pEdAlSfAsTeR,

yEs, I oVeRsTaTeD tHaT a Z4 wOuLd TrOuNcE a BoXsTeR, BuT iN mY oPiNiOn It WiLl Be A sErIoUs CoNtEnDoR.

aLsO, 2001 nAt's iS nOt A vAlId ReFeReNcE fOr SoLo2 CoMpArIsOnS dUe To 9/11 AnD wEaThEr. EvEn ThE dRiVeR wHo WoN mOvEd InTo An S2000 tHiS yEaR, aNd WhIlE tHe BeSt BoXsTeR dRiVeRs ArE rUnNiNg CoMpEtItIvE tImEs ThEy ArE nOt WiNnInG nAtIoNaLlY. tHe '03 BoXsTeR wIlL bE fAsTeR iF sOmEbOdY GoOd BrInGs OnE oUt, BuT tHe OlDeR mOdElS wIlL fAlL tO tHe WaYsIdE iMo

 

Remember that the national level doesn't necessarily relate to the local/regional level. Ultimate performance is whart we see at Nationals - me driving is what you see in many/most regionals. You can go out and kick butt all year and get wiped up at Nationals...

 

I'm not fond of the look, but that aside, it's a good rival

 

I worked for a BMW dealer not too long ago and went to the Z4 factory ride&drive event at the old El Toro Airbase in Irvine. They basically set up a few roadcourses w/ cones. We also drove the Boxter, TT, SLK320 along side the Z4.

I must say the Z4 looks a lot better in person than it did in pictures. And I saw a lowered one not too long after that which looked really good. I personally like the interior, it's lot more roomier than the Z3, but the S2k is like well tailor suite for me. The addition accommodations such as heated seats, tire pressure monitor, 2 BIG cup holders, bigger trunk, and the fully powered top that is it's own tonneau cover makes the Z4 slightly more appealing than the S2k IMHO.

As far as driving enjoyment goes, the S2k has a much more communicative and shorter shifting transmission, and more direct road feel makes you much more in tune w/ the machine. While the Z4 is responsive and offers excellent handling characteristics, it's just not as razor sharp as the S2k. The Z4's engine is also tuned toward lower end torque and develops it max torque of 214lb-ft @ 3500rpm which certainly makes it feels faster right off the line. Power delivery is smooth all the way up to it's 6k redline.

Overall I'd say the the Z4 is an excellent example of an roadster. But with a price of $50k+ fully loaded 3.0 w/ the nav, potential 1st year production woes, the S2k is just a smarter choice IMHO.

I think if the S2k got a 2.2liter i-Vtec engine w/ a 9k redline it'd be a Z4 and even a plain Boxter killer!!!

 

Did the Z4 you drove include the optional sport suspension? This will presumably be a prerequisite when building a serious Z4, as it is likewise with the Boxster. As a Boxster owner, it's a pet peeve of mine that car magazines never test Boxsters equipped with the sport suspension.

Having said that, sport suspension on the Boxster aside, the S2000 is still the most agile and go-kart-like B Stock car I've ever driven. I've never driven a Z4, though.

I also agree with your comment about a bigger motor in the S2000 -- if it were the S2500 instead, I'd probably be driving one today. Oh well; maybe in 2004.

Steve

 

Pdeal,

The Z4's we drove were 3.0 auto w/ all the options including the sport pkt, except for the navi.

We drove a porsche boxter non S ver back to back w/ the Z4 3.0. I must say that while I was very impressed with the boxter, the Z4 was more neutral due to the 50/50 weight distribution.

 

I don't know, I have a hard time believeing anything from BMW can actually handle. Magazines Raved about the M3's handling and when I finally drove one it almost made me want to stop reading those magazines. IT WAS THAT BAD. Magazines state the 350z has amazing handling. I found that to be completely inaccurate as well. In fact there are only 3 cars I've ever driven that I feel should be called good handling cars... S2000, Miata, Lotus Elise. I'm yet to try my hands at an Mr2 or a boxster but I have high hopes for those. The S2000 and the Lotus are 2 cars I that actually handled similar to my shifter Kart. We all know the only thing keeping the S from dominating BS is the wheel size. With that said I'm not worried and none of you should be either. The 350z is a boat (take a moment and read how Nissan claims the 350 has great handling because of it's "perfect" 53/47 weight bias, Can you actually believe a company that prints something as silly as that to make up for thier poor engineering, can actually make a great handling car) and the Z4 is made by BMW which in my opinion is to fearful of it's owners with less the optimal driving skills to make a car that will actually oversteer.

 

Chris, that's a quick lap for a young, inexperienced driver. With the overhaul of the rear suspension in the Z4 to move to a more modern setup, I expected it to be quite a bit more forgiving, forgiving to a fault, like my E36 M3. I'd expect your car, shod with Hoosiers and not hung over to be faster than that consistently. I'm guessing you were still on Victos?

A better tranny and a skilled driver should have that thing around the low 2's from the sounds of it.

As to the M version, there's lots of conjecture right now. I read some 'soft' statements in the Roundel that no M version is planned. However, that's hardly conclusive.

As to the styling, I intially thought it horrid. Then after seeing 2 in person, I've come to like it, save for it's face. I like the profile and rear deck now. Go figure.

 

I think that when people refer to a car's good handling, they're generally referring to the fact that it's relatively neutral in steady state cornering, and also that it transitions into understeer or oversteer in a linear, predictable, and catchable manner.

I drove a last-generation M3 at a local autocross, and found that while it did push on corner entry, it could be provoked into a more tail-out attitude, and it was a still a sweetheart while driving sideways. Sounds to me that you prefer a car that rotates more quickly; that isn't the M3's forte, but I'd hardly damn the entrie BMW line for that reason. The M3 and Z3 were both competitive in A Stock until the S2000 and Boxster came along, and BMWs still do very well in Street Prepared and Street Mod. Likewise, I speculate that the Z4 and 350Z could both be competitive in B Stock if driven right, but they'd have to be driven differently than you'd drive an S2000.

On a related note, the Boxster also pushes as delivered from the factory.

Steve

 

you are correct the M3 was a sweetheart once I got her into a "drift". But My god It took everything but the e-brake to get it to do it. I'm just not a fan of BMW's and thus I have a bias view towards them (I just feel that most people that buy BMW buy them for the name and not the car and thus BMW after E30 is exploiting that, But thats just my view).
And I did consider buying a 350z for a short time. I did as much research on it as I could and found that IMHO Nissan didn't build the car for true car enthusists as they claimed. I felt it pushed alot more then a "sports car" should. And as I already said. I'm not a big fan of pushy cars. They are safer and can occasionally be fast but they just lack "FUN". The thing that probably bothered me the most (and this has nothing to do with the Z it's self) is the poor marketing and lies about the car. At one point I was driving it with a salesmen and we were talking back and forth about the S2000 and the 350z and he said....
"well the S2000 will never be a race car like the Z, Because it lacks the race inspired suspension the Z has"
That blew me away that he would say something like that. The Z has a engine that belongs in an SUV (for both torque and poor gas mileage) and suspension that belongs in a minivan, Cheep plastic interior and despite being a large car it can't even hold ONE wheel in the back. Where as the S2000 has a Engine that belongs in a sport Bike. Gear ratio's that actually keep the car in his power band. Very close to 49/51 weight distribution. Suspension thats almost unliveable it's so stiff, The car is down right dangerious for most common drivers and I've managed a race wheel and tire, Tool kit, a Jack and 2 helments in the trunk. With the exception of the trunk comparo I'd say the S2K is argueably the most race car like street car on the market.