Z1

The Z1 emerged from BMW Technik GmbH, the company's advanced engineering think tank. Harm Lagaay, who would later design the Porsche Boxster and 996, created a roadster with doors that dropped vertically into the sills rather than swinging open. The thermoplastic body panels were bolted to a zinc-coated steel monocoque and could be removed or replaced in hours. BMW limited production to 8,000 units over three years, each built at a rate of just 20 per day. The Z1 was never officially sold in the US, making it exceptionally rare outside Europe.