All You Want to Know About the BMW M Z3 V12 Prototype


After breaking the photo story on the BMW M division's one-off, V12-powered Z3 prototype earlier this week, we can now share with you some interesting details surrounding its creation, though as you will soon find out, we may need the help of our German speaking readers.

We'll get straight to the point and let you know what Matthew Russell, Product and Technology Communications Manager for BMW North America, told Carscoop about the Z3 M V12 after he did some digging of his own:

"The car was built in 1999 and was the proof that all engine sizes of the time fit in the roadster," said Russell. "It was shown only once: in August 1999 to the German car magazine Autozeitung."

As we rightly assumed, the ultimate M model of the Z3 roadster series borrowed BMW's M73 5.4-liter V12 engine from the E38 750i/iL sedans and E38 850Ci coupe of the mid-1990s to early 2000s.

Read more »