Bmw Z3, thirty years of the roadster that seduced 007. And almost three hundred thousand motorists

ROME – In his seven-year career he has turned the heads of more than one motorist . The peak of his popularity came with the big screen right away, when as a Bavarian with an American passport he put himself at the service of Her Majesty and under the orders of the most famous secret agent in the world: James Bond , then played by Pierce Brosnan. in GoldenEye.

Like the film directed by Martin Campbell , the BMW Z3 is turning thirty , a roadster from the propeller-driven company born in 1995, the year in which Jacques Chirac entered the Elysée, Bill Gates launched his Windows 95 and the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in Tel Aviv. Nobel Peace Prize.

The Z3 is BMW's answer to the Mercedes SLK , but unlike the German from Stuttgart, the Bavarian chooses a canvas hood instead of a folding metal one. The market appreciates it. And the line of the thirty-year-old from Munich is still current today, thanks to the interpretation of a timeless stylistic concept with original grafts. The long hood, the barely hinted tail and the passenger compartment set back towards the rear axle make the car very fascinating. The gills on the front wheel arches are a cameo that gives it character and makes its line unmistakable.

The restyling dates back to 1999 , in time to also update the engines. Initially offered on the market with a 1.8 and 1.9 cubic centimeter four-cylinder, with 116 and 140 horsepower, the technicians from Munich gave it a six-cylinder in-line available in two versions: a 2.8 and a meaner 3.2, which, shared with the M3 E46, is capable of expressing up to 321 horsepower . A lot for a car without electronic frills (read traction control), which expected an old-school driving style from its lucky owners.

With the Third Millennium, the engine range is renewed. Under the hood there are two six-cylinder in-line 2.0 and 2.2, ready to unleash 150 or 170 horsepower depending on the version. Memorable, then, is the shooting brake : no more hair in the wind , but a fixed roof and two 6 cylinders 2.8 and 3.2. Very bad.

The Z3 was the first BMW produced in Spatanburg , USA, until 2002: the threat of Trump's duties was not even conceivable. 297 thousand units landed in dealerships around the world. Today, with maturity, it enjoys rising prices: starting from 11 thousand euros, up to 40 thousand needed for the M version. She, the lady of roadsters, left active service in 2002, to yield the scepter to the Z4. Behind her, a long trail of admirers. Little curiosity: the two-seater that dared to challenge the SLK shared the scene with the Bond interpreter who launched it to the general public. And also destiny. 2002 is also the year of Brosnan's last 007, Die Another Day. And the Z3 knows it well.