The Z8 cost $128,000 when it launched in 2000, had an all aluminium chassis and body, and used a 4.9 litre V8 engine producing 400 horsepower at 6,600 rpm. Adjust that original price for inflation and you're looking at roughly $232,000 in today's money. In average condition, a BMW Z8 is now worth £156,668, with the most expensive Z8 to sell in history fetching £396,737. That's approximately $200,000 to $500,000 depending on condition and provenance.
The math is straightforward. Buy one in 2010 for $120,000. Sell it today for over $300,000. That's an inflation adjusted gross profit of $136,000 or 82.93 percent appreciation. Meanwhile, a new Ferrari 296 GTB loses 20 to 30 percent the moment you sign the paperwork.
The James Bond Factor
The Z8 was showcased as James Bond's car in the film The World Is Not Enough released in November 1999. In the film, it is driven by Bond until it is sliced in half by a helicopter equipped with cutting saws. The Z8, license plate V354 FMP, is loaded with all the usual Q refinements including titanium plating and armor, ground to air missiles behind the side air intakes, and a key chain that can control the car remotely.
A study by comparison site 1st Move International shows the price increase of every James Bond car. Sean Connery's Aston Martin DB5 seen in Goldfinger cost £4,175 when new in the 60s but is worth £687,696 today, an increase of 16,372 percent. The Z8 hasn't quite reached DB5 levels of appreciation yet, but the Bond connection adds provenance that pure performance can't match.
Why It Worked
BMW produced approximately 5,703 Z8s between 2000 and 2003, with about half exported to the USA. Limited production without being unobtainable. One of its most famous owners was Steve Jobs, whose Titanium Silver Z8 with black interior sold at auction in 2017 for over $320,000. When Apple's founder chooses your car and it sells for nearly triple the original price 17 years later, you're doing something right.
The engine, known internally as the S62, was built by BMW Motorsport and shared with the E39 M5 sports saloon, located behind the front axle to provide 50/50 weight distribution. Car and Driver magazine tested the car and found it outperformed the contemporary benchmark Ferrari 360 Modena in three important performance categories: acceleration, handling, and braking. It beat the Ferrari when new, and it's worth more than a 360 Modena today.
The Perfect Storm
Due to limited supply and increasing demand, Z8s are viewed as blue chip investments in the collector car space, comparable to the Porsche Carrera GT or Ford GT in terms of desirability. Market experts expect continued growth, though the curve may flatten as the collector market stabilizes in the 2030s.
Several factors converged. Henrik Fisker's stunning design aged beautifully. The naturally aspirated V8 with manual transmission became extinct in modern BMWs. BMW promised that a 50 year stockpile of spare parts would be maintained in order to support the Z8 fleet, giving collectors confidence in long term ownership. And the James Bond appearance provided cultural cachet that transforms metal and glass into legend.
The Lesson
Silver/Red is the most iconic James Bond spec, but rarer colors can sometimes command premiums. Low mileage, original, and well documented examples fetch top dollar. The buyers who recognized the Z8's potential in 2010 made six figure profits. The buyers who dismissed it as an expensive old BMW watched those profits sail past.
This proves you can buy good cars that don't depreciate. Not every classic appreciates. Not every limited production car becomes collectible. But when you combine stunning design, engineering excellence, cultural significance, and genuine rarity, depreciation becomes appreciation. The Z8 did all its depreciating in its first five years. Everything since has been climbing back up the value curve while new Ferraris shed value like paint chips on a track day.
When this car was released it had an MSRP of $128,000, equal to $250,000 today. They sell for an average of $211,000, but recently the price has been dipping well below $200k. If you can find one below market average, the appreciation story continues. Or you could buy a new Ferrari and watch it lose a third of its value before the first service. Your choice.