Is freon used in a 1997 BMW Z3?

Freon, commonly known as R-12, used in automotive air conditioning systems was phased out in 1994 due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. The 1997 BMW Z3 was manufactured after this phase-out, so it does not use R-12 (Freon). Newer refrigerants, such as R-134a, were introduced as more environmentally friendly alternatives and became standard in cars produced from 1995 onwards.