The V12 BMW Z3 that almost was –Labor day weekend Bavarian insanity special part 2

"Awedgar" (Awedgar) 09/01/2013 at 08:52 • Filed to: None

6

57

In part 2 of our labor day weekend “Bavarian insanity” special, following the V16 7 series, I present to you the 1999 BMW Z3 V12 roadster

Some of you may be asking: Why? To which BMW engineers would most likely reply because why not. This prototype was apparently an exercise in engine bay ergonomics, so as to assess how to maximize space efficiency in BMW engine bays and fit all its various components. It appears they have succeeded, as unlike yesterday’s 767i, the cooling is in the front. Indeed, there are probably not many engine bays that have been designed to accommodate engines ranging from the Z3’s entry level 1.8 liter fourpot to this dozen of glorious cylinders, approximately 3 times the size.

Good thing BMW engineers aren’t heart surgeons, otherwise they would keep trying to transplant a heart from a whale into a small rodent just to see what happens.

The engine used in this car is the 5.4 liter M73 V12, also used in the e38 7 series, as well as latter versions of the e31 8 series. This unit provided 322 horsepower, so no advantage over the Z3 M (S54 engine at least) horsepower figures. Combined with the fact BMW’s golden 50-50 weight distribution was annihilated in this nose heavy exercise, with reported numbers closer to 70/30 front to rear, it is hard to see the point of this prototype. Only the V12’s turbine like delivery would have proved interesting, as well as the fact it was still mated to a 6 speed manual transmission.

Enthusiasts wanting a stupendous amount of cylinders in their Z3 can also turn to Hartge for this task.

The Hartge Z3 coupe 5.0 boasted a 5.0 V8 in a Z3 coupe (enter clownshoe jokes), as well as the exact same production numbers as the Z3 V12: one.

JayHova > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 10:31

1

That bonnet of the V8-clownshoe looks gash.

Awedgar > JayHova 09/01/2013 at 10:32

0

Agreed, not the most understated BMW ever

PardonMyFlemish16 > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 10:38

0

"M Power" on the plate is an understatement

Seabass > PardonMyFlemish16 09/01/2013 at 10:40

2

more like HOLY SHIT POWER!

DoctorNine > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 10:45

4

Them clownshoe gots teeth ...

Critical Bill > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 10:49

3

Now that's at least an engine Bond would have been proud to drive.But after shoehorning that monster in, where are they gonna put the machine guns?

Iwaswonderofwonders > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 10:55

6

Alex87f > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 11:02

6

On the other hand, the 3.2l M engine had just as many HP, and weighed a full 200lbs less.

One could ask what the point of a V12 Z3 would be.

... which would be easy to answer: because V12

Doug Nash > JayHova 09/01/2013 at 11:06

0

It's just missing chromed mudflaps.

Fuel_of_Satan > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 11:12

1

Technically it isn't a BMW.

DoctorNine > PardonMyFlemish16 09/01/2013 at 11:20

3

I think it's supposed to be "Mmmmm... Power" .

Awedgar > Fuel_of_Satan 09/01/2013 at 11:23

1

Apart from most of the body, the engine from an M5 and most of everything?

Fuel_of_Satan > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 11:49

0

Hartge is a licensed manufacturer, thus it is technically not a BMW.

Pete Zapardi's Pizza Party > DoctorNine 09/01/2013 at 11:51

2

Well... That's gonna haunt my dreams.

Awedgar > Fuel_of_Satan 09/01/2013 at 11:55

0

You mean technically it is, just not legally/administratively :)

DoctorNine > Pete Zapardi's Pizza Party 09/01/2013 at 12:04

2

I'll bet you never realized.

The Pope wears demons on his toes.

Fuel_of_Satan > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 12:08

0

Technicalities!

I meant "technically" as in "according to the exact meaning of the BMW-name", not the actual technology used. ;)

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > DoctorNine 09/01/2013 at 12:22

0

All that picture shows is that not only did the Pope stick his foot so far up the devil's rectum that he could (and obviously does) wear him as a shoe, he even ripped him a new one just so he could have a matching pair.

Satish Kondapavulur > JayHova 09/01/2013 at 12:43

0

In their defense, that V12 does need to be cool and the heat needs to be dissipated.

bpands > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 12:44

0

Its weird how 320HP was pretty good for a V12, 20 years ago.

Awedgar > bpands 09/01/2013 at 12:48

0

I know, times have changed

Bob LeDrew > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 13:02

3

Imagine how much fun engine maintenance would have been. Oil change? Drop the engine. Air filter? Drop the engine. Spark plugs? Drop the engine.

Awedgar > Bob LeDrew 09/01/2013 at 13:04

0

haha true

Iwaswonderofwonders > DoctorNine 09/01/2013 at 14:19

0

the new guy isn't such a fashion whore

alexotics > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 14:40

0

What's your source for all these articles? This is crazy...

Awedgar > alexotics 09/01/2013 at 14:42

1

Haha thanks, I just have a penchant for BMWs, and specifically the rare, crazy-engined ones so I tend to remember any time I hear of one. Stay tuned for another one tomorrow!

quattrofl > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 14:44

1

mmmmm power

DoctorNine > Iwaswonderofwonders 09/01/2013 at 15:00

1

Probably safer in the long run.

deleted > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 16:08

2

now that's a beautiful engine bay, i like the symmetry and I presume driving it would be like driving tiny nuclear power plant, straight it would keep on giving but the first corner and you would have a Tsjernobyl on your hands

Rassss > Bob LeDrew 09/01/2013 at 16:24

0

Wierd noise?
Drop the...

JayHova > Satish Kondapavulur 09/01/2013 at 17:49

0

That V12 is a V8, but even without the vents that bonnet bulge would look appalling.

*happily sticks with the more subtle Z3M coupe.*

Tetrisaurus > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 19:17

0

Am I the only person who likes the way the Z3 coupe looks?

Loping Camshaft > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 19:25

4

If you want more power for your Z3, it's fairly common to do the stereotypical LS swap. Sure there are BMW V8s to swap to keep it in canon, but they're either going to be way heavier, less powerful, or way more expensive to find and maintain.

486332 > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 20:32

0

Well, throw in a modern BMW Turbo Setup to force aspirate the engine for more power, kick the MT out for a 7spd DCT or the ZF 8 speeder, add weight to rear to inch towards the 50:50 distribution and show me where to sign.

Satish Kondapavulur > JayHova 09/01/2013 at 20:33

0

Sorry about that, missed reading the entire last sentence.

The World of Vee > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 21:11

0

Always baffled me that no one ever made a MR Clownshoe. It just seems so...right.

tobythesandwich > Fuel_of_Satan 09/01/2013 at 21:48

0

Another way of looking at it is RUF. Same situation, but with Porsche.

472CID > Awedgar 09/01/2013 at 22:05

2

Ok, so first there's the BMW with a V16 and it makes me think of the Caprice with a BMW V12. Now there's a Z3 with a BMW V12 and I'm reminded of the X5 with a BMW V12 from the Mclaren F1 LM/ BMW LMP1

DBG > 472CID 09/01/2013 at 22:45

0

I kind of appreciate the crazy, but it's upsetting that someone got their hands on that engine and couldn't think of anything better to do with it than put it in an X5.

MyHandsAreCats > bpands 09/02/2013 at 00:15

0

Since it was built for their luxury cars, power wasn't as important and smoothness and quietness.

dmanero1 > Fuel_of_Satan 09/02/2013 at 00:23

0

How you figure?

Dennis loves you too > deleted 09/02/2013 at 01:49

0

Chernobyl learn to spell hill rod

Squid > 472CID 09/02/2013 at 02:57

0

I would love to have that noise at the command of my right foot. I think it makes it more awesome that it is coming from an X5. . .

Hifrequency > JayHova 09/02/2013 at 03:30

0

Tis seriously has made the car look even worse, fugly just so sad.

300hp30mpgrwdfor30k > Awedgar 09/02/2013 at 07:39

0

Been thinking about a used Z3 or Z4 as a daily driver, but I hear bimmers are expensive to maintain. How's it compare to a 350z? I'd think a BMW would be reliable to the high miles based on how many old ones I see (a lot in Los Angeles), maybe not Toyota reliable but close.

Fuel_of_Satan > dmanero1 09/02/2013 at 08:47

0

That's already been covered if you read all the posts here, but Hartge is a licensed manufacturer. Its a Hartge Z3, not BMW Z3.

Awedgar > 300hp30mpgrwdfor30k 09/02/2013 at 08:50

0

As a daily driver, I would def go for either the Z3 or 350z, the z4 has a super harsh ride. And yeah, the 350z would be cheaper to maintain than the z3, and might even be more exciting to drive

MattTiller > Awedgar 09/02/2013 at 09:58

1

There was a 5.0 V8 powered Z3 on (British) Auto Trader and Piston Heads Classifides, not sure if still there. But was less than I thought it should have been

Jon Smith > Awedgar 09/02/2013 at 10:32

0

Turbine like delivery? So you mean the V12 has poor low end acceleration? or that it is smooth?

Awedgar > Jon Smith 09/02/2013 at 10:33

1

Nope, just that v12s tend to deliver their power in a very linear, surging way

Jon Smith > Awedgar 09/02/2013 at 10:46

0

I figured, just thought I'd give you a little shit. Is there a jalopnik app yet? commenting from my phone is awful

deleted > Dennis loves you too 09/02/2013 at 11:36

1

Terribly sorry, Tsjernobyl is the dutch way of spelling the city, sometimes I get confused when writing in a foreign language, but whenever you are able to speak and spell in 5 languages and are an engineer you may call me a hill rod, otherwise you are just a poor excuse for humanity. Ps. if you are gonna be a grammar-nazi maybe you should use punctuation.

TheNewOldSchool24 > Dennis loves you too 09/02/2013 at 12:57

2

You sir, have been told.

Evan, Pope Of Jalopnik by Self-Appointment > Awedgar 09/02/2013 at 14:38

0

Just got to VAC, Powerplant, or Korman. Any one of them will be able to transform this engine (for a small fortune) into more or less an S73 replica (McLaren F1 engine) with over 600 hp and probably weighing a good bit less. Now that is something I would give organs to drive.

Mr Joshua > Awedgar 09/02/2013 at 16:28

1

If you drop a spanner while working on this donk, don't expect lean down underneath to get it as it drops onto the ground. I doubt there is even an inch to spare anywhere. I'll bet there are lost tools jammed all round this sucker.

Dennis loves you too > deleted 09/03/2013 at 11:30

0

Sorry I get post rage, like road rage but a lot safer due to he safety the Internet offers

deleted > Dennis loves you too 09/03/2013 at 19:01

0

No worries, all is forgotten. It commends you that you offered an apology, usually "post rage" becomes a pissing match (see youtube as a reference) with no substance whatsoever. I really like this community, it's mature and well informed , see your last post as reference