The story of how the Z4 ended up in Bonaventura Classic Collection’s garage is like something out of a dream. It is the fruit of a visit to Romania at the residence of Princess Margareta I of Romania. Let us hear it:

– The princess showed me around her summer estate in Săvârșin, including the buildings where the cars are kept. She saw my interest and offered to resell the Volkswagen Golf III GTI. A remarkably interesting specimen – it was the last car purchased by Her Highness’s father, the last King Michael I of Romania. King Michael was a car enthusiast and a collector of World War II-era Willis. However, another vehicle caught my attention. I pointed to this BMW.

It was a BMW Z4, which the German company sold to Prince Radu, the husband of Princess Margaret, in 2012. The only owner was Prince Radu, and it is his details that appear in the documents. For some reason, the prince did not use the Bavarian roadster. The car only made the 750-kilometre journey from Bucharest to Săvârșin and the 100-kilometre route to Timisoara airport and back throughout its life. All this took place in 2012, and since then the car has not moved out of the garage even by bumper length. Its subsequent role was limited to decorating the princely collection with dignity.

– This is a car I have never driven. On a trailer it first arrived at my garage in Timisoara. I bought the battery there, but I waited till the car could be started by Helmut in Germany. I limited myself to putting the key in the ignition and turning it just enough for the lights to come on. Reviving a car like this, not touched for many years, triggers emotions and feelings I do not know how to name.

Anyone who appreciates interacting with cars knows what I am talking about. To say that seeing the clocks sink back into colour after so many years, seeing the lights come on and the indicators blink is a pleasant feeling is to say nothing at all. In this case, there was also the feeling of having a new-old car in which everything works and does not betray even the slightest sign of wear and tear.

A gentle turn of the key breathed new life into the BMW and triggered the electronic odometer with a mileage of just 953 kilometres. The 2.5-litre engine was (and is) completely serviceable, but the unit required a number of oil changes and flushing oil cleaning before we could allow it to start again.

A cursory reading of the paperwork showed that the car was manufactured on 3rd May 2010. Wait a minute…. production in 2010? The last unit of this model left the production line in August 2008. In 2010, a successor, the second-generation Z4 model, was already available in showrooms. A quick check of the VIN helped to establish that the vehicle was indeed built on the 3rd May, but in 2008, which is two years earlier than the official document states. BMW handed the Romanian prince a brand-new car that had never been used – there is no doubt here. Most likely the BMW dealer, however, considered it a slight gaffe to sell such a person a four-year old vehicle. The easiest way to rejuvenate the Z4 was to enter the year 2010 instead of 2008. An unsold two-year old car looked better than a four-year old one.

A unique distinction of the car is the original Romanian number plates. They are unique because they have the ASR distinction reserved for royal and princely vehicles.

The Z4 model appeared in 2002 and was produced in South Carolina, USA. It was not a revolution, but rather a continuation of the course taken by its predecessor, the Z3 model. Compared to the Z3, it was slightly larger and heavier. To help it remain agile, they produced a number of its components from lightweight materials. Even the spare wheel was dispensed with, but with run-flat tyres the lack of air is not such a worry.

Drivers eager for a sporty experience could buy a roadster (designated E85) or a coupe (E86). The Z4 drew praise for its excellent handling characteristics and for its engines. At the time of its debut, the manufacturer offered 6-cylinder units with 192 hp (2.5i) or 231 hp (3.0i). In the course of time, more engines appeared. In the car presented here under the bonnet is a 2.5-litre engine, which has not had the opportunity either to reach, let alone show, what it is capable of. However, this is no loss, since there is something much more valuable about it – the fact of owning a car which, although it has not even covered 1,000 kilometres, has earned a history it could share with several other vehicles.