Had another longer try today - 2hrs or so (including a stint on a private airfield ).

First thoughts when driving were....... genuinely...... about what a bloody good car the S is in terms of its directness - engine, gearbox and handling-wise. Don't get me wrong, I think that the Beemer is also a very fine car but for completely different reasons. But, at the end of the day, the whole BMW Z4 sDrive35i experience is somewhat anodyne and detached relative to the S. Whilst tight enough, the car still feels a bit wieldy and whilst lag is minimal there's quite often tiny frequently slightly asthmatic delays whilst the engine and box decide how best to respond to throttle inputs. That said, the engine is undoubtedly an engineering masterpiece from the point of view of ultimate refinement and performance. The low and mid-range grunt is astonishing for an engine of 'only' 3 litres - it pulls more like a 5 litre engine: check this vid for 60-100MPH in top/seventh (NB 100MPH at less than half of 7000 rpm redline):
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1UsHGu0jK8 [/media]

performance through the gears isn't too shabby too. Check this through the gears 40-120MPH:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h_ys2-S0ng [/media]

Other than some tiny fidgety squeeky noises from the roof mechanism, the refinement roof-up is very accomplished. The car I drove has the M suspension which doesn't - for me - work quite as effectively as the Audi MR does on the TTS that I owned. The Beemer is still quite firm on Comfort whereas the Audi was quite plush on the equivalent setting. I think this boils down to BMW needing to keep the Comfort setting reasonably to control body roll through cornering as the car is quite a heavy beast. The progressive sharpening of the throttle in the two sports modes I like - not surprising for me given that I NEVER turned the M button off in either of my Z4Ms! The DCT changes also quicken in the Sports settings and whilst pleasingly quick they are not anywhere near as mechanically abrupt as they are (bruisingly so) in the M5.

Do I want one? Mmmmmm.... I really don't know. It's a fine effort but I've got this feeling that I ultimately wouldn't be so satisfied with it as to keep it very long. And the price of new ones and scarcity-driven prices of 3 mth old ones means that a heavy residual battering would likely rain down on my wallet if I bought one now and then moved it on in a few months.

Funnily enough - and I really aren't just saying this to pander to you nutters here - I'm already missing the S........ Put it this way, I'm keeping my Ricks spun Ti knob in my top left desk drawer........ But the next one would/will have to be a yellow or orange 03 with sub-20K miles....... Anyone??!!

Mike

 

Mike

May I suggest the following....


Before you put your car up for sale....
Do your test drives...
Find your new car...
Then put your S up for sale.


You seem to be doing this arse about tit.



Edit a yellow or Orange vinyl wrap on yours would be less than

 

We wouldn't have taunted you much. Honest!

Yes we would...

Your review doesn't surprise me; the new Z4 seems a much better sorted car than the last effort (some areas of which looked unbelievably crudely-made to me) and it's a fine car.

But it's simply a very different beast from the S2000, for which there's no real replacement.

 

the z4m i test drove was a bit dull.even the mrs said the s was better.

 

[QUOTE=Gaspode,Jul 12 2009, 04:52 PM] Mike

May I suggest the following....


Before you put your car up for sale....
Do your test drives...
Find your new car...
Then put your S up for sale.


You seem to be doing this arse about tit.



Edit

 

vinyl wrap = plastic mexican snack
Give Tango a call and buy his IOM
Shame the Z4 didn't live up to expectations

 

Proof if needed that women know nothing at all about cars

Regarding the new Z4, more of a cruiser isn't it, is that what you want Ron98?

Not the same as the hairy arsed M E85 model, last of the breed

You've only had that car 2 mins, you're not selling already

What's up with it, lack of Torque/speed getting on your nerves?

 

Ron have you driven the E92 M3 convertible, I know it is a bit more money but surely that would more likely float your boat with a big V8 ?

 

So lardy though... must be 1800kg and even more cumbersome than the Z4 x35i.

 

Like Moff says; too lardy. Not my thing either really - too big and barge-like all round. I so nearly bought a E92 M3 last Nov/Dec but just couldn't go for the image and bulk of the four seat coupe thing (when there's only ever me or me and her indoors in it) relative to a two seat sportscar. Wish I had bought one though in one way since one of those back then was so bloody cheap..... I was offered a 8 month old example in Silver/black with EVERYTHING (Prof Nav, Indiv Audio, TV function, adaptive xenons THE LOT) list