BMW introduced their Z3 sports car in 1996. The BMW Z3 was first released in a convertible Roadster body style that was known internally at BMW by the code E36/7. The Z3 roadster was offered with a variety of inline four and inline six engines with power going the rear wheels. In addition to the Base Model, a top of the line variant, the Z3 M Roadster, was introduced in 1998.