After the many exciting and innovative products in its past, by the mid-1980s BMW was, perhaps, beginning to look a little staid, with a reputation largely based on building surefooted and reliable fast saloons/sedans for the 'executive' market.

The formation of an internal think-tank - BMW Technik - with an ongoing brief to explore all areas of potential product development, allowed bold new ideas to surface.

The first BMW Technik model to make it to production was the Z1 roadster, and this is the reason why today's BMW roadsters carry the letter Z.

Here is the full story of all the Z prototypes and concept cars, and particularly the production models - Z1, Z3 (M-Roadster and M-Coupe) and Z8 - which have done so much to change the public's concept of the BMW marque.