The BMW Z1 had completely unique sliding doors that could stay open whilst driving

This is the BMW Z1, a limited-run roadster that turned heads because not only was it a looker, but it also had sliding doors that ‘disappeared’ while driving.

To be a little more specific, it had vertically sliding doors that made it look like a true roadster.

The car came out in the late 1980s, and was a key release in making what BMW today is.

Back then, the automaker was one of the coolest in the world — and the Z1 showed everyone why.

The 1980s were a wild era for the entirety of the automotive industry, and BMW was at the helm.

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The BMW Z1 had unique vertical sliding doors

The German company was sending out iconic sports cars like the E28 M5 and E30 M3 that would be remembered for decades.

However, that wasn’t all the carmaker was doing.

In 1989, the BMW Z1 appeared to fulfill every enthusiast’s roadster fantasies.

At first, it looked like a bite-sized toy car, but its unique quirks eventually made it famous.

Moreover, the Z1 packed excellent performance out of its 2.5-liter six-cylinder powerhouse.

But something even greater than that — vertical sliding doors — was something nobody had ever seen before in a roadster.

We’re not talking about sliding doors like those in robotaxis or minivans.

Imagine rolling down your windows, but the doors, too, roll down completely.

The design was ahead of its time

It wouldn’t probably make much difference at low speeds, but when you’re cruising on a highway without any doors, it’s a different experience altogether.

Now, its legality obviously depends on the driver’s location, so not everyone could cruise in their BMW Z1 with the doors rolled down.

Although these doors would probably not impress a lot of petrolheads today, something like this seemed otherworldly in 1989.

Especially when you look at what future BMW cars will look like.

The automaker has been producing (and testing) unconventional car designs to this day, and there are limitless examples of that.

For instance, something as subtle as this most recent BMW Art Car participated in a Le Mans race.

Or this futuristic BMW concept car that is ‘literally’ alive, for that matter.