiffer. The coupe was unveiled at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Which engines and gearboxes did the Z3 use?
Four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines powered the range, and the coupe was only offered with the engines that matched the 2.8, 3.0i and M model roadsters. Peak output across the three generations of engine architecture reached 325 horsepower in the facelift M Coupe. The coupe was rear-wheel drive only.
The transmissions were a five-speed ZF S5-31 manual for the 2.8, 3.0i and Z3M, a five-speed Getrag 250 manual for the smaller engines, a four-speed GM 4L30-E automatic and a five-speed GM 5L40-E automatic. The four-cylinder models had a single tailpipe, while six-cylinder cars had dual tailpipes.
Z3 specifications at a glance
The table below sets out the headline figures for the range, the M models and the 1999 V12 prototype. Rows name the version they belong to, so the prototype's figures are not read as production numbers.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Production years | 1995 to 2002 |
| Body styles | Roadster (E36/7) and coupe (E36/8) |
| Roadster introduced | 12 June 1995 (video release); production from 20 September 1995 |
| Coupe unveiled | 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show |
| Assembly plant | Greer, South Carolina |
| M model transmission | Five-speed manual only |
| M model engines | S50 inline-six in Europe; S52 in North America; S54 from 2001 |
| Coupe peak output | 325 horsepower in the facelift M Coupe |
| V12 prototype engine | 5.4 L M73 V12; 240 kW (322 hp) at 5,000 rpm |
| V12 prototype torque | 490 N m (361 lb ft) at 3,900 rpm |
| V12 prototype weight | 1,400 kg (3,086 lb); 70/30 front to rear |
| V12 prototype 0-100 km/h | 5.5 seconds (Autozeitung test) |
| V12 prototype top speed | 263 km/h (163 mph) |
What changed in the 1999 facelift?
The facelift versions began production in April 1999. The six-cylinder models received the M52TU engine with dual-VANOS, and the stability control moved from ASC to the more capable DSC system. Dual-stage side airbags were introduced at the same time.
Outside, the facelift brought redesigned chrome ring headlights, L-shaped taillights and an integrated third brake light. The rear track was also widened across the four and six-cylinder models. The Z3M did not receive these exterior changes.
In 2000 the Z3 2.0 was replaced by the 2.2i and the Z3 2.8 by the 3.0i, as the inline-six engines moved from the M52 to the M54. In the United States the 2.3 was replaced by the 2.5.
Those mechanical changes arrived alongside new exterior and interior detailing, so the facelift cars were updated throughout.
What made the Z3 M models different?
The M versions were introduced in 1997 as the M Roadster and M Coupe. European models used the S50 inline-six, while North American models used the less powerful S52. In 2001 both regions switched to the S54 engine, and the Z3M became available only with a five-speed manual.
Compared with the standard car, the M models had a limited slip differential, a wider rear track and larger brakes shared with another M car. They also had more aerodynamic mirrors, redesigned bumpers, bespoke Roadstar wheels, revised side gills and quad exhaust pipes. Unlike the rest of the range, the M Roadster and M Coupe did not receive the later cosmetic changes.
Was there a James Bond edition of the Z3?
Yes. BMW released a James Bond Edition in 1996, offered through the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue for US$35,000. The original target was 20 units, but that was raised to 100 after strong customer interest. Every car carried the 007 code in its VIN, and half had manual gearboxes.
Built on the Z3 1.9i, the edition gained a 007 dash plaque and 007 floor mats, along with special wheels and chrome exterior trim. It came in Atlanta blue with beige leather, matching the car seen in the film.
What was the Z3 V12 prototype?
In 1999 the BMW M division built a single Z3 prototype with the 5.4 litre M73 V12, mainly to test how much space the engine took up in the bay. It used 17-inch wheels and was painted orange. Its six-speed manual gearbox sent 490 N m (361 lb ft) of torque through the rear wheels.
The prototype weighed 1,400 kg (3,086 lb), far heavier than the standard car, and the V12 accounted for most of the extra weight. The front-to-rear split was 70/30. German magazine Autozeitung tested the car in 1999 and recorded 0-100 km/h in 5.5 seconds, a standing kilometre in 24.4 seconds and a top speed of 263 km/h (163 mph).
How did the Z3 feature in GoldenEye?
The Z3 appeared briefly in GoldenEye, in a scene set in Cuba, before Bond traded it in exchange for Jack Wade's plane. The car carried stinger missiles behind the headlights, an emergency parachute braking system and an LCD radar screen in the dashboard.
Fans were less enthusiastic about the product placement, because the car never got a scene in which to use its defensive equipment. That was put right with the BMW 750iL in the following film, Tomorrow Never Dies. The agreement between BMW and the Bond producers was a three-film deal, running from GoldenEye to The World Is Not Enough. BMW provided two blue prototypes in January 1995 for filming.
How well did the Z3 sell after the film?
Sales spiked while the film sat at number one at the box office. The entire 1996 roadster run, more than 15,000 cars, was sold out. Production volumes elsewhere in the record remain uncertain, since sources conflict.
The Z3 also appeared in The Follow, one of the BMW films released in 2001. It gave the roadster another screen appearance several years after its launch.
What changed in the first model years?
The 1997 model year brought the M Roadster and M Coupe to the public, and BMW Individual was introduced for Z3 models. The 1998 model year added the coupe, wood trim and a power soft top as options, along with rollover hoops. Automatic stability control became standard on 1.9 models that year.
A hardtop shell option for the Z3 was also introduced in 1998. The rollover hoops and stability control were the main safety updates of the early years, before the 1999 facelift brought dual-stage side airbags.
How can you tell a four-cylinder Z3 from a six-cylinder?
Four-cylinder models have a single tailpipe, while six-cylinder models have dual tailpipes. Before the facelift the six-cylinder cars also had wider rear fenders. M models had unique bumpers, mirrors and a quad exhaust, which set them apart from the rest of the range.
The 1999 facelift added dual-stage side airbags and upgraded the stability control from ASC to DSC, so later cars differ in safety equipment as well as in styling.
Did the Z3 appear in motorsport?
Yes, though not as a racing car. The BMW M division produced a safety car version of the M Coupe for MotoGP, and it was used during the 2000 season. The MotoGP car was based on the M Coupe, which peaked at 325 horsepower in its facelift form.
What awards did the Z3 win?
The Z3 collected awards across its life, from a 1995 Super Reggie prize for the GoldenEye campaign to a 2011 Top Gear Hammond's Icons listing for the M Coupe. Edmunds named the 2.8 a Most Wanted Convertible in 1999, and Intellichoice gave the Roadster 2.3 its Best Overall Value award in 2000.
Automobile magazine gave the M Coupe its Design of the Year and Best Sports Car honours in 1999, and Car and Driver put both M models in its Ten Best list that year.
Frequently asked questions
Was the Z3 a good seller?
Its roadster sold well enough that the entire 1996 run of more than 15,000 cars was sold out. The sales spike during GoldenEye helped, and the car later picked up value awards from several magazines.
How many Bond Editions were made?
BMW and Neiman Marcus raised the original target of 20 units to 100 cars. Every car had the code 007 in its VIN, and exactly half had manual transmissions.
What replaced the Z3?
The Z3 line ended on 28 June 2002, when the E85 Z4 replaced it. The Z3 was the first mass-produced car in the Z Series, and its successor carried the line forward.
Did the M Coupe win awards?
Top Gear named the M Coupe its Driver's Car of the Year in 2000, and Jalopnik included it among its best ten cars of the decade in 2009.
