In the late 1980s, several automakers were playing with the notion of a modern take on the small, lightweight roadster. While Mazda had a huge hit with its MX-5 Miata starting in 1989, few recall that BMW actually introduced one first. Unveiled at the 1987 Frankfurt Auto Show, the Z1 Roadster was available for order in 1988 for delivery in 1989.

The Z1 was certainly ahead of its time in some ways, including the easily replaceable body panels (later adopted by Smart) as well as the composite body and floorpan elements such as those found in the BMW i8 hybrid supercar. Another unforgettable element are those wild doors that drop down into the sills.

The drivetrain in the Z1 started with a conventional 2.5-liter inline six-cylinder SOHC engine, producing 168 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque. This was mated to a 5-speed manual transmission in a traditional front-engine, rear-drive configuration. The drivetrain was borrowed from the then-current 325i.

With the large iron-block engine at the front and a full understructure upon which the special body panels were hung, the BMW Z1 is heftier than it looks with a curb weight approaching 3000 pounds. This contributed to the car’s somewhat lackluster (but adequate) acceleration. Top speed was claimed at 137 mph.

Just 8000 examples of the BMW Z1 were produced between 1989 and 1991. The vast majority of production was sold in Germany, while the remainder sold elsewhere in Europe and a few sold in Japan. The Z1 was never formally imported to North America. Initial purchase price was the equivalent of just under $55,000, which was a lot for a fairly slow six-cylinder car, no matter how neat it looked. BMW made up for that, however, with the 1995 introduction of the far more conventional and successful Z3 Roadster.