ZHP vs BMW Performance (and a bit of Storm V4)
Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 5:10 pm
The Mrs's Zed was advertised on the various Facebook groups and it had the BMW Performace shifter. I had a few comments saying people had never seen it before so thought it might be interesting for some to see a comparison. It's worth noting I've also had a Storm Motor Works V4 shifter as well.
Weight - the big one! The ZHP weighs 180grams, the BMW Performance 170grams. The interesting thing is that BMW Performance shifter seems heavier due to its smaller stubby size. The weight is concentrated over the entire thing whereas the ZHP feels light towards the top.
Finish - the ZHP is more or less all leather. The BMW Performance Shifter has Alcantara in the areas that matter and the rest is hard plastic.
Size - the BMW Performance shifter is considerably smaller and gives you less to grip than the ZHP but has a racier feel to it.
Price - The BMW Performance is around £48 and the ZHP is £70 so quite a saving getting the BMW Performance.
I've opted for the BMW Performance shifter based on the look (you get the added benefit of one less ///M badge on your car if you're not driving an ///M) and feel between shifts. The ZHP to me feels a bit old fashioned, a bit long when you're going from 1st to 2nd and then to 3rd...the all-important shifts in a Zed.
The trouble with the Storm Motor Works V4 was the finish, it had great weight and shape, but the leather around the edge stuck out where it had been stitched and it still suffered from being hotter than the sun anytime the weather was above 20 degrees! The BMW performance has a similar shape, without the drawbacks.
Here are a couple of images for comparison: Oh, and even though I have swapped BMW shifters at least 50 times over the years, this time I still somehow managed to nearly give myself a black eye yanking it into my face!
Weight - the big one! The ZHP weighs 180grams, the BMW Performance 170grams. The interesting thing is that BMW Performance shifter seems heavier due to its smaller stubby size. The weight is concentrated over the entire thing whereas the ZHP feels light towards the top.
Finish - the ZHP is more or less all leather. The BMW Performance Shifter has Alcantara in the areas that matter and the rest is hard plastic.
Size - the BMW Performance shifter is considerably smaller and gives you less to grip than the ZHP but has a racier feel to it.
Price - The BMW Performance is around £48 and the ZHP is £70 so quite a saving getting the BMW Performance.
I've opted for the BMW Performance shifter based on the look (you get the added benefit of one less ///M badge on your car if you're not driving an ///M) and feel between shifts. The ZHP to me feels a bit old fashioned, a bit long when you're going from 1st to 2nd and then to 3rd...the all-important shifts in a Zed.
The trouble with the Storm Motor Works V4 was the finish, it had great weight and shape, but the leather around the edge stuck out where it had been stitched and it still suffered from being hotter than the sun anytime the weather was above 20 degrees! The BMW performance has a similar shape, without the drawbacks.
Here are a couple of images for comparison: Oh, and even though I have swapped BMW shifters at least 50 times over the years, this time I still somehow managed to nearly give myself a black eye yanking it into my face!