OK... so after having a bit of fun with the teaser thread I posted a yesterday, I am back to do a proper writeup of the E89 testdrive.
For those interested, the writeup for Part 1 is here: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=11329
First off... the one-liner conclusion (since most may not want to read through the entire thread):
The E89 definitely impresses with it's overall competence and flashiness, but still comes up short as a proper replacement for the driving enthusiast.
-Rick Hunter-
__________________________________________________
I know when I am in the wrong and will admit it when possible. So here goes... I was wrong. All of these months I have been dogging the E89, with negative comments about it's potential sporty performance and sexual appeal... I was wrong. The test drive went extremely well, moreso than I ever would have thought. The car's character came out as BMW had intended.
So why the change of heart? Why the flip flop in opinion? Well...
I stopped thinking about the E89 as a replacement for the E86. It can never replace the Z4 of old. The steering feel... the driving dynamics... the suspension setup... they all fall short of making a proper comparison possible. This E89 is a new breed. It is a car that is more similar to the E92 than the E86. It drives better than the 3er, and is arguably swathed in a more luxurious interior than a 3er. It is a car that tries extremely hard to impress. And impress it will. But once you get past the bling, the angry look of the car... once you look at it from the basics point of view, this car will never be a proper driver's car that the E86 is. True... it's more of a sports car than it is a boulevard cruiser. But the hardcore-ness is no longer there.
Handling: The E89 definitely drives with a purpose. The body roll through the twisties yield a very balanced and comfortable feel. However, I never really felt that I could get the road to fully communicate to me through the steering wheel feedback. Hard turns didn't give me the full sense of satisfaction. The feedback wasn't there. I wouldn't call it wooly, but it definitely wasn't braille. Add to the fact that the car is marginally heavier, you can really feel the weight in the turns. Can't say it drives on rails... although I will give kudos to the RFTs. The runflats didn't hinder the drive much at all. Impressed with that, that's for sure. I also conclude that the suspension softness also has some to do with the driving experience.
Aesthetically speaking, the steering wheel looks great. Thickness is definitely less than on the Ms, but the grip is spot on. The one complaint I have with the steering wheel is that of the paddles. Upshifts are fine, but downshifts cannot be achieved without seriously moving your thumb waay over to the paddle. It's not as easy as it is on the 3er.
Engine / Transmission: Not a whole lot to say here. The Twin Turbo engine does as advertised, and provides the seat-of-the-pants driving that we so request. Having tested the new M3's DCT, I can say that the E89's DCT is just as smooth like butter. The system doesn't bat an eye while shifting up or down. Problem is though... you can never hold a gear. Bring it near redline and it upshifts for you. Mind you, I rarely ever drive near redline on the streets, but I really am not looking for that nanny to take over. Ultimate control is lost between driver and vehicle, and I'm sure the track junkies on this site will agree.
Exhaust note: Start the car up and the sound it makes will scare your dog. I'm impressed with the deep throaty sound... a sound that would have been welcome in the E86 Ms. Dare I say it... it almost sounds V8ish on startup. It's a more sonorious sound compared to the 335i/135i, and almost tries to make me forget all the things I'm negatively opinionated toward the car. However, the tone weakens as the revs climb. It's still nice, but I can only describe it as a growl that loses it's bite the higher up you go. Shame.
Cabin Noise: The hardtop is a technological marvel. Up/down operation was very smooth and quiet, and the 20 second wait time never felt like an eternity. As this was probably the third time I've ever driven "topless" in my life, I certainly appreciate and understand the appeal of this vehicle. Top down driving was comfortable and quiet enough to carry a conversation. Sans windblocker, I never really got much messing of my hair. I also noticed that body roll with top down wasn't really an issue. The issue I have is top-up driving. Road/cabin noise was certainly worse than on a real hardtop vehicle, and I was disappointed that it was slightly worse than in an E93 (3er cabriolet). Still, it is quieter than in a soft top.
iDrive/Computer: WOW. That is all.
OK... you want more. The new satnav system looks beautiful and is an update that needed to happen like 4 years ago. The widescreen monitor allows a lot of information to be displayed, and never cramps. Improvement in the iDrive system is definitely welcome. But for first time users, it's still not as intuitive as I would have liked. At least command inputs require less button pushes. I don't recall what type of sound system is in the new car, but it's nothing worth mentioning (read: unimpressed).
Dang... I've written an entire essay, and I'm not even a magazine editor. I hope this will give you a sense of what GP20 & I experienced during the drive. Thanks again to GP20 for his inputs. We both came up with pretty much the same conclusion...
The E89 is, in my opinion, more capable and stiffer than the outgoing convertible, but still no match for the M Coupe (aka. E86). If they plan to do an M version, it will be a good bit of kit. The problem is that for the price they're demanding for it, the fit and finish just isn't there. It's a car that tries hard to be flashy and competent, but comes up short for the money.
For those interested, the writeup for Part 1 is here: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=11329
First off... the one-liner conclusion (since most may not want to read through the entire thread):
The E89 definitely impresses with it's overall competence and flashiness, but still comes up short as a proper replacement for the driving enthusiast.
-Rick Hunter-
__________________________________________________
I know when I am in the wrong and will admit it when possible. So here goes... I was wrong. All of these months I have been dogging the E89, with negative comments about it's potential sporty performance and sexual appeal... I was wrong. The test drive went extremely well, moreso than I ever would have thought. The car's character came out as BMW had intended.
So why the change of heart? Why the flip flop in opinion? Well...
I stopped thinking about the E89 as a replacement for the E86. It can never replace the Z4 of old. The steering feel... the driving dynamics... the suspension setup... they all fall short of making a proper comparison possible. This E89 is a new breed. It is a car that is more similar to the E92 than the E86. It drives better than the 3er, and is arguably swathed in a more luxurious interior than a 3er. It is a car that tries extremely hard to impress. And impress it will. But once you get past the bling, the angry look of the car... once you look at it from the basics point of view, this car will never be a proper driver's car that the E86 is. True... it's more of a sports car than it is a boulevard cruiser. But the hardcore-ness is no longer there.
Handling: The E89 definitely drives with a purpose. The body roll through the twisties yield a very balanced and comfortable feel. However, I never really felt that I could get the road to fully communicate to me through the steering wheel feedback. Hard turns didn't give me the full sense of satisfaction. The feedback wasn't there. I wouldn't call it wooly, but it definitely wasn't braille. Add to the fact that the car is marginally heavier, you can really feel the weight in the turns. Can't say it drives on rails... although I will give kudos to the RFTs. The runflats didn't hinder the drive much at all. Impressed with that, that's for sure. I also conclude that the suspension softness also has some to do with the driving experience.
Aesthetically speaking, the steering wheel looks great. Thickness is definitely less than on the Ms, but the grip is spot on. The one complaint I have with the steering wheel is that of the paddles. Upshifts are fine, but downshifts cannot be achieved without seriously moving your thumb waay over to the paddle. It's not as easy as it is on the 3er.
Engine / Transmission: Not a whole lot to say here. The Twin Turbo engine does as advertised, and provides the seat-of-the-pants driving that we so request. Having tested the new M3's DCT, I can say that the E89's DCT is just as smooth like butter. The system doesn't bat an eye while shifting up or down. Problem is though... you can never hold a gear. Bring it near redline and it upshifts for you. Mind you, I rarely ever drive near redline on the streets, but I really am not looking for that nanny to take over. Ultimate control is lost between driver and vehicle, and I'm sure the track junkies on this site will agree.
Exhaust note: Start the car up and the sound it makes will scare your dog. I'm impressed with the deep throaty sound... a sound that would have been welcome in the E86 Ms. Dare I say it... it almost sounds V8ish on startup. It's a more sonorious sound compared to the 335i/135i, and almost tries to make me forget all the things I'm negatively opinionated toward the car. However, the tone weakens as the revs climb. It's still nice, but I can only describe it as a growl that loses it's bite the higher up you go. Shame.
Cabin Noise: The hardtop is a technological marvel. Up/down operation was very smooth and quiet, and the 20 second wait time never felt like an eternity. As this was probably the third time I've ever driven "topless" in my life, I certainly appreciate and understand the appeal of this vehicle. Top down driving was comfortable and quiet enough to carry a conversation. Sans windblocker, I never really got much messing of my hair. I also noticed that body roll with top down wasn't really an issue. The issue I have is top-up driving. Road/cabin noise was certainly worse than on a real hardtop vehicle, and I was disappointed that it was slightly worse than in an E93 (3er cabriolet). Still, it is quieter than in a soft top.
iDrive/Computer: WOW. That is all.
OK... you want more. The new satnav system looks beautiful and is an update that needed to happen like 4 years ago. The widescreen monitor allows a lot of information to be displayed, and never cramps. Improvement in the iDrive system is definitely welcome. But for first time users, it's still not as intuitive as I would have liked. At least command inputs require less button pushes. I don't recall what type of sound system is in the new car, but it's nothing worth mentioning (read: unimpressed).
Dang... I've written an entire essay, and I'm not even a magazine editor. I hope this will give you a sense of what GP20 & I experienced during the drive. Thanks again to GP20 for his inputs. We both came up with pretty much the same conclusion...
The E89 is, in my opinion, more capable and stiffer than the outgoing convertible, but still no match for the M Coupe (aka. E86). If they plan to do an M version, it will be a good bit of kit. The problem is that for the price they're demanding for it, the fit and finish just isn't there. It's a car that tries hard to be flashy and competent, but comes up short for the money.
The red Z4M looks more gentle.