Steve Jobs' BMW Z8 up for auction, flip phone and all
It only has 15,200 miles on the odometer.
It's not too often that the public gets a chance to own something from Steve Jobs , but now you have the chance to bid on one of his former cars.
RM Sotheby's is auctioning off Jobs' BMW Z8 sports car. The car, which has been in California since Jobs bought it new, has just 15,200 miles on the odometer. The decision to purchase this car is due in part to Oracle CEO Larry Ellison , who suggested Jobs pick up this rare Bimmer.
The Z8 has always been a looker, even as BMW's car design has progressed well beyond what it was in the 2000s.
Jobs' Z8 was the 85th overall Z8 ever produced, and the 67th customer car. He took delivery of the car on October 6, 2000, and he kept it until 2003, when it was sold to its current owner. That owner sold and eventually repurchased the car, driving it less than 1,000 miles each year.
The car is staggering in its perfection. The current owner has serviced it regularly, and it carries all its important original documents, including the owner's manual, service records and even the CDs for the navigation system. It also has its original Motorola flip phone, which is a fun little throwback.
BMW produced the Z8 between 1999 and 2003. It used the same naturally aspirated V8 engine as the E39-generation M5 sport sedan. It was intended to remain a concept, but massive demand brought the car to production. Over the course of its production run, BMW built just 5,703 Z8s.
It cost $128,000 when new, although given the historical importance of this specific car, it's expected to fetch between $300,000 and $400,000 at auction. If you're a tech magnate with money to burn, this wouldn't be a bad investment.
