V12-Powered BMW Z3 Found in BMW M GmbH Archive

BMWBMWGermany, 1918 > present87 models
8471 photos
43 videos
M Gmbh has revealed an until-now unknown car from its collection - a one-off V12-powered Z3BMW Z3Germany, 1995 > 200217 versions
21 photos
. Details about the car are scant at the moment, but power comes from BMW's M73 5.4-liter V12 that was also in the 7 SeriesBMW 750iLGermany, 1994 > 20013 photos
1 video
and 8 SeriesBMW 850CiGermany, 1992 > 19991 photo
at the time. 

BMW M posted the three images in our gallery to its Facebook page with the comment: "We don't know why a V12 engine was built into a BMW Z3 years ago. But it still looks impressive, doesn't it?"

The reason that the car was never mass-produced seems rather obvious. The 5.4-liter V12 produced 322hp and 361lb-ft of torque. The BMW M RoadsterBMW Z3 MGermany, 1997 > 20003 photos
based on the Z3, which would have been in development at roughly the same time used the 3.2-liter inline-six cylinder engine from the M3BMW M3 EvolutionGermany, 1995 > present with 321hp and 261lb-ft of torque. The added weight of the V12 did not provide much of an advantage over the lighter six cylinder. 

Source: Car Scoop