Designed by Henrik Fisker, the BMW Z8 was conceived as a clear tribute to the beautiful 507 roadster of the late 1950s by incorporating distinctive styling cues such as a split grille and pronounced side strakes. Fewer than 6,000 examples of the Z8 were built, all of which gained the contemporary E39 M5’s critically acclaimed 4.9-litre, aluminium V-8 engine that sent 400 horsepower to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

When the model finished production at the tail end of 2002, it was replaced by the Alpina Roadster V8. Alpina had long since sought to differentiate its models from the equivalent BMW offerings often by softening the set-up to create consummate high-speed grand tourers. The revisions to the standard Z8 followed suit, which culminated in the drivetrain being completely replaced for the Roadster V8. A smaller-capacity 4.8-litre engine making 381 horsepower was paired with a five-speed automatic transmission.

The car offered here, which is the 291st out of the 555 Roadster V8s built, holds a 10 April 2003 production date. Configured in left-hand-drive form for the European market, the car was specified in Hellrot for the exterior to complement a Black Nappa leather interior with red accents for the seats. The Alpina, fitted with 20-inch Dynamic wheels, was notably ordered new by a prominent member of the Royal family in the United Arab Emirates.

First registered on 24 April 2004, the car has remained a part of the consigning owner’s collection ever since. During that time, it has benefitted from continued maintenance by BMW Abu Dhabi Motors with the most recent stamp in the service book dated 9 August 2022. At this point, the Roadster was recorded with an odometer showing just 301 kilometres. Remarkably, it had only covered a further kilometre at the time of cataloguing, then reading 302 kilometres. The car is accompanied by a hardtop roof, owner’s guides, tool kit, and cover

Boasting single royal ownership throughout its life and presented in as-new condition, this supremely stylish BMW Alpina Roadster V8 would make for an exquisite addition to any discerning car collection.