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BMW Roadster-a super fast car Many lovers of German cars who are still too young for a Mercedes prefer a car from the BMW factory in Munich. In 1985, BMW laid the cornerstone for its new design studio,Technik GmbH. More than 100 car fans were able to enjoy themselves under the guidance of Ulrich Benz with pencil, paper, plaster and plastic. The new sporting car made its first test drive in less than two years. The model was named the Z1. It was a two-person roadster which could be sold since October 1988. For only 80,000 DM the buyer could be sure of an extremely pleasant driving or riding experience. The body was a semi-monocoque with a very low sill line. The upper border of the windshield served at the same time as a roll bar.The body was made of steel. The luggage compartment lid and the side panels were made of plastic. The doors of the Z1 were interesting. A system patented by BMW was used that made it possible for the doors to be sunken into the sills. The door-window glasses went down automatically by electric control. The wheel suspension came from the BMW 3 series and the six-cylinder engine from the 325i powered the rear wheels. Because of the limited car space, the spare wheel-absent. Everybody could get it for at an extra cost. In the autumn of 1991, the last Z1 left the factory. Exactly 8,000 were built. The successor of the Z1 was the D. This car was designed especially for the American market. It was produced in the United States. The Z3 had more of the 507 from the fifties. The ZI was built in a limited series, but BMW had big plans for the new car: to dominate a good part of the roadster market with it after the price had been adjusted. The car’s price, in the cheapest version with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, was less than the purchase price of the Z1. The more expensive version was equipped with a 1.9liter engine with two camshafts and four instead of two valves per cylinder. This engine had 140 hp performance, 25 hp more than its smaller brother. But even in this adaptation, the roadster cost only 10% more than the 1.8-liter model. BMW dominated with these two models on the market and could meet the competition with equanimity. But the competitors were active, too. BMW was forced to provide the car with a more powerful engine (enough space was under the engine hood). In the winter of 1996-1997, the Z3 appeared with a six-cylince, 2.8-liter 24 valve engine and a 3.2-liter from the M series. The last model was called the M Roadster. The program was complete now and there was a Z3 Roadster for each show. They were super fast cars which could compete with the Mercedes SLK or the Porsche Boxster. The prices grew with the growing amount of hp. BMW cars were selling well and in October 1996 more than 35,000 Z3s were produced in America. Half of these were exported (mostly to Germany). The rest remained in the United States. Between 250 and 300 cars have been produced per day in the United States since 1997. The Z3 and the BMW Roadster were still selling sporting cars when BMW presented its new model, the Z07, in November 1997 at the Tokyo Motor Show. The car seemed to be a clear successor to other sporting cars. The Z07 was was built of an aluminum space frame. The body was made largely of alloys. As for the motor, the makers were rather secretive, but it is almost sure that the car is powered by the new 5.0 literV8 engines with 400 hp installed in the M5 during the autumn of 1998. The model was introduced onto the market in the 1990s. Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil