2003 BMW Z8 Has A License To Kill With Its Looks, Sells For $143K

If you’re in the market for a rare and desirable BMW, it’s hard to beat the Z8 roadster, aka Bond’s-car-that-was-cut-in-two.

The German car manufacturer only built 5703 examples between 2000 and 2003, just 2543 of which were sold in the United States. This 2000 example that was up for auction on Bring A Trailer, is one of those.

The Z8 is best known for its unique exterior that was inspired by the classic 507 Roadster of the 1950s and designed by none other than Henrik Fisker. The front is characterized by a sharp snout and a long hood while the rear is made up of a very short decklid and thin taillights. A removable hardtop only adds to the sports car’s unique look.

Powering the BMW Z8 is the 4.9-liter naturally-aspirated V8 also featured in the E39-generation M5 and delivering 394 hp and 368 lb-ft (498 Nm) of torque. While the M5 has gained more than 200 hp in its subsequent generations, a sports car as small as the Z8 doesn’t need anything north of 400 hp. Making the powertrain all the more desirable is the fact that it includes a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential.

Inside, this 2000 Z8 is dominated by black leather across the seats and door panels. There are also a number of metal trim as well as gauges placed in the center of the dashboard.

A Carfax report of the vehicle shows that it hasn’t been involved in any accidents or suffered any serious damage, while the odometer shows 19,225 miles (30,939 km).

As you may have guessed, buying a nice BMW Z8 like this doesn’t come cheap: the winner of the auction paid $143,000. Come to think of it, compared to the prices commanded by some other examples a little more than a year ago, this is almost a bargain. We guess it must be the “high” mileage…