1996-98 BMW Z3 1.9-liter

The Z3 is a Teutonic E-type: long in front, short in back, with muscular curves and a low stance

by Marit Anne Peterson

The Z3 was introduced to the public in Goldeneye, the popular 1995 James Bond film that began Pierce Brosnan’s run as 007. As BMW’s first pure sports car in almost forty years, it was not surprising when the two-seater sold out its first year’s production run by late spring. There was plenty to be excited about, even if your Z3 didn’t come Q-equipped with Stinger missiles and a parachute. At the outset the Z3 was available only with a 138-hp, 1.9-liter inline four, the familiar four-cylinder unit from BMW’s 3-series, but revised to offer more displacement for better low-end torque. With a 0-60 mph time of just over eight seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 116 miles per hour, the first Z3s were competitive with the standard-bearer in the roadster category, Mazda’s highly successful Miata. But the BMW roadster offered a higher-grade interior, more masculine looks, and one thing that can’t be found on any Mazda—the Roundel. In style the Z3 is a...