BMW Z21: fascinating driving fun Just 4/2.

The BMW Z18 was premiered on the public stage five years after it had been created. Another prototype offering the prospect of driving fun that had previously been confined to the realms of the motorcycle captivated the driving public at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995. The BMW Z21 project launched in the same year saw engineers at BMW Technik GmbH transferring their focus from off-road capability to enhanced driving pleasure on metalled roads. The result was a minimalist two-seater that left its engineering delights exposed to public view and truly lived up to the formulation of “Just 4/2” enshrined in its name.

Only rudimentary vestiges of bodywork can be seen in the BMW Just 4/2, and the wheels are freestanding to emulate a formula racing car. The four-cylinder power unit generating 73 kW/100 hp loaned from the BMW K 1100 model was more than a match for the prototype weighing only 550 kilograms. The two-seater accelerated from a standing start to 100 km/h in around 6 seconds and notched up a top speed of 180 km/h. Specially developed clothing and helmets provided enhanced protection for the occupants alongside airbags for driver and passenger, and side-impact protection, to transform the Z21 project into a complete work of art at the premiere in Tokyo.

source: BMW