Was at TWS this weekend (great weather and good group of drivers) and ran in the same group as a brand new Z4. Interesting story..

Seems as though that father and son like track driving and dad has a Z06 and son wanted to have another in the family so they could both run. Mom was not thrilled with them buying her a vette just so they could use it occasionally so they got mom a silver Z4 with an automatic. Not to worry, father and son told mom they would break it in for her and showed at TWS with the car with only 1500 miles on it and paper plates.. but they did have time to add some OZ wheels shod with Hoosiers.

Son did a good job of driving the automatic leaving the stability computer turned on.. ran consistent 2:07's making a lot of us look weak as we struggled a little to stay with him at times. My best lap is 2:05 and I would be happy to be as consistent as he was. He is a good driver but I don't think he was quite as fast driving dad's Z06 in later sessions.

Looks like this car will be fast machine on the track. The M may be a monster.

 

I read very good things about the Z4 3.0 in the papers. It's barelly heavier than the S2000, has the same weight sitribution of 50:50, is ment to be more rigid and also has a 3L engine pumping out 170kW and 300Nm of torque (230hp and 50% more torque than the S2000). I would not be surprised if the Z4 is quicker in the straiglhine and in particluar out of corners. From the sound of it, it handles pretty well too.

Shame it just sooooo ugly (IMHO) .... I could not handle driving a car that ugly.

 

Hey Chris, how'd the suspension work out?

 

I expect to be poo-poo'd, but after studying the specs IMO the Z4 3.0L with sport suspension, 18 x 8/8.5 wheels, and sequential tranny options stands to be a contender in the SCCA Solo2 B Stock class. The std Z4 is already 100% stiffer than the Z3 chassis, sits 1" lower with stiffer suspension, sits another 0.6" lower and stiffer still with the sport suspension, new rear multi-link IRS, etc. Supposedly a coupe version is due out mid-year. It will definitely trounce the std Boxster.

You heard it hear first ... this is a car to watch if the right person gets a hold of it.

S2kMyWay

 

I saw my first Z4 at this last Septembers DragonBall run. It was Friday morning at the Bikers Hotel in the parking lot. The driver was German and was in the States to put some miles on the car. He said the Z4 was tested in Germany on the Ring against the Boxster S, Audi TT, and the Benz SLK. The Z4 beat them all easily !!
We asked him about the S2000 and he just had a blank look on his face.

 

*Plenty* of them on the local BMW dealers lot... 3.0's, 2.5's, take your pic.

Of course no 3.0's with manual transmissions yet, let alone 3.0's with the new SSG.

Better have a supercharger if you want to have any hope of keeping up wih the M version once it comes out.

I am somewhat surprised that the auto was able to turn such fast lap times, however!

 

wow...I did not think those things were supposed to be quick...I stand corrected....
but they are just plain ugly...the front looks like a 89 year old cat...tired and just fugly....the butt...well, the best way I can describe it is an S2000 with butt tuck....does that make sense?

 

I read that BMW has no plans for a M version of the Z4. Apparently, they like the "light" approach for this model.

 

I think they look much better in person than all the pics i've seen online. I'm thinking about going to the local dealership for a test drive :devilish grin:

 

I seriously doubt that the stock Z4 will beat my moderately modified S2000. I would have to let someone else drive mine that knew how to drive it fast. My S is over 200 lbs lighter and about
251 hp at the crank not the wheels.
My S is dropped and tracks lighter and wider.