When BMW released the Z3 Roadster in 1995, it was an instant hit. This sleek convertible hoped to capitalize on the success of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, which pumped new life into the segment.

When BMW came out with the Z3 as the upscale answer to Mazda's Miata, execs at Mazda weren't all that worried — BMW didn't nail the "affordable" part of Mazda's secret sauce of an affordable ...

Think Porsche Boxster and Cayman, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and MX-5 RF. Not BMW. The Z3 was a pretty car, but not aggressive, and a sloping coupe roof may have worked with its bulbous body style.