BMW Z18 was an off-roadster that we would be less surprised about now

Any kitchen master knows that you cannot throw all types of fruit into the juicer at the same time with impunity, unless you want to surprise someone in a truly special way with a concoction of kiwi, lemon, blackberry, orange and banana. Likewise, there are limits to the number and type of ingredients you can serve to a friend as a one-pot dish. No matter how wonderfully creamy the hopjes custard may be, in combination with a stew it tastes downright nasty. In other words: it’s better to keep lots of goodies separate. On the other hand: if you never put anything crazy together, nothing new will come out of the blender.

Z18 was a crossover avant la lettre

With the latter idea in mind, the most creative minds at BMW Technik GmbH set to work in the 1990s to create the Z18 concept car. We can safely call this strange vehicle a crossover avant la lettre to call; a true hero in his specific genre even. Or, viewed soberly, a courageous attempt by the German designers to maneuver between the hallowed houses of the 1990s and to park something in the space found – a niche – that was not yet there. Such as the Z18, which represents a rather complicated mix of an enduro motorcycle, a speedboat and a roadster. The logical question of whether the end result was more than the sum of its parts can be answered with a resounding yes. The BMW Z18 was still a roadster, or an open two-seater with a sporty slant. The design of the plastic body was clearly based on that of the BMW Z1, while the interior showed the central clock shop that would later appear in the Z8.

V8 in combination with 4×4

As befits a BMW, the device is also fast, thanks to a V8 petrol engine that – in a first for BMW – drove not only the rear wheels, but also the front wheels. Viewed in this way, this concept car is also a distant ancestor of the X5. It is striking that the windshield is placed much less steeply than that of the Z1 and is also significantly higher, just like an all-terrain vehicle. The fact that the Z18 stands very tall has everything to do with the enduro idea behind its design. Without many adjustments, the Z18 should become the already immensely popular model, which was only intended for tough heroes rally raid can finish Paris-Dakar. It doesn’t take much imagination to see the Z18 bouncing straight through sandy deserts and over water bodies. Yes, that last aspect refers to the Z18’s ability to behave as a speedboat. The designers’ intention was that the driver or captain, with sufficient land speed, would be able to skim over water surfaces to a limited extent instead of cowardly struggling through them.

BMW had invented the mobile equivalent of the Swiss army knife with the Z18. And just as that indispensable tool does not provide the most charming sight for those who keep it in their pocket, the Z18 is not the most elegant company to appear in public with. It’s like a fruit mix: those with the most beautiful colors taste the best.