BMW Z18
Overview
ManufacturerBMW
Production1990
DesignerBMW Technik GmbH
Body and chassis
ClassConcept car
Body style2-door roadster, 2-door pickup
LayoutFront-engine, four-wheel-drive
RelatedBMW Z3, BMW X5
Powertrain
Engine4.4 L (268.5 cu in) BMW M62 naturally aspirated V8
Transmission5-speed manual transmission
Dimensions
Length4,250 mm (167.3 in)
Kerb weight1,560 kg (3,439 lb)

The BMW Z18 is a concept car by the former think tank of BMW, BMW Technik GmbH. Unveiled in 1995, the Z18 combined elements of the BMW Z3 with one of an off-road vehicle, to create what BMW dubbed the first "off-road roadster".[1]

Background

BMW Technik GmbH, founded by BMW in 1985, was an independent think tank created to design various vehicles which had radical design elements, interior and exterior. Some of the projects include the BMW E1, an early example of a hybrid electric car. Former Aston Martin chief executive officer Ulrich Bez was the first to head the think tank, under which the Z18 was developed. The Technik division has since been re-integrated back into BMW as its research and development department. Although first developed in 1990, the concept was not shown until 1995.[2][3]

Design

The car possessed similar styling cues (such as the signature kidney grille) compared to other BMWs of the 90s and was based on the BMW Z3. The idea of the Z18 was to combine elements of an enduro motorcycle, off-road vehicle and roadster, the former of which saw a spike in popularity in the 90s. The Z18 retained the body of the Z3 but had significantly higher ride height in order to fulfill its capability as an off-road vehicle. The Z18's plastic body over a steel frame was similar to the structure of a boat and gave the Z18 a weight of 1,560 kg (3,439 lb). With the increased ride height, BMW claimed that the Z18 was able to navigate shallow water passages with ease.[4][5][6]

BMW did not manufacture a roof for the Z18 seeing as it was a roadster, and in order to accommodate potential water entering the cabin, BMW reduced the number of parts on the dashboard and waterproofed everything within the cabin, along with putting in rubber floor mats. The Z18 also had collapsible rear seats which could be brought upright to turn the car into a four-seater (2+2), along with an option to convert it into a pickup truck.[7][5] Fitted with what would eventually be the engine for the first generation of X5,[8] the 4.4 L (268.5 cu in) produced 355 PS (350 hp; 261 kW), which was sent to all wheels via a 5-speed manual and a four-wheel drive system, the latter of which the X5 would also inherit from the Z18.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Ebner, Michael (25 March 2010). "25 Jahre BMW (Forschung und) Technik GmbH" (Press release) (in German). BMW. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  2. ↑ Burnett, Sam (12 May 2020). "Concepts that time forgot: the BMW Z18". Top Gear. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  3. ↑ Glon, Ronan (19 February 2021). "These 7 BMW '90s concepts would have shaped segments anew". Hagerty. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  4. ↑ Gerhardt, Thomas (20 April 2020). "Diese Autos können auch Motorrad". Auto Motor und Sport (in German). Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  5. 1 2 Shahmanesh, Nargess (September 2000). "BMW Think-Tank Shows Future Vision". Automotive Engineer. 25 (8): 9.
  6. ↑ Cowley, Mark (8 June 2022). "10 BMWs That Everyone Forgot Existed". SlashGear. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  7. ↑ Toledano, Raul (7 April 2017). "Prototipos abandonados: BMW Z18 Concept". Auto Bild.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  8. ↑ Holloway, Hilton (18 August 2000). "BMW turns the wheel into future shock territory; Drive news: [Late Edition]". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. p. 4. ProQuest 363706890 – via ProQuest.
  9. ↑ Padeanu, Adrian (6 April 2016). "Concept We Forgot: 1995 BMW Z18". motor1. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
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