The radically restyled new BMW Z4 sports car is meant to play a strong role in helping keep BMW among the top luxury vehicle nameplates. A long, fast drive in the Z4 from here to the BMW plant in Spartanburg, S.C., where the Z4 is built, showed it is much improved over the automaker's popular, retro-style Z3. But critics feel that some folks may dislike the two-seat roadster's more modern, aggressive look with its elaborately sculpted styling. For instance, a body design highlight is a "twisting shoulder'' just below the lower beltline that changes curvature as it works from front to rear. One auto writer looked at the Z4 and said, "In a certain light, it looks as if someone kicked in the side of the car a bit.'' In any case, the Z4 makes the most striking visual statement of any BMW sports car since the automaker's classic 1950s 507 roadster.
While still small, the Z4 has a longer wheelbase and is slightly wider and longer overall than the Z3, with a much-needed roomier cockpit. Chassis engineering is new for better stability, with such things as a multilink rear suspension, run-flat tires and wheel/tire diameters up to an impressive 18 inches. The Z3's smooth, advanced inline six-cylinder engines are carried over. There's a 2.5-liter, 184-horsepower engine and a 3-liter, 225-horsepower motor. BMW said it has made the 2.5-liter engine more responsive at low to medium speeds and refined the 3-liter engine. The 2.5-liter has a standard five-speed manual gearbox, but the 3-liter has a new six-speed manual transmission. Both models are offered with a five-speed automatic transmission that can be manually shifted. A sequential manual gearbox with no clutch will be offered later in the model year. The $33,100-$40,250 Z4 succeeds the $31,300-$37,900 Z3, which was introduced for 1996. The new model also might last at least six years, BMW executives said at the preview. It remains to be seen if BMW will be among luxury leaders then because the vehicle market is becoming increasingly competitive, especially at the top.
"That may be the case because BMW has the reputation of making the best road cars, and people will pay for such prestige,'' said analyst Ray Windecker of Michigan's American Autodatum. Cars such as the Z4 are strategic to BMW because autos generate most of its sales. Lexus led BMW for the top luxury spot for the first nine months this year by selling fewer cars but about twice as many trucks. Lexus offers three sport-utility vehicles, compared with just one from BMW--the racy X5 model.
Still, it's a close race, with Lexus sales of 176,121 vehicles and BMW sales of 171,396 vehicles from January through October. "BMW is pushing the styling envelope with the Z4 as it did with its new 7-Series sedan because the time to make such changes is when you're doing well and before your old products begin looking stale,'' said Dave Cole, president of Michigan's Center for Automotive Research. Mike Flynn, director of the Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation at the University of Michigan, said, "BMW probably thinks it must push the envelope. General Motors was the industry car styling leader, but really got hurt when it let things slide and began selling bland-looking cars in the 1980s.''
Edward Robinson, executive vice president of operations for BMW of North America, said at the preview that sales of the new, high-tech, controversial looking 7-Series model are 47 percent ahead of the previous, more conventional 7-Series model in the first nine months this year.
"BMW doesn't plan to add dealers. Rather, it will make current ones more profitable,'' Robinson said. "The Z4 should help here because people like a new, emotional, aggressive product.'' BMW predicts that up to 70 percent of Z4 buyers will be males. Perhaps that's because women historically have liked "softer-looking'' models such as the Z3. However, analysts think it's becoming harder to predict what type of new cars will appeal to people of either sex as the market becomes flooded with a variety of new models.
"BMW has a long tradition of making roadsters [sports cars with convertible tops],'' Anders Warming, exterior designer for the Z4 said at the preview. "Like the Z4, those cars had long hoods and long wheelbases, with short overhangs and low, rearward seating. With the Z4, we styled a car that calls for people to sort of work their way into its design, instead of just judging it with a glance.''
The Z4 has an ultramodern interior, with easily read gauges and smooth controls. There is good room for two tall adults, although the big center console eats up room. A cupholder conveniently pops out from each side of the dashboard, but the glovebox is too low and recessed. The metallic-finish and brushed aluminum cockpit trim look good, but the sycamore wood trim looks cheesy.
There is a decent amount of trunk space, at least for a small roadster, and the trunk lid raises high on gas-filled struts. Opt for soft luggage.
The top is offered in manual or optional automatic form. One clever feature is a header at the forward section of the top that becomes an integrated top cover when the top is down. The top's forward section remains upright as the top folds and then serves as the integrated tonneau cover, making folding or raising the top essentially a one-step process--and eliminating the need for a separate body part to cover the lowered top.
The Z4 has low wind buffeting with the top down at highway speeds, when the radio can be clearly heard. It is remarkably quiet with the top up--a condition that calls for driver caution because this car is deceptively fast with either engine and a driver thus might feel he is moving at 65 mph when the car is doing 85 mph.
This reporter tried all engine-transmission combinations during the test drive and found the 225-horsepower engine with the six-speed manual transmission to be the fastest. No surprise there. But a big surprise was finding the 184-horsepower engine with the five-speed manual transmission to be remarkably fast, although a downshift to third gear is needed for the fastest passing. The smaller engine also worked extremely well with the responsive automatic transmission, as did the 3-liter motor. However, both manual transmissions need more precise shift gates during quick downshift--an old BMW flaw.
Martin Klanner, the chief engineer for the Z4, said BMW made special efforts to give the car high rigidity to help provide such things as excellent handling. The Z4 also has quick, precise steering with a new electric power steering system and has a firm, but supple, ride. Handling is helped by a standard anti-skid system. Stopping power is impressive, although the progressive-action brake pedal has a slightly springy feel.
The Z4 is rather heavy for its size, weighing between 2,932 and 3,042 pounds, partly because it has a good amount of standard equipment.
Options include the power top, heated seats, premium audio system and a navigation system. There also are a variety of option packages with comfort, convenience and performance items, including a Sport Package with a lowered suspension.
Safety features include side impact air bags, special knee protection and rollover protection.
The Z4 should stay in step with the times for quite a few years. It sure makes the Z3 model seem very old.
2003 BMW Z3
Prices: $33,100-$40,250
Likes: Fast. Stable. A blast to drive. Big improvement over old model.
Dislikes: Large space-eating console. Cheesy looking available wood interior trim. |