BMW today opened the doors to the vaults deep within M division, where strange and unseen test vehicles live. There’s the stillborn BMW M3 Touring, a Le Mans-engined X5 and – one from the archive – an M8.
We've spent the day in Munich roaming around with our jaw mostly on the floor. It's a rare instance when a car manufacturer has opened its vaults and admitted works projects that nearly were .........
Ur-Roadster The weird small red thing like a baby, truncated Z3. It had the 2.3-litre four from an E30 M3. The Ur-Roadster grew out of the Z1 project and the idea was a cheap way into the M brand. Evenutally begat the Z3 M.:
Looks more like an Alfa GTV than a BMW though ?
Happiness is not around the corner........happiness is the corner Video or Journal Garage: 2015 FFRR Black Edition, Porsche Boxster GTS, 1997 Porsche Carrara C4S, Ex 2001 BMW S54 Z3m Roadster
From the front, and the sweep of the bonnet there's something 911-like. The rear is as you say a bit Alfa, and also some Fiat feeling. The side view of the arches has some Stratos too.
The Z2 concept I knew about was more like an Ariel Atom, a 4 wheel motorbike supplied with two made to measure waterproof nappa leather jump suits to match the waterproof cowhide vehicle interior. I only heard of it as a concept but can't believe this red car is the result of that.
The rear three-quarter view looks like a Smart Roadster to me. Perhaps that's where they got the idea from.
Those wheel arches would be susceptible to damage, though, either by squeezing through gaps that are too narrow or by stone chipping, especially at the rear.
