PistonHeads Z4M Coupe Review

[IKZ4]

Probably stating the bleedin obvious here, but cars and car ownership are always combinations of compromises. 2 seats vs 4, comfort vs. handling, performance vs. economy, style vs. space, reliability vs fragility, quality vs erm, something else... you get my drift. Ooh, drifting vs. planted-ness!

We all draw up our own sequence of compromises when we buy a car. My last 320d M Sport in Le Mans blue was IMO a really good looking car (of its type) but I bought it coz I was doing 35k miles a year and needed >50mpg. I've just bought a 2004 X3 as a daily hack so that I can chuck the mountain bikes in it, and not get stuck in winter like my last cars!

I had a Z3MR last year and loved it, and I've got the Z4MC in the garage now and I love that too. The thing with Chris Harris is that he loves cars too, and yes, maybe he courts controversy a little, but that's part of his job. As a man that bought a GT3 RS 4.0 he's a committed car nut, and privileged to have driven the best cars in the world. Measured on the overall car spectrum, the Z4M is (IMO) above average, but not close to the top of the pile. Hardly anyone on here would say that the Z4M is flawless, just that we accept them because other boxes have been ticked for us (style, performance, that noise!!).

I bought the car so I could savour what I think is one of the great engines of recent years, and I haven't been disappointed.

 

[Bing]

I've just read through all the comments, and to be fair he responded well to the most coherent response... Though I liked sixspeed's too. He even conceded the poster's points, so I have dialled him down from w@nker to provocateur in my head

Hoping that was mine you were referring too.

Ah, was that you ? daz4m ? Yes, it was your response I was referring to - thought it was thought out and well written, and Chris responded well. Glad it didn't get lost in amongst the 'buy and fit a 10yr old Ka bodyshell and it'll look better' idiot comments.

 

[sammyz]

Harris likes to take a car, see his 'is the MX5 really an iconic sports car??' and critizise it, usually he makes good points and his comments on the Z4MC are pretty much what all journos said when it appeared so no surprise really.

Never understood why people hated the look of the car, I'd say that's one of it's strong points. Cramped interior, well yes it's a small coupe so it's not got the room of a Bentley Continental but neither has a Exige so that's a naf point to make really. You can slag off any car by highlighting it's perceived weaknesses, so a Porsche Boxster is ugly, too uninvolving, too unreliable, poor interior, ubiquitous etc.

 

[ChawenHalo]

He makes some fair points bar the looks which universally are just winderful. True the M3 is more civilised and has a rounder handling, and true they made the M a bit unrully. I think you have to understand that BMW could not have made a better car than the M3 in terms if performance AND have a chassi that was just as good, it would have been a dumbass corporate decision. That they decided to build in a lot if "character" in the cars behaviour I can understand. Where he's got it spot in though us that it an inacomplished car as in it had the potential to be brilliant more focused than its big brother. Rather like the Caymsn vs the 997 then!

 

[RidgyDidge]

I love mine and don't really worry about those people that don't.


Sent from my iPad

 

[original guvnor]

I love mine and don't really worry about those people that don't.

Agree 100% Ridgy.

 

[wantanM]

There's a lot of really negative posts on there though. I was very surprised there seems to be a lot of people who really dislike the car?!

I think it's brilliant. Flawed in some ways, epic in others, but certainly special and an occasion every drive- even just driving out of the car park at work requires attention and feels like an event.

A lot of the very negative comments were just "bashing" the car , "my cars better" etc, so really worthless posts. But none the less still surprising how many people seem to "hate" them?

I love it and everyone I know loves it.

 

[Dreamer]

I agree with Chris whole heartedly - the coupe makes no sense at all

 

[buzyg]

From the last sentence, that article was written when he was in the mood for a fight. I'm sure I could think of similar words to describe his beloved, overweight 599.

Manged to wind up a few Sagaris owners too, so a good day at the office for your average Journo. :roll:

 

[martinb1966]

When two 6 yr olds give you the thumbs up as you plod past at 30 mph you know your in something that looks cool when a guy in a micra pulls up next to you in the fast lane because your in lazy / going to tesco,s dont want to mode and his 8/9 yr old claps you and puts the window down and shouts make it go fast ! well it answers all the questions on styling as for speed/noise ? well we all know ! I have to agree with all you lucky people who own one , i love mine , it makes me grin just looking at it , and wasting a 100k aston on the bahn out of frankfurt what do they say about access cards ? PRICELESS ! LOL just love mine ive had vw gti,s , audi,s modded to the max , ive never touched the big bad blue boy other than a stubby ! Each to their own i suppose but im NEVER selling mine , if i dont have kids its in my will to go to my best mate after the day a 911 parked next to me and he said " that looks dull next to yours " he earnt a , cheers mate you drive it then ! 2 red lines later 1st and 2nd he just grinned like a loony ! sorry for the long post ut i think all of us that have driven/lived with the beastie that is a Z4MC know what i mean

 

[shambolic]

Just noticed the photo I put on that thread of mine and an M the reg is nw on an M3

 

[saskia]

If we took notice of what motoring jernos said we'd all have to change cars every time they slagged off our latest purchase. I really like my z4mc very much , in fact I'm learning to keep an eye on the speedo as she goes very rapidly indeed , must learn to steady up but its just soo much fun to drive. I like tvr's as well and they have always been slagged off !

 

[chasBMW]

The bit I agree with is why buy one over an e46 M3. The argument for the Z4M coupe over the E46 M3 coupe can surely only be that it's rarer and it looks better, but as i say that is a matter of opinion. Soft tops on the other hand, the Z4M roadster is much better than the E46 M3 cabriolet in every department apart from rear seating capacity.

Really?

How about I love a sleek sexy 2-seater sports car more than I would a tarted up rep-mobile? Okay I'm being harsh on the E46 M3 (I love 'em) but I don't want a 4-seater thanks very much and I've had the Roadster, been there and done that!

Im with orignal guvnor on this in that I had a drive in an e46 M3 and while it was very (possibly even better than a z4mc) nice what it didnt have was the sense of occasion that the z4mc has and that swung it for me enough in fact to follow it with another one

 

[Diderot]

I have to say that all the talk of the harsh ride, heavy steering, heavy clutch, notchy gearbox and wayward handling in the wet etc, some of the ppl in that thread need to drive a my old 450 Chimaera. The MC is positively limo-like, silky smooth and angelic in comparison.

I had an 07 Cayman S in 2008 and sold it after about 14 months because it was a bit dull and not that quick in a straight line. Ride wise, yes on the normal PASM setting it was better than the MC, but the sport setting was harsher than what we have as stock so completely unusable on the road in the UK. The engines (I found out subsequently) are prone to some serious failures too, though it made a nice noise. The Cayman was nicely specced and built well, but then so is the MC and it's obviously far rarer than the hordes of Caymans and Boxsters you see down here on the South Coast. The other thing is the price - for 15-17k there's nothing to touch the MC IMO. An 'equivalent' Boxster 987 S is slower and probably 4 to 5k more; likewise the Cayman S 7-9k more. And neither of those are worth the premium over an MC or MR IMO.

 

[RedUn]

I have to say that all the talk of the harsh ride, heavy steering, heavy clutch, notchy gearbox and wayward handling in the wet etc, some of the ppl in that thread need to drive a my old 450 Chimaera. The MC is positively limo-like, silky smooth and angelic in comparison.

I had an 07 Cayman S in 2008 and sold it after about 14 months because it was a bit dull and not that quick in a straight line. Ride wise, yes on the normal PASM setting it was better than the MC, but the sport setting was harsher than what we have as stock so completely unusable on the road in the UK. The engines (I found out subsequently) are prone to some serious failures too, though it made a nice noise. The Cayman was nicely specced and built well, but then so is the MC and it's obviously far rarer than the hordes of Caymans and Boxsters you see down here on the South Coast. The other thing is the price - for 15-17k there's nothing to touch the MC IMO. An 'equivalent' Boxster 987 S is slower and probably 4 to 5k more; likewise the Cayman S 7-9k more. And neither of those are worth the premium over an MC or MR IMO.

I've also come from a Cayman S and I have to agree, they are technically brilliant with fantastic balance and adjustability ON TRACK. I never ever once managed to drive it on the road and experience the above, I eventually got bored of as I don't drive on the track every weekend and driving at normal road speeds it did nothing for me

P.S. It did sound good though with a modified intake and different exhaust!