1990 BMW Z1

The Zukunft tag is arguably most fitting for the Z1 out of all the Z cars, a car that even now, 22 years after it first went on sale, looks fresh and modern. The Z1 used a skeletal frame to which the body panels were mounted, it made the Z1's body incredibly stiff, banishing scuttle shake and giving the car superb handling. The cars body panels were made from plastic, which was mounted on a sub structure of hot dipped galvanised pressed steel. The seams were continuously zinc welded, adding 25 per cent to body stiffness. The side panels and doors were made from General Electric's Xenoy injection-cast thermoplastic, the bonnet and boot lid were glass reinforced plastic and the whole body was painted in a special flexible lacquer.

Those magnificent doors were operated by toothed belts which lowered both the window and door at the touch of a button. The Z1 used the innovative Z-axle suspension set up at the rear and also featured some clever aerodynamics, the front of the car was designed to create a high pressure zone ahead of the wheels to induce down force while the aerofoil shaped rear silencer helped to decrease turbulence and lift. The engine is one of BMWs finest in the form of the M20B25 unit taken from the E30 325i. The Z1 is special in every sense of the word, its special to look at, to sit in and drive and importantly as years have passed people have clearly started to appreciate it as prices have soared. This is a marvellous little car with almost universal appeal and is without doubt one of BMW's finest moments.

Silverstone Auctions are proud to offer BMW Z1 chassis number 06057; incredibly this car has only covered 197 kilometers from new and is unregistered. We are informed by the vendor that this car was originally sold to a customer in Sweden back in 1990 and formed part of a private collection until it was imported into the UK in 2013. To say this is a unique car is somewhat of an injustice, you could be forgiven for thinking this car had just rolled off the production such is its originality and breath taking condition. Cars like this rarely come to market and as such we expect huge interest in this incredible Z1 globally.