With a total production of 555 cars worldwide and ONLY 450 for the
US MARKET, this Z8 Alpina is an extremely rare collector grade
vehicle.
This one owner California example, has been enjoyed for just over
24,000 miles, making it an excellent addition for any collector
that enjoys driving their cars. With plenty of Horsepower and
Torque on tap, the Alpina is at home on the highway or through the
canyon roads.
Complete with its factory matching hardtop, hardtop cover & stand,
owner's manuals, and three factory keys.
This in an excellent opportunity on a world class collectible.
Great lease rates and Financing also available on any of our
inventory!
Buy Sell Trade Consignments Welcome!
Please email
[email protected] or call
1-818-773-8181
ABOUT THE Z8 ALPINA:
The Z8 originally was designed as a styling exercise intended to
evoke and celebrate the 1956-1959 BMW 507. Prototypes were spotted
testing between 1996 and 1999. A concept was later developed to
preview the Z8, called the Z07 and was showcased in October 1997 at
the Tokyo Motor Show.
The Z8 cost US$128,000, had an all-aluminum chassis and body, and
used a 4.9 L V8 engine which has a power output of 400 395 hp at
6,600 rpm and 369 lbf�ft of torque at 3,800 rpm. This engine, known
internally as the S62, was built by BMW Motorsport and was shared
with the E39 M5 sports saloon. The engine is located behind the
front axle in order to provide the car with a 50/50 weight
distribution.
The factory claimed a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 4.7 seconds;
Motor Trend magazine achieved 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds.
Road & Track measured the car's lateral grip at 0.92. Car and
Driver magazine also tested the car and found that it outperformed
the contemporary benchmark Ferrari 360 Modena in three important
performance categories: acceleration, handling, and braking. As
with most BMW automobiles the top speed of the Z8 was
electronically limited to 155.4 mph with the delimited top speed
amounting to an estimated 180 mph.
Every car was shipped with a color-matching metal hardtop with a
rear defroster.
In order to keep the interior uncluttered, a number of functions
were integrated into multifunction controls. For example, the power
windows and mirrors were controlled by a single instrument. Also,
the center-mounted instrument cluster was canted slightly toward
the driver. The displacement of gauges to the middle of the
dashboard was intended to offer an unimpeded view of the hood and
the road ahead.
In order to promote the Z8 to collectors and reinforce media
speculation about the car's "instant classic" potential, BMW
promised that a 50-year stockpile of spare parts would be
maintained in order to support the Z8 fleet as all elements of the
car were constructed or finished by hand, thereby compounding the
importance of ongoing manufacturer support. A significant number of
cars with bespoke paint and interior treatments were produced over
the course of the four-year production run by BMW Individual, a
division of BMW AG.
With production of the Z8 completed by November 2002, the Z8 was
replaced by the Alpina Roadster V8 in 2003. The Alpina was intended
as a GT and elements of grand touring intent were evident
throughout this final iteration.
Instead of the original 6-speed manual and 4.9 L engine, the Alpina
came only with an automatic transmission, utilizing a 5-speed BMW
Steptronic transmission mated to a 4.8 L Alpina-tuned BMW M62 V8
engine from the Alpina E39 B10 V8 S.
In order to complete the car's transition to a refined grand
tourer, a touring suspension setting was used. The standard Z8's
run-flat tires on 18" wheels were discarded in favor of
conventional tires with softer sidewalls mounted on 20" Alpina
wheels. A new softer grade of Nappa leather replaced the Z8's less
supple specification, and special Alpina gauges were fitted on the
dash board cluster.
An Alpina steering wheel with three solid spokes replaced the
original, which could not be retrofitted with shift paddles for the
automatic transmission. Gear selection was displayed in an
Alpina-specific display mounted in front of the steering wheel.
Performance and power output of the Alpina roadster V8 differed
from that of the standard car in that the peak power was 375HP
while peak torque was raised to 383 lb�ft; this torque was
available at significantly lower rpm than the original in order to
enable more relaxed cruising. The electronically limited top speed
was officially raised to 161 mph.
Production of the Roadster V8 amounted to 555 units, 450 of which
were exported to the U.S. market and only eight to the UK. In the
United States, this special edition of the Z8 was sold directly
through BMW dealerships, marking a first for Alpina, whose cars had
never been sold through retail channels in the U.S.
