The world of sports cars saw new dawn when BMW launched its Z3 series. While drop-top two doors had been disregarded for several years due to the demand for clean vehicles, sports cars were positioned at the green scale’s other end. Although the Mazda MX5 catered to several of these apprehensions, it soon snapped up, paving the way for companies like BMW to take advantage of the void market space and launch the Z3 series.

BMW Z3: An overview

While BMW is famous for manufacturing the best driving cars, its foot in the sports car manufacturing field was not that firm. It had launched the Z3 series, keeping an eye on the market demand and bringing a sports car series within its vast ambit. However, despite the reliable blue spinner badge on the bonnet, the Z3 series disappointed ardent sports car buyers.

The reason was that the Z3 series lacked the basics of an ideal sports car. Its four-cylinder engine did not provide the required rugged appearance that a regular sports car buyer searches for in their vehicle. Besides that, its handling was at the least soggy, with a look that was more cute yet quirky.

Engine and performance

To redeem these shortcomings of the Z3 series, BMW got rid of the four-cylinder engine and substituted it with an incredibly smooth six-cylinder powerplant. Consequently, the vehicle received the required rejuvenation to deliver the performance that gained the attention of sports car enthusiasts. However, the retention of the old look could not allow the upgraded version to get rid of the soft tag.

While this may feel like bad news, purchasing a used BMW Z3 is far because of its generosity in terms of comfort and, not to forget, the cache from riding a Beemer. So, if the driver is not looking for handling and performance, a used BMW Z3 is undoubtedly a nice catch for an economical budget.

BMW Z3: Model review

The Z3 series is a part of BMW’s sports car legacy with a styling that draws upon the 1930s legendary 328 sports car and the 1950s excellent 507. From the 328, it has received a kidney-shaped framework with openings on the sides, reminding the days of the 1930s. On the other hand, the sweeping lines are a clear reminder of the 507’s beauty. Consequently, the car’s overall appearance is pretty pleasant to the eye. However, it is more on the softer side, very unlike a regular sports car.

It didn’t help that the brand kept upgrading the series over time from a mere 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine propelling the car comfortably to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and a maximum of 205 km/h. The last update of this series had a hefty 170 kW 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine. Yet, for a Sportster, it was a car more suitable for a ride to the café for a weekend latte instead of racing on complicated pathways.

Design

Nevertheless, the vehicle offers a five-speed manual for transmission choices with a sporty shift and an independent suspension underneath its swoopy curves. The front part has been adopted from the 3-Series, while the 3-Series Compact’s part bin has constituted the rear part.

It is balanced and reasonably competent, with ample braking power backed by disc brakes on the four wheels and ABS to prevent the wheels from locking. Besides that, the car has almost everything for comfortable ride-power windows, power steering, dual airbags, air-conditioning, a top-class sound system, and a sorted roof for raising and lowering.

Purchasing a used BMW Z3

Regarding reliability, there’s hardly any match for BMW’s records. Therefore, there is no doubt that the Z3 series by BMW is bound to be robust and trustworthy-no matter whether the engine is a four-cylinder one or the six-cylinder one. With proper servicing and care, the vehicle will run for years. However, make sure to check the service record of the car.