Hi,
I'm just back from a testdrive of 1h30 with a Z4 3.0i, these are my findings:
* The engine is marvelous, the sound is really the sound I want. I'm currently driving a diesel for 7 years now, I'm tired of the diesel sound and vibration, that's why I want a petrol again. This 6-cylinder really does fit the bill to what I'm looking for, not too much horsepower, smooth but aggressive when pushed. This engine delivers on that compared with my tuned 320D (200pk) or with my last petrol (Volvo C70 4 cylinder with low pressure turbo)
* The driving position, it's low. I thought my 3-series was low, but this is lower, I always but my chair as low as possible, but when I stepped back into my car, it was going like going back to an USV. I liked it, you have a nice view of the hood. Only problem is the view to right behind (left drive), it's blocked by the chair and the roof.
* The Pure white design interior, looks great, but I probably not going to take it. The Alcantara was already turning black where the seatbelt touches the chair, I have no problem keeping an light interior clean (I'm currently own a Oyster interior which is a little bit darker). Didn't like the nappa leather look either. The wood finish was ok, but already some scratches on this demo vehicle of 5000km...
* The front window is small, compared to my current one, but this by design and common to sportcars.
* Driving with the roof down, first time I drove a cabrio! Wow even with 18°C and in a T-shirt it didn't felt cold and the sun was warm, I loved it.
* Boot size, large enough for me
* Stereo, I'm not sure which kind of surround was fitted, but the high-end option in my 320d sounds better
* The ride in normal, smooth suspension about the same as what I'm used (with 294, 18 inch wheels fitted).
* The ride in sport, a little harsher but not uncomfortable
* Gearbox: in Belgium (Europe) it's uncommon to drive automatic, so I being driving a manual for 20 years, but I tired of shifting, so I'm looking for an automatic, after my last encounter with automatic (a toyota rental which sucked) I was skeptic... In normal the gearbox would quickly shift to the next gear, but when putting you foot to the floor it went in kickback and went to the whole RPM range. In sport however the car was a completely other beast, shifting later, throttle response was quicker and it use the whole rev range, wow this is it I don't need a manual. The paddles are strange to operate, I expected left for downshift and right for upshift, but both handles do the same, I can get used to this.
Now for the minor niggles:
* I noticed where a creaky sound somewhere right in the back, don't know what it was.
* Wind noise when driving +140km/h and +160km/h. More noise then in my current drive, I have to crank up the radio so I don't hear it. It's not disturbing, but the 320 is much quieter (correct English??) I probably can live with that
So in the end I'm sold, just not sure about color/wheels and interior. There are two main options:
Black paint, red interior
Orionsilber or Tiefseeblau or Havanna with Canberrabeige interior
I don't like a black interior, too dark to my liking
I'm just back from a testdrive of 1h30 with a Z4 3.0i, these are my findings:
* The engine is marvelous, the sound is really the sound I want. I'm currently driving a diesel for 7 years now, I'm tired of the diesel sound and vibration, that's why I want a petrol again. This 6-cylinder really does fit the bill to what I'm looking for, not too much horsepower, smooth but aggressive when pushed. This engine delivers on that compared with my tuned 320D (200pk) or with my last petrol (Volvo C70 4 cylinder with low pressure turbo)
* The driving position, it's low. I thought my 3-series was low, but this is lower, I always but my chair as low as possible, but when I stepped back into my car, it was going like going back to an USV. I liked it, you have a nice view of the hood. Only problem is the view to right behind (left drive), it's blocked by the chair and the roof.
* The Pure white design interior, looks great, but I probably not going to take it. The Alcantara was already turning black where the seatbelt touches the chair, I have no problem keeping an light interior clean (I'm currently own a Oyster interior which is a little bit darker). Didn't like the nappa leather look either. The wood finish was ok, but already some scratches on this demo vehicle of 5000km...
* The front window is small, compared to my current one, but this by design and common to sportcars.
* Driving with the roof down, first time I drove a cabrio! Wow even with 18°C and in a T-shirt it didn't felt cold and the sun was warm, I loved it.
* Boot size, large enough for me
* Stereo, I'm not sure which kind of surround was fitted, but the high-end option in my 320d sounds better
* The ride in normal, smooth suspension about the same as what I'm used (with 294, 18 inch wheels fitted).
* The ride in sport, a little harsher but not uncomfortable
* Gearbox: in Belgium (Europe) it's uncommon to drive automatic, so I being driving a manual for 20 years, but I tired of shifting, so I'm looking for an automatic, after my last encounter with automatic (a toyota rental which sucked) I was skeptic... In normal the gearbox would quickly shift to the next gear, but when putting you foot to the floor it went in kickback and went to the whole RPM range. In sport however the car was a completely other beast, shifting later, throttle response was quicker and it use the whole rev range, wow this is it I don't need a manual. The paddles are strange to operate, I expected left for downshift and right for upshift, but both handles do the same, I can get used to this.
Now for the minor niggles:
* I noticed where a creaky sound somewhere right in the back, don't know what it was.
* Wind noise when driving +140km/h and +160km/h. More noise then in my current drive, I have to crank up the radio so I don't hear it. It's not disturbing, but the 320 is much quieter (correct English??) I probably can live with that
So in the end I'm sold, just not sure about color/wheels and interior. There are two main options:
Black paint, red interior
Orionsilber or Tiefseeblau or Havanna with Canberrabeige interior
I don't like a black interior, too dark to my liking
south yorkshire
