Rolled a roadster

S

Seggy

Member
Hi,

I have been thinking if I ever rolled the roadster I'd be a dead man. My head sticks up quite high and if it rolled I can't see me having the strength or way with all to pull myself into the safe area.

I wondered if anyone here had rolled a roadster or knows anyone who did and survived.

I think it would crush my skull or take the top of my head off.

What a macabre question!

Seggy
 
I'm 6'6 and my head doesn't reach the top of the windscreen or anti-roll bars (if it did, the roof wouldn't close! :))... so I reckon your head would be safe enough.

Of course, I don't think it would be much fun... so lets hope that this never gets answered by anyone here! :)
 
I'm not saying it can't be done, but as low as these cars sit, you'd have to be trying to do it. These cars are quite strong. Of course, if you're afraid of rolling it -- get a coupe. Same fun experience, albeit without the sun on your noggin'.
 
The worst thing would be a lateral movement across something (while upside down) that came in the side window and went straight across...

That said, the Z4 A pillar is MASSIVELY strong, the roll-hoops are solid as a rock, and the roof that comes over, all said and done, is pretty rigid (as it mounts to the A-pillar)

The Coupe would be tougher upside down, but the Z4 Roadster upside down is probably as strong as your average normal car upside down despite it being a rag top...


Also, the CofG is very low, which reduces chances of rolling, so to get it rolling over would need some momentum, and much of it may well be disipitated before your head is in harms way!

Way I see it is that I've seen huge 'safe' cars crash in an odd way and people not survice :(

I've seen tinny little old cars roll through walls and across a field in pieces and people walk away with recoverable injuries...


It can often all come down to the way you crash when you do. A fence post through the screen will offset any amount of safety features. A tank driver hitting a fence post the wrong way might get it in his face through the small window!


So to sum up, you are no worse off because of being tall in a Z4 Roadster imo :D

You'd be FAR worse off imo in a big convertible type car where the roof area is huge and will be more easily deflected if it rolls, and the gap between A pillar tops and roll-bars is much bigger (ie, M3 convertible)...

Just get the seat as low as it will go so your head is nicely down if it worries you... my friend had one and he is err, 6ft7 iirc, and he managed to get a nice position in his Z4 that saw his head an inch off the inside of the roof :)
 
A friend of mine rolled her previous generation MX-5 ending up upside down - they didnt have roll bars but she got out with only a few scratches. She remembers being upside down held firmly into the seat - the seatbelt pretensioners fire and pull you down pretty hard into the seat and will hold you there till you undo the belt
 
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