I went today to a BMW dealership to see the new Z4. I parked my new S2000 right in front of the dealer's doors and went in.

There were many young and middle-aged couples looking at the Z4. About 10-15 in total.

They were quite positive about it. I wasn't. I stood there for 45 minutes waiting for that thing (the Z4 I mean) to grow on me. Nothing. The shape of the car just doesn't flow. The bonnet is to high from the ground. Feels as if it is the highest part of the car. No aerodynamic feel at all. Strange lines coming out of the bue here and there not matching the rest of the car. I thought: "what a disaster".

The interior is even worse. The seats look like two fat women without breasts. I don't want to sit on that!!! Well, I had to. So, there I sat. Had a feel of the dash. Felt like cheap plastic. "Tock, tock". That's what it sounds like when you knock it here and there. Where is the german quality??? It must be in the engineering I thought. So I grabbed the stick and pushed it into first, first, first. Shit, it felt as if the distance from neutral to first was 2 miles. Should the shift not be short in a sports car? Hmmm!

Oh, well! Not really what I expected, I thought. But still, there will be millions of them on the road after a month or so. I think there are already millions of people waiting for delivery, who ordered the car without ever having seen one.

Ok then. I came out of the car. Turned around. And what do I see?
Five people all over my S2000. They had just come out of the showroom and they were standing there admiring my S, and chating about it.

Now I know. I know why you don't see any S2000's on the road. Because Honda sells them through the wrong dealerships. They should sell them through the BMW dealers!

 

I pick the S2000 over Z4 any day

 

Cute post, F2000.

I knew the part about them admiring your parked car was coming, but I enjoyed it anyway

 

I find the Z4 to be a beautiful car which probably will outrun my S2000 all day long.

 

You failed the IQ test padre. The S2000 blows the doors off of the Z4 3.0. EOM.

 

in a local car meet, i parked beside a Z4 and the owner of the Z4 was regreting getting the wrong car

Just because its a beema, it doesnt mean its a better car.

 

I really think this crowd is in a hurry to trounce anything different. I am keeping my S2000, but am not near as negative on the Z4 as many.

It is clearly different, trying to be a luxury sports car rather than a street race car, but I found it pleasant. I am not in love with the styling but like it so much more than the Z3 that I have come to accept the awkward look at some angles (not a natural beauty, but few BMW's are).

I drove an auto Z3 (the six speeds when not yet available) and found it was an easy car to drive fast. Not the gocart feeling of the S2000, but good refined handling with decent acceleration and brakes. I don't have any numbers but have to believe the 3.0 accelerates, handles, and stops with performance very close to the S2000, and that performance is more easily extracted from the car.

There are many people that want a sports car that does not have the hard edge of the S2000, and don't mind spending a bit more, and IMO this is a reasonable choice.

 

Are those the same people on the waiting list to buy the automatic or the ones that drive around here on beautiful days with the top up?

 

I grew up with a dad who drove his '57 MGA with the top down 12 months a year. "it's a sports car, the top is supposed to be down" he would say....

I can't tell you the amount of Audis and Z3/Z4s I see every morning driving to work, all with their top ups. And that Lexus thing that has the folding hardtop, I have never seen one of those dropped, nor a Jag with the top down. Now on the other hand, I see Miatas, MGs and Triumphs almost always with their tops down.

To me the Z3 was a modern interpretation of a classic roadster. The Z4 has modernized that concept to a point beyond where it is able to relate to a classic roadster. I'm not a big fan of the look, but yet it is a well-made car. The key I believe is it has a different objective, it IS aimed at the more luxury minded driver. One who wants an occasional top down drive, not the kind of person who knows exactly how many days before their next autox or driving school.

I hope BMW sells a lot of them, I just love flying by them on the road, as my hair blows in the wind, while they sit there with the AC on and the top up.... There is nothing I can do, if they don't get it, they don't get it; their loss!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by calpilot7
[B]

You failed the IQ test padre.