BMWGerman manufacturer BMW is responsible for some of the best sports cars we've ever seen. Cars like the Z3, Z4, the Z8, and so on, as well as the M3 and M5. But it is the Z cars, the roadsters of the family, that perhaps people have the biggest soft spot for.All of these can trace their origins back to the Z1, produced from 1989 to 1991. Arguably, it is the craziest roadster of them all, and it all came about as BMW looked to create new vehicles and technologies in the mid-1980s.At the time of its inception, all sorts of crazy concepts were being produced. Think of cars such as the Peugeot Quasar and the Mercedes-Benz NAFA. However, while not the craziest of all the concepts, the Z1 is one of the few that actually made it into production. Little did we know what it would spawn.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Z1 was quite pricey at the time, yet its value has only gone up and up as time has gone on. The car packed quite a punch despite its size, and it had some features you wouldn't expect to see on a BMW.Why the BMW Z1 Was Such a RevelationBMWThe Z1 was created by the new Technik GmbH subsidiary of BMW, headed up by Ulrich Bez. This was set up to explore those new vehicles and technologies, and he had former Porsche designer Harm Lagaay working underneath him. The Z1 would prove to be the first project for the division, and BMW approved the new roadster after the idea was pitched to the board.Around a year later, the first Z1 was ready for testing, with BMW also revealing the car to the European press. Unsurprisingly, it proved to be a revelation. Futuristic tech was at the heart of the Z1, as evident by its roll-down doors to create an open-air experience for the driver and passenger. The Z1 also had high door sills and a much lower-than-normal center of gravity.The Z1 also had removable body panels, making repairs easier if any needed replacing. The windshield supports doubled up as a roll-hoop, while an unusual Xenoy thermoplastic material was used on the car's doors and fenders. Incredibly, it was said all panels could be replaced on the car in just 40 minutes. Powering the car was a 2.5-liter M20B25 inline-six engine, and the car also had the five-speed manual transmission from the BMW E30 325i.How Much Is the BMW Z1 Worth in 2026?BMWThe value of the Z1 has fluctuated over the years. Around the late 2010s, the value of the car was around $100,000 before it dipped to just below $50,000 in 2021. However, it now appears that the value of the sports car is on the up again. According to Classic.com, the average value of a BMW Z1 stands at $64,931 at the time of writing.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe highest one has sold for, according to the site, is $96,800, while the lowest price is listed at $34,461. Whichever way you look at it, the Z1 has an interesting value attached to it, and it's clear that some have a lot of appreciation for the sports car. While future Z cars didn't have quite the same bold design as the Z1, the first BMW roadster did spawn a long line of superb sports cars that continue to be popular today. Plus, who doesn't love doors that drop right into the door sills?If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
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