At 4400mm, the Z8 is shorter than a Porsche 911 and 65mm wider, giving it an aggressive squatted stance. Then there’s the detailing. Chromed side-air intakes with a thin neon fillet in the middle serving as an indicator repeater, chromed mirrors, ultra thin rear lights and fat, flared wheel arches combine to give the viewer a real sense of drama.
Pop open the bonnet and way back in the vast engine bay sits one of the finest motors available, the 4941cc BMW M-Power V8. The numbers are the same as the M5’s with 400bhp at 6600rpm and 368lb ft at 3800rpm.
From the Double Vanos system that is used to adjust the inlet and exhaust camshafts, the quasi-dry sump lubrication keeps oil circulation around the cylinder heads above 1g of lateral acceleration, leaving you in no doubt that this is a showcase engine. The Z8 also uses the M5’s six-speed gearbox but a different final drive and different sized tyres alter the overall gearing.
The Z8 is 180kg lighter than the M5 so there was no need to extract bigger numbers from it but part of the reason for the high price must be the all-new aluminium spaceframe chassis. Suspension is by MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear axle.
The car is steered by rack and pinion and any excesses are curbed by BMW’s DSC stability control system. The interior will prove foreign to traditional BMW devotees. Central instruments leave an unimpeded view of the huge bonnet while almost all of the switchgear is unique to this car.
