29k-Mile 1996 BMW Z3 Five-Speed
*Please note undercarriage photos have been added to the photo gallery.
Description
When the Mazda Miata proved in 1990 that a small two-seat roadster could be a runaway success — after they had all but disappeared from the market a decade before — other manufacturers began planning their own, the most famous of which were the Porsche Boxster, Mercedes-Benz SLK, and BMW Z3.
The Z3 project began in 1991 with a design from Joji Nagashima, and a final version was launched in 1995, with production starting that September at BMW’s facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The BMW Z3 was based on the E36 3-Series platform, with MacPherson strut front suspension and rear semi-trailing arm suspension from the older E30 (1982-94) 3-Series. The first Z3s were powered by a 140-horsepower, 1.9 liter four-cylinder engine capable of 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds and with a top speed of 120 mph. Priced $10,000 higher than the simpler Miata, the Z3 had something that the Mazda did not: BMW’s prestigious performance reputation.
“‘Grown-up Miata’ is a nutshell summary,” Car and Driver wrote upon the Z3’s release, “[but] that understates the slick and sophisticated BMW feel that sets the Z3 apart from any other two-seater on the U.S. market."
Highlights
First-year 1996 BMW Z3 showing 29,949 original miles
Finished in Bright Red (314) paint over black leather interior
Powered by a 1.9-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder engine rated at 140 horsepower
Five-speed manual transmission
Black manual soft top
Clean CARFAX Vehicle History Report
Features
Air conditioning serviced
Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering
Power anti-lock brakes, seats, windows, and locks
Air-conditioning
Anti-theft system
Aftermarket Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo
Dash instrumentation: 155 mph speedometer and odometer, 7000 rpm tachometer, coolant temperature, fuel level
16-inch, five-spoke stock wheels with Continental tires
Known Imperfections
Small tear on passenger seat
Included
Keys
Original radio
Ownership History
According to the accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History Report, this 1996 BMW Z3 was purchased new on 15 July 1996 in Rockville Centre, New York. After 26 years of ownership, the Z3 was sold twice (30 September 2022 and 11 December 2023) and remains in New York. The car has been driven fewer than 700 miles in the last two years and is showing 29,949 original miles (confirmed by CARFAX), an average of just over 1,000 miles per year.
