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1998-2002 BMW Z3 E36 Coupe
- Story Cars
- Oct 15, 2021
- 2 min read
Launched in 1995, the Z3 was the first roadster built in large numbers after a long time. Its predecessor, the Z1, was only produced in 8000 units. Two years and a half after the Z3 roadster stormed the roadster arena, the BMW dared to do something even more outrageous: a shooting-brake based on the Z3. It was a car built by BMW engineers after working hours. Their project impressed the management in such a manner that the vehicle received a green light.
The car's front was similar to the roadster, with the same slats on the front fenders which evoked the BMW 507. From the A-pillars to the back, it was a different story. A fixed roof was stretched from the top of the windshield to the back of the car. Since there was no room to make it sloped, it was straight and, right behind the rear wheels, it was dropped with a raked C-pillar. In the back, the tailgate offered access to ample trunk space when considering the size of the car.
Inside, the manufacturer didn't try to install unusable tiny rear seats for lower taxes. It just installed a bigger trunk. The front bucket seats were placed lower. Since the car was based on the E36 platform, it shared some components with the 3-Series. It was the same instrument cluster and the same layout for the center stack.
Under the hood, the Z3 Coupe was offered exclusively with straight-six engines. The displacement was 2.8-liter between 1998 and 2000, and it was raised to 3.0-liter for the next two years, until 2002. All engine versions were mated as standard to a 5-speed manual.
