2003 BMW Z8 Roadster

1999 saw “The World Is Not Enough” hit the silver screens, with Pierce Brosnan’s sharp looks at James Bond doing the whole ‘save the world from destruction’ thing. Bond film car aficianados will have no doubt noticed the sleek silver roadster that Bond drives in the film, before it is dramatically cut in half by a helicopter-mounted set of circular saws. That car is BMW’s Z8 which was introduced to the public in 2000, and produced for just three years. The Z8 also saw some screen time in the Jackie Chan flick ‘The Tuxedo’. If the Z8 caught your eye in either of these films, here’s a lovely 2003 BMW Z8 Roadster from Florida for sale, with just 48,000 miles on the clock. Only 5,703 Z8s were produced, with 2,543 sold in North America so you’re joining an exclusive club.

Exterior and Interior

The Z8 was styled by Henrik Fisker, incorporating some styling cues of the 1956 BMW 507 Roadster. This lovely enthusiast-owned 2003 BMW Z8 Roadster wears a Titanium Silver Metallic paint job and rolls on a set of five-spoke BMW alloys. The car’s original hard top and hard top stand are included in the sale. Unlike most roadsters, the Z8 was designed from the outset with the hardtop incorporated into the overall design, and thus the car looks stunning with or without it on. Another little piece of trivia is that the rear taillights and turn indicators are neon tubes rather than traditional bulbs. If you are searching for an Z8 badge on the exterior you will not find it, as the only Z8 badge on the model is inside, between the two seats. The interior features black Nappa leather, and the hardtop’s headliner is in Anthracite. A three-spoke retro-styled steering wheel faces the driver, whilst the gauges are relegated to a central gauge pod. A retro-style panel houses the climate controls, whilst a radio is hidden beneath a flap to maintain the clean and simplistic lines of the interior. That’s it.

Engine

The BMW Z8 would pack a V8 and only a V8, and this 2003 BMW Z8 Roadster is powered by the legendary 4.9L (302ci) S62 V8 that also saw service in the E39 M5 sports saloon. The engine puts out 395hp at 6,600rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque at 3,800rpm. Driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, the performance figures for the Z8 are rated at 4.5 seconds in the zero to sixty sprint and the top speed is electronically limited at 155mph, although if derestricted it is said to be possible of 180mph. The engine is located behind the front axle, to grant the Z8 the highly-desired 50-50 front-rear weight distribution.