Vaughn

Intro

This is a one owner limited volume production (#337 out of 555) 2003 BMW Z8 Alpina Roadster in Titanium Silver Metallic with Red and Black Nappa Leather interior showing just 9,800 miles. Instead of the original 6-speed manual and 4.9 L S62 engine featured in original Z8, the Alpina provided a 5-speed Steptronic transmission mated to a 4.8 L Alpina-tuned M62 V8 engine from the Alpina E39 B10 V8 S. The Alpina also featured a more refined and softer grand tourer suspension. This Z8 Alpina has spent its life in a climate-controlled garage and still retains the original tires since new. It has a clean Carfax, a clear title and is in Pennsylvania

Exterior

This Z8 aluminum exterior is painted in Titanium Silver with a black convertible soft top and color-matching metal hardtop with a rear defroster. The taillights and turn indicators are powered by neon tubes that offer quicker activation than standard lightbulbs and are expected to last for the life of the vehicle. It has a 4-link rear suspension with coil springs, strut-type front suspension with all aluminum space frame with aluminum body panels. It has 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes, power rack and pinion steering and dual polished steel exhaust pipes in the rear. It has special Alpina 20” diameter, 9” width front wheels and 20” diameter, 10” width rear wheels.

Interior

The Alpina interior is upholstered in a softer grade of Red and Black Nappa Leather than the stock Z8 with special blue Alpina gauges fitted on the dashboard cluster. An Alpina steering wheel with three solid spokes replaced the original, retrofitted with shift paddles for the automatic transmission. Gear selection was displayed in an Alpina-specific display mounted in front of the steering wheel. To keep the interior uncluttered, several functions were integrated into multifunction controls. As example, the power windows and mirrors were controlled by a single instrument and the center-mounted instrument cluster was canted slightly toward the driver. The displacement of gauges to the middle of the dashboard was intended to offer an unimpeded view of the hood and the road ahead.

Mechanicals

It has a 4.8 L Alpina-tuned M62 V8 engine mated to a Steptronic transmission. The performance and power output of the Alpina Roadster differed from that of the standard Z8. The V8 peak power was reduced to 375 hp and peak torque was raised to 384 lb.-ft. This torque was available at significantly lower rpm than the original to enable more relaxed cruising. The electronically limited top speed was officially raised to 160 mph.

Summary

The Z8 was originally designed as a styling exercise intended to evoke and celebrate the 1956–1959 BMW 507. Due to the limited volume of production, all elements of the Z8 were constructed or finished by hand.