It’s hard to argue that the words roadster and BMW together do not sound like an exciting combination. However, prior to the introduction of the Z3 in 1996, the last BMW-badged roadster that made it to the shores of the United States was the 507 in 1957. Thankfully, BMW saw fit to rectify that with a new ragtop whose styling hearkened back to the elegant BMW 507, and underpinnings cribbed from two different generations of the 3 Series.
At its 1996 introduction, the Z3 was a James Bond car and powered by a standard M44 four-cylinder which offered comparable performance to its contemporary, the MX-5 Miata. The next year, the Z3 could be optioned with a 2.8-liter inline-six cylinder producing a more substantial 190 horsepower which also added a wider rear track to the chassis, bringing it closer in performance and price to its Teutonic competitor – the Porsche Boxster. The M44 would soldier on in the Z3 until it was replaced by a more powerful 2.5-liter straight six as the base engine in 1999.
