New Z4 Weight Really an Improvement?

[Valor1]

According to all the reviewers, the new Z4 is significantly lighter than the E89, in part thanks to the new car no longer having a folding hardtop. According to EVO, the new M40 Z4 weighs 1535kg or 3,377. I have as set of Longacre corner balancing scales. I put my E89 N54 six speed manual Z4 on the sales. My car has larger than OEM tires and wheels: 255/19" front and 285/20" rear. Yet my car weighs just in at 3300 pounds. It has all the bells and whistles, as in pretty much all the available options, yet fully loaded, with a metal roof, it weighs less than the new Z4.

The other thing everyone keeps touting is the now 50/50 weight distribution. On scales my car was in at 50/50.

One thing I forgot to do: I suspect that if I put the top down and then weigh the car it will have an even better weight distribution! Perhaps 49 front 51 rear? That would be even better than 50/50.

I would love to do a side by side weighing of these two cars.

To bad new car is not available with a stick in the M40i. That really says it all: BMW is not aiming for the Boxster. They are going more for SLK buyers.

 

[PerryGunn]

You have to measure weight using the same standards as the manufacturer, just sitting your car on scales won't do it...

Manufacturers use two different methods for quoting kerbside weight for Europe - the US may use different criteria

DIN = vehicle with with 90% fuel, no driver, no luggage
EU = vehicle with 90% fuel, driver of 68kg and 7kg of luggage (giving a 75kg difference to DIN)


And if 51%/49% rear/front was 'even better than 50/50' don't you think a company with the resources of BMW would have balanced it that way...?

 

[montymog]

interesting iv'e often thought BMW are going the Merc route and droping the kidneys and replacing with the gawdy honeycomb it could be a slk in your rear view mirror :!:

 

[Z4 Beemer]

I've seen mention of the fact that the wheelbase is shorter and the track wider (and the tyres wider), so overall the car should feel more planted on the road... not that I ever thought the E89 felt "unplanted"... :?

 

[Valor1]

I've seen mention of the fact that the wheelbase is shorter and the track wider (and the tyres wider), so overall the car should feel more planted on the road... not that I ever thought the E89 felt "unplanted"... :?

Actually, a shorter wheelbase makes a car feel "less planted." Just look at how long every supercar/hypercar's wheelbase is. The short wheelbase is to make the car "feel" more nimble. If that's what BMW wanted they could have introduced Porsche style rear wheel steer.
Wider car/track will make it feel more planted, but I note some reviewers now complain the car feels too wide.

 

[Valor1]

You have to measure weight using the same standards as the manufacturer, just sitting your car on scales won't do it...

Manufacturers use two different methods for quoting kerbside weight for Europe - the US may use different criteria

DIN = vehicle with with 90% fuel, no driver, no luggage
EU = vehicle with 90% fuel, driver of 68kg and 7kg of luggage (giving a 75kg difference to DIN)


And if 51%/49% rear/front was 'even better than 50/50' don't you think a company with the resources of BMW would have balanced it that way...?

Reality is the more "factors" they put in to the "weight" the further away you get from a real weight.
The ONLY way to really know is to weigh them side by side.

Uh, BMW has the "resources" but that does not mean they invest them into these cars. Just look at the cheapo brakes they put on the E89. Resources? BMW could have easily sold a 400hp E89 Z4 with six piston brembo calipers up front and four piston calipers in the rear, but they did not.

So, I will weigh my Z4 top up and top down and see if this impacts the weight distribution.

Reality? It is a lot cheaper to sell a car with a canvas top than a mechanical folding roof. I own both varieties and I say I like the hardtop versions better having just spent over $1k replacing a canvas top on one of my cars.

 

[EdP]

G29 m40i is 10Kg heavier then E89 35is.

EU 1610Kg vs 1600Kg according BMW specs.

Both models above referred have a 50:50 weight distribution, I guess with a closed roof on the E89.

The weight savings achieved by using a soft top are undone by making it bigger and stiffen it up.

 

[john-e89]

Doesn’t matter what it weighs, if it’s a good car it’s a good car, and a big step up from the E89.

 

[R60BBA]

BMW is not aiming for the Boxster. They are going more for SLK buyers.

When my misses was looking at getting a new 2 Series at our local BMW dealership, the dealer confirmed that they sell far more autos than manuals, and he reckoned that the manual gearbox would be phased out across the entire BMW range within the next 5 years...

 

[Valor1]

BMW is not aiming for the Boxster. They are going more for SLK buyers.

When my misses was looking at getting a new 2 Series at our local BMW dealership, the dealer confirmed that they sell far more autos than manuals, and he reckoned that the manual gearbox would be phased out across the entire BMW range within the next 5 years...

That's sad news