RE: A week with a BMW Z8
Discussion
I nearly bought one of these back in 2008.
Then I practically lost the use of my right arm. My driving is OK but LHD and the interior would have been a right faff for me especially with limited mobility so I talked myself out of it.
I won't tell you what I nearly bought it for at the time
Wife still mentions it to wind me up.
Absolutely love the Z8, it really is a special car IMO.
MissChief said:
I read about these a few years ago and someone mentioned that a single dealer group was hoovering up all the cars they could find and, basically, as good as cornered the market in them. This then meant they could as good as charge what they liked as if you wanted one they were the only realistic place to buy one. With such a limited run and the fact they're LHD meant they didn't seem loads and weren't hugely popular as someone said above.
I remember they were around £90k list and prices softened to around £60k around 2 years after launch. I think I looked at prices around 08 and was rather surprised to see they had jumped to £90-100k. Smart move by the dealer mentioned up thread. I assume they trade in a very thin market and a fair few just tucked away. Shakermaker said:
Quhet said:
Anyone know how much an Alpina Z8 would go for?
I seem to remember Clarkson saying that they slightly reduced the power on these to make them handle better?
They put an auto gearbox on them as well, to make them more of a cruiser/tourer than a sports car. Not sure about the power thing but I remember the TG comparison of the Z8 and the Alpina versionI seem to remember Clarkson saying that they slightly reduced the power on these to make them handle better?
PHMatt said:
E-Types are woeful by modern standards but they command more than R8's etc.
A car doesn't have to do everything well to be an appreciating classic.
You've just compared an automotive icon, one that inspired many roadsters afterwards and is a design masterpiece - Enzo Ferrari described it as the most beautiful car he'd even seen -this has been compared to an R8... A car doesn't have to do everything well to be an appreciating classic.
George111 said:
PHMatt said:
I think it's one of the best looking BMW's, if not cars, ever built.
Best looking cars ? Are you ill ? 
Have you never seen a Miura or an Iso Griffo ? How can you possibly prefer this monstrosity over those ?
Gandahar said:
PHMatt said:
I love how they were panned quite badly and quite unanimously when new, but journalists are starting to warm to them.
I think it's one of the best looking BMW's, if not cars, ever built.
Those looks + that rarity = surefire classic.
Ironically, if the press didn't pan them so badly all those years ago BMW most likely would have made more of them meaning they'd not be so expensive now.
The PH driver did not warm to it, unless you consider just above absolute freezing warm. Read it again.I think it's one of the best looking BMW's, if not cars, ever built.
Those looks + that rarity = surefire classic.
Ironically, if the press didn't pan them so badly all those years ago BMW most likely would have made more of them meaning they'd not be so expensive now.
They were panned as not good to drive. I mean properly drive, not fannying about in it for a week impressing the neighbours and worrying about stone chips circa 2016. Surefire classic as long as you just look at it and not drive it.
You obviously think looks and rarity matter rather than the driving .... er ...
Edited by Gandahar on Sunday 7th August 19:30
Yet they're 2 of the most iconic and/or valuable cars around.
Same for E-types, DB5's, Miura's etc. A car doesn't have to be all things to all men to be a classic.
It just needs to be rare, nice to look at and be remembered.
Likewise, you could say a dog ugly block like an R32 Skyline is a classic. It looks like a taxi but prices keep going up and up. It's now rare enough to make it a sellers market and it's reputation helps too.
bigmuzzie said:
PHMatt said:
E-Types are woeful by modern standards but they command more than R8's etc.
A car doesn't have to do everything well to be an appreciating classic.
You've just compared an automotive icon, one that inspired many roadsters afterwards and is a design masterpiece - Enzo Ferrari described it as the most beautiful car he'd even seen -this has been compared to an R8... A car doesn't have to do everything well to be an appreciating classic.
An R8 would run rings around an E-type all day, every day and never miss a beat doing it. From a driving perspected it is better in every feasable way.
But it's not a classic. The E-type is. Why? Because looks. That's why.
So why can that formula not be applied to the Z8? It looks amazing, it's as rare as rocking horse s
t and, although it might not be "dynamic" it still goes like stink and has an engine every one can agree is special. 
PHMatt said:
George111 said:
PHMatt said:
I think it's one of the best looking BMW's, if not cars, ever built.
Best looking cars ? Are you ill ? Have you never seen a Miura or an Iso Griffo ? How can you possibly prefer this monstrosity over those ?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that, but I think that there's plenty of cars on sale today that look better than the Z8.
ZesPak said:
PHMatt said:
George111 said:
PHMatt said:
I think it's one of the best looking BMW's, if not cars, ever built.
Best looking cars ? Are you ill ? Have you never seen a Miura or an Iso Griffo ? How can you possibly prefer this monstrosity over those ?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that, but I think that there's plenty of cars on sale today that look better than the Z8.
I like all sorts of cars and I could imagine cruising around in it on the right day... Not posing, just enjoying. We all know the handling isn't all that but I could get by on V8 noise and the general sense of occasion. I don't even like roadsters. Never wanted one, but for this, I'd make an exception. Not everything has to be the last word in handling. No one is going to daily a Z8 so if they could afford one, the got other cars for pressing on on a Sunday morning before brekkie.
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