Petrolhead Nook – Smit Car Engineering SVE Oletha BMW Z8 Coupe

What if… These two easy phrases can set off an entire chain of ideas. What if vehicles may fly? What if vehicles may drive themselves? What if BMW had constructed a Z8 Coupe? Properly, with out going into too many particulars, the solutions to these questions could be: they’ll, they’ll, and so they haven’t. So,  to make it three-out-of-three, we’re going to dive right into a moderately splendid automotive, which is stuffed with BMW tech and design but isn’t in-built Germany. As a substitute, that is constructed within the US by two brothers, Willem and Kaess Smit – one previously working for Singer Car Design. This, my fellow Petrolheads, is the Smit Car Engineering SVE Oletha, a automotive that carries a couple of surprises beneath its gorgeously elegant physique. A automotive that’s the Z8 Coupe BMW by no means made, however ought to have (a minimum of, when taking a look at it…)

BMW Inspiration

The BMW Z8, constructed between 2000 and 2003, is an oddity for BMW in all types of how. For starters, it was produced in fairly small numbers, with solely 5,703 vehicles rolling off the meeting line. Second, it seemed like nothing else BMW was recognized for on the time. It additionally had a brief however outstanding performing profession because it starred within the 1999 James Bond film The World is Not Sufficient, the place it will get tragically sliced in half.

It was constructed as a homage to a legendary sports activities automotive from BMW’s previous, the 507, broadly thought to be one in every of BMW’s most stunning vehicles ever made. The modern, swooping design of the roadster constructed between 1956 and 1959 was carried over to the muscular, fashionable Z8. Up to now, it has been the highest of the road Z-car, a line stat began with the Z1 and its funky downward sliding doorways.

The design featured a number of styling components taken from the BMW 507, most notable the two-seater roadster structure. It has an extended entrance finish, robust shoulders over the rear wheels and extensive, horizontal “kidneys” in the identical vein because the 507. It was powered by a 4.9-litre V8 engine that produced 395bhp. This propelled the Z8 to an electronically restricted high pace of 250kph. Famend BMW tuners Alpina constructed their model of the Z8, which weirdly had much less energy than the unique.

The Smit Brothers

The 2 males behind this stunning trying automotive are brothers Willem and Kaess Smit, who beforehand labored for firms like Normal Electrical, Tesla Motors and Singer Car Design. Willem and Kees share a lifelong ardour for vehicles, handed down by their father. This ardour, mixed with a background in mechanical engineering, result in the need to create one thing of their very own. 

The corporate they based is aimed to create the very best BMW, the automotive that maybe BMW themselves would by no means construct. A automotive constructed by the Smit brothers is claimed to fuse the most recent developments in automotive constructing expertise with designs impressed by mechanical masterpieces from a bygone period. Living proof, the SVE Oletha, seemingly based mostly on the BMW Z8, in flip, based mostly on the BMW 507.

The SVE Oletha, Not a butchered Z8

I already hinted that there’s much more to the SVE Oletha than you’ll anticipate. Probably the most widespread heard reactions to any restomod is the very fact a beloved classic automotive is sacrificed in an effort to create one thing wild and new. Whereas this can be true in different restomoded vehicles, it’s a wholly completely different story with the Oletha. In reality, there’s not a single element taken from one of many 5,703 Z8’s BMW has produced.

What is likely to be stunning to you, because it was to me, is that the underpinnings of the Oletha are literally from a first-gen BMW z4, combined with different parts from the Bavarian automotive producer. The chassis, suspension system and steering system are taken from the E86 technology Z4 Coupé, constructed between 2002 and 2008. Initially deemed as a little bit of a hairdresser’s automotive, the Z4 is definitely a really succesful machine, particularly with a little bit of energy stuffed beneath the lengthy bonnet.

It’s truly fairly superb how comparable in dimension the first-generation Z4 and Z8 are. You wouldn’t say it from the skin, however there’s not a lot between the 2 by way of wheelbase, size, width, et cetera. And the very fact the Z4 was a roadster first and a coupé later means the chassis may be very inflexible, even stiffer than the Z8’s chassis. So all of it begins to make sense if you take components like this under consideration.

Engine-wise, Smit depends on the S65 BMW 4.0-litre V8 from the E92 technology M3, which is enlarged to 4.4 litres and pumps out 450bhp. All of that energy goes to the rear wheels via an E92 M3 sourced six-speed guide transmission, making for one hell of a enjoyable machine to thrash round in. It additionally comes with a limited-slip differential, adjustable suspension, AP Racing brakes and a particular set of wheels. These are milled out of a stable block of aluminium.

Its curvaceous full carbon fibre physique is designed by Willem and Kaess Smit themselves, with styling components impressed by the BMW Z8 and the BMW 507. And it reveals as you possibly can see the lineage stemming from the Fifties roadster. The lengthy swooping entrance finish, the quick again part, the shoulder humps over the rear wheels. It’s all very delicately draped over the chassis and drivetrain. 

Inside is the place the largest trace of “Z4” stays, as a number of the inside parts are taken over instantly from the Z4. The aluminium panel working throughout the dashboard is the one largest giveaway to its origins, however there’s no actual disgrace with that, particularly when the Z4 wasn’t a foul automotive to start with. And the brother’s have been fairly intelligent with the design because the rear glass panel can be taken instantly from the Z4, which saves on sophisticated design options and expensive bespoke glass.

With such initiatives, it’s the eye to element that may actually make or break such a automotive. And judging by what Prime Gear stated in its evaluate and video and what we are able to see within the photos, all of it blends in moderately properly. There are not any overly extensive panel gaps, there are not any bizarre out-of-place components, there’s no overly designed element anyplace. 

As we’ve come to expertise with such restomod vehicles, it’s removed from low cost to park it in your driveway. Solely 100 will ever be constructed, and as at all times, bespoke choices can be found. Be ready to shell out USD 450.000 as a beginning value, although. For that form of cash, it seems very, superb however has some very, very stiff competitors to beat as properly. So, is it value it? Properly, that’s as much as you in the long run.

For extra data on this unimaginable automotive, please go to SmitVE.com.