Used 1996 BMW Z3 for Sale near Davis, IL
5 results
Overview
When it was launched in the 1996 model year, BMW's new sports roadster - the Z3 - became an instant auto world celebrity. "The scene-stealing walk-on star of the latest James Bond movie and cover car for last year's Neiman-Marcus Christmas catalogue, the Z3 started generating orders before the first production cars began to leave the assembly line," according to one review.
By the time the car was introduced, all 15,000 cars built in the inaugural year had been pre-orderd. Another unique feature is that the car is made in Spartanburg, South Carolina - a bona fide American made BMW, thanks to favorable dollar-deutschmark exchange rates at the time.
But in the end, it was performance, speed and luxury that sold the car, not the press, hoopla and movie cameos. "The other reason for the long waiting line is simpler," wrote one driver. "This is one nifty little sports car."
4.6 Overall rating
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Richard H
Reviewed a 1996 BMW 1.9 Roadster RWD on Jan 25, 2013
I love the way it handles and accelerates. Top down driving is awesome and you can carry on a normal conversation. Seats are very comfortable. Great gas mileage around 22 MPG in town and 28 on the highway. I would recommend this car without reservation.
Anonymous
Reviewed a 1996 BMW 1.9 Roadster RWD on Mar 28, 2014
I still remember the first time I saw the Z3 on the cover of Automobile Magazine in 1995. I was 14 years old at the time but I distinctly remember to love I felt sweep over me immediately. Those sexy curves. Those motorcycle-like side vents. It was truly something to behold. And even though I'd never driven a car let alone a roadster, I immediately swore that I'd one day own one of these rolling sculptures, find a curvy road, and drive happily ever after. It was 16 years later before my chance finally came, when a good friend decided to sell her lovely summer car. I wrote a check without blinking an eye, and never looked back. The original Z3 is not a particularly comfortable car. For that matter it's not a terribly fast one either. Lest we even mention the utter lack of any practicality whatsoever-- a CD changer might engulf a quarter of the trunk practically. But none of that matters in the slightest. Because when you throw the manual top back, you drop the car into first gear, and you get up to speed and feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face, you realize what a roadster is meant to feel like, and you can't help but grin from ear to ear.
Chris B
Reviewed a 1996 BMW 1.9 Roadster RWD on Jan 10, 2008
Every time I hopped into this car I was in love. I have a fondness for British roadsters though there is one issue with them, you tend to push them more than drive them. So, I opted for a used Z3 years ago after looking at various MGs and Triumphs. The early Z3s are not luxury cars. They rattle, you feel every bump, the interior lacks quality, and the seats could've been lifted from a domestic economy car, but who the hell cares. This thing was fun and the closest thing to a British roadster. You hit a bump and didn't know where you'd go next, now that is living! Besides it looked great and the pictures I've included here are the ones I took when I listed to sell the car the fall before the babies arrived. So day again I'll pickup a fun roadster. Until then I absolutely love my 335i.
Brad E
Reviewed a 1996 BMW 1.9 Roadster RWD on Apr 18, 2008
love it! timeless,sporty,corners on rails,fun in the sun, great on gas!
1996 BMW Z3 Trims
| Trim type | MSRP |
|---|---|
| 1.9 Roadster RWD | $29,320 |
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