What is this?

Post Sun Jul 03, 2011 4:51 pm

I stumbled across this today in a second hand car showroom in Dubai. I thought it looked pretty lush but what the hell is it? I've never seen one before....

Post Sun Jul 03, 2011 4:55 pm

Alpina Z8.

Slated by most.

Post Sun Jul 03, 2011 4:57 pm

Cheers for that. What year(s) were they made then?

Post Sun Jul 03, 2011 5:05 pm

Early 2000s IIRC. 2002/3 or thereabouts? BRB.

Post Sun Jul 03, 2011 5:06 pm

99 - 2006

Designed to echo the 507. Only in LHD. Most in the States. E39 M5 running gear. All aluminium construction. Horror stories of strut housing suffering stress fractures.

Lovely car. Hold value very well.

Post Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:16 pm

Alpina used the engine from the B10 V8s and the auto gearbox. One of those rare cars that are classics from new.

Post Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:26 pm

it was parked next to a db9, testarossa, and a lambo diablo. all in immaculate condition....

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:34 pm

good to drive, not quite so good to look at, a bit like the Z3M in that respect.

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:35 pm

Not liking the look of that

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:05 pm

m8782538 wrote:good to drive, not quite so good to look at, a bit like the Z3M in that respect.

Other way round..

The Alpina version used a less powerful V8 and autobox.. Was supposed to be a more refined GT, but is still pants to drive supposedly. Looks lush though!

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:56 pm

I clearly know nothing about these cars, but I can't quite understand anyone who says it's not nice to LOOK at!

I thought it looked proper nice. The Z3M coupe is one of my favourite cars in the looks department too. I guess we all have different taste though.

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:57 pm

i disagree with all above the Z8 is a great car to drive and great to look at, and i know as i have actually part owned one and driven one, unlike most who take Jeremy Clarksons word for it

the Alpina badge is not correct, neither is the wheel finish, the only way to tell for sure is the guages are alpina and the three spoke paddle shift steering wheel is bespoke (and of course it is an auto). The Alpina Z8 had (has?) the honour of being BMW's fastest ever car sold officialy through their dealers as they were not limited to 155mph, they could muster 161 mph officially.

They also are appreicateing in value, we bought ours owned it for a few months and sold at a tidy profit, i am guessing this one is around the 350k-400k dirham mark? (we bought ours at 280 and sold at 320 but this was five years ago).

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:59 pm

favourite

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 5:03 pm

Mr Lee, You have owned some proper nice chariots eh? I prefer the wheels on yours. I thought the ones on the one I saw were a bit over-blinged..

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 5:19 pm

ours is the standard model with the S62 engine and manual box, anyone that says they are slow and dont handle cannot drive or uses a Pagoni Zonda to pop tpo the shops in, but for whatever reason Mr Clarkson slated the car in one of thier early shows so many keyboard warriors now assume they are slow and cant turn, the reality is they are 400hp and weigh 1600kg (an E39M5 is 1750 and not many say they are slow). The car was really made famous in one of the James bond films..cant rememeber which one!) they are actually a convertable as the roof is a removable hard top, with a proper fold up roof

we only bought it to sell it as it was going cheap in Bahrain and we know the Dubai market, we bought it played with it and sold it...simple! to be nonest i cannot afford to spunk that much money on a car!!!

The guy i bought it for currently has a pristine silver one, same as the one you show but not the nasty alpina version - which was mainly for the softer US market.

did you get a price? maybe my 350-400k is conservative you wont get much change out of 80-90k pounds in UK for a good one...if you can find one for sale!

By the way how are you enjoying Dubai? give it another week once this wind dies down and it should start getting hot

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 5:33 pm

My recollection was that the Alpina one was the one driven and slated by JC, not the standard?

My comments were directed at the Alpina version - rarely do they detune their offerings.

The Z8 is usually included in my "top ten" lists.

What happened with the Americans suing BMW over the cracking structural components?

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 5:51 pm

It should start getting hot?? OMG it's like an inferno outside even with the wind. Heat I can handle to a point, humidity I cannot. I'm taking perspiration to a whole new level in under 5 minutes outside. I know it gets hotter though. I arrived here half way through Ramadan last year. The next two months or so should prove interesting. Thank the lord for aircon is all I can say. How on earth the locals survived in this before it was invented is beyond me!

Back on topic, so there was a standard Z8 and an Alpina version then? Gotcha. '8' coming from the V8 S62 under the hood? I can only imagine but I bet they are a real hoot to drive regardless of whatever Clarkson said about them.

Post Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:27 pm

We look after one with less than ten thousand miles on the clock. Silver with red leather. It belongs to a minted customer who has a bit of a collection which includes a E46 M3 CSL, some 911's, a E64 650i and some other turds.

Post Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:23 am

They are a hoot to drive, but wierd as you sit on the rear axle and the bonnet goes on for miles!!!

Yes don't worry I see the wind today has finally died down, now await the humidity!!! But if you arrived during Ramadan last year then you already caught some heat and humidity!

How is your job going, you still in Dubai mall? How is the e30?

Post Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:23 am

my job is going really well. I been promoted twice since arriving. I'm now exec sous chef so pretty much running the gaff. We got 2 more branches opening in Abu Dhabi and Lebanon sometime in the next 6 months or so. For sure I will be heavily involved in them, and looking forward to visiting both of those places.

The E30 is a turd of the highest order and still not running right. I'm not parting with it until it does though. It gives me something to pass the time with, but the only time of day I can bear to do anything with it is after midnight!! Maintainance in the dark can be fun especially when you drop a screw into the engine bay!

The injectors are prime suspect for the running issues and I'm currently waiting for a replacement set to arrive from a friendly zoner (datourer) back in the UK.

In the meantime I'm renting a very cheap and very old Honda Civic, but it gets me about. Now I have the means to buy something half decent so I'm looking for a 'nice' car....

Post Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:21 pm

That's great to hear you are doing well, I will be over in Dubai around xmas looking for my next motor, thinking e46 M3, I just sold my 540 which was a blessing in disguise as it was a troublesome beast! Speaking of nice cars I am today trying to buy a 2008 CL 500 AMG...watch this space!!! Not for me by the way but I should get a weekend or two out of it!

Post Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:31 pm

I drove an old S55 AMG the other day. Not quite the same, but someone I know was selling it. A nice big barge to drive but far too many electrical gizmo's itching to go wrong on a car of that age. There are some nice E46 M3's to be had and at very good prices. A lot of car for the money.

Be sure to pop in when ur over this way. I'll treat you to lunch!!

Post Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:26 pm

Cheers on lunch offer, I will take you up on that! CL sale fell through, the guy wanted too much last week and sold it cheap this week! Oh well plenty fish in the sea!!

Be careful with e46 m3 as many from Japan or are driven very hard, you need to buy a single expat owner gulf spec model. I would not buy from 2nd hand dealer. Especially from al aweeya.

I saw a great White one here, plus as I work at the track I know it's not been down on track days, but just bought my wife a new dodge Durango so I got no money!!!