Test driven one

[uk435723]

I've had my Z4 Coupe 3.0si for about 9 years and it has been superb. Just over 160k miles now so I am very attached to it.

Went out for just over an hour in a new Z4 3.0i M Sport yesterday. That was a lot of FUN! :lol: It was brand new, 8 miles on the clock! Felt very lucky to have the first drive.

Knowing this new one I tried is a 2L 4 cylinder engine (30i) I was prepared for it to be a let down. Initially pulled onto a dual carriage way and put my foot down and immediately thought "this isn't as quick as mine", BUT... put it into Sport Plus and WOWWWWW! :rofl: It's like a totally different car. I cant believe it is 2L. It doesn't have the turbo lag I was expecting when it is in Sport.

The noise! Another point I was expecting to be very dulled down in this new version and I was totally wrong. In Sport Plus it makes the most amazing noise, really nice. When slowing down it seems to blip the throttle and you get the occasional pop!! Changed it back into Adaptive and it drives so smoothly, a complete contrast.

Handling was great, feels planted and just overall smoother than my Coupe, I guess a lot has changed in the last 11 years! . Enjoyed having the roof down between the showers but also tested the noise with the roof up. Surprisingly the cabin noise was quieter than my Coupe even with the cloth roof, but you can still hear that superb engine/exhaust noise.

Looking at the pricing, with all the nice extras, there seems to be about 3-4k between the 30i and 40i which is surprising. But overall it still seems a lot!!

Colour wise, I think I would go for the black or dark grey with dark orange leather. Blue photos are the 30i and black just for colour reference is the 20i. What do other people think about the colours?

I'm trying to the 40i next week I think and will report back - I expect it to be insane and other posts here seem to suggest so.

Interested to hear from more people that have tried both the 30i and 40i.

Chris

 

[Z4M-2006]

You’re supposed to drink whiskey after the road test John ..

Being fair, I ain’t driven one.

But neither do I want to, I viewed and that was enough

:lol:

I do get your point though Gaz, I wouldn’t entertain an Audi TT, ugly as sin. Imho if someone just doesn’t like one part, ie, the front then they’re missing out but if it’s really the whole thing then....

Try one out of interest though, you’ll be impressed I think...........even being how fussy and unreasonable you are..... oke: :wink:

Haha.....Fussy and unreasonable,probably the nicest thing someone has ever said about me.

 

[NickDE]

I took a 20i out for a drive this afternoon. I liked it. The engine did feel like a four cylinder turbo though, and it felt to me like it was doing it's own thing at slow speeds and not working with me. Ride comfort was good and handling seemed good (but didn't have it on the right kind of roads to really get a feel for it. It was a nice drive with the roof down even though it was 5C and damp. The seats and seating position are way better than the E86 M-Sports seats. It has kept Z4 characeristics like having no idea where the nose of the car ends. It is a much bigger car though. It was really nice getting back in my E86 afterwards, and having it do that Z4C thing of wrapping itself around me and waiting for instructions. It was so nice getting back to the N52B30 as well and it's lovely sound and responsiveness.
The 20i is not enough to tempt me away from my E86. I'm looking forward to trying an M40i sometime...

 

[Adil_3]

I had a go today. 20i and honestly , i prefer the e89. I mean its comfy the sounds are amazing and the early torque is quite lovely but lack of road feel. Stability wise i kicked the back end out twice and i had full control its quite.... and i reckon people are going to hate me for saying it but it takes the fun out of it. Surely youd buy a z4 for smiles per gallon this was more like a commuter car churned up with abit of power. Im on the bench i would need to try the 40i to be honest

 

[john-e89]

I had a go today. 20i and honestly , i prefer the e89. I mean its comfy the sounds are amazing and the early torque is quite lovely but lack of road feel. Stability wise i kicked the back end out twice and i had full control its quite.... and i reckon people are going to hate me for saying it but it takes the fun out of it. Surely youd buy a z4 for smiles per gallon this was more like a commuter car churned up with abit of power. Im on the bench i would need to try the 40i to be honest

I 100% disagree on your road feel comment, but we all have our own opinion, but I really do take your point on the commuter car comment, that’s the thing in the back of my mind too, will it become too familiar, too easy.

 

[Dryce]

Am i the only one that thinks the new 3 series is also painfully ugly?

Not painfully so - but it's looking like they are trying to copy what MB have been doing with their saloons by over embelliishing the front griill.

I think the new Z4 looks better in real life than it does in photographs.

However we've decided it's not for us at the prices they've set. The switch to a soft roof is a step back as well - and makes it seem even more expensive for what it is. The pricing and the soft top make the Boxster relatively more attractive. Our current thinking if we were getting a replacement for our current aging E89 would be to pick up one of the last E89s still in warranty and stick with an E89 for another 3 or 4 years - or make the jump to a Boxster.

 

[tomscott]

I went to have a look at the m40i at williams stockport... think they are lovely :fuelfire:

The front is a little fussy but I think its a time thing. Otherwise its a great option in this era of super boring cars. I just want an M tho... at 53k over 3 years and nearly 60k with HP. After running through the numbers... the final values are looking at 30k after 3 years. Thats over £1000 per month depreciation at the top end... I dont really understand who could justify that on a non M car, doesn't make sense to me. Maybe PCP makes more sense on these if you have to have the newest.

Like the 35is it will never be that sought after car as it never got the M treatment. It will hit the bottom of its depreciation curve and stay there. Buying it new just was never appealing which I would assume is why they sold so few.

There was an M2 in the stockport showroom 66 plate with the trick exhaust. 61k list 2k miles and for sale for 38k. 23k depreciation in 30 months.... roughly cost the guy £12 per mile :rofl:

and im sure they will fall another 10k in the next 18-24 months. Even then 38k on hp 10k down 4 year was 650pm residuals looking to be 20k at 6 years old. Thats an 18k loss too...

Obviously you don't buy cars to make money but at the same time might as well burn it lol. There are more sensible options that won't burn you so badly.

But I would have an M2 over one if I'm honest. I would give the m3/4 a miss the m2 is a little rocket just a shame you can't get a better trim level then its another 20k for a competition pack with the M3 extras.

Im not really into loosing 20-30k so really Z4M coupes at 25k with no depreciation from here on out look more sensible. The difference is they are 11-13 years old and in another 4 will be 16....

Shame there isn't really anything in the BMW range at 4-6 years old that is in-between. Like 25-30k with pedigree, the E92 is there but they miss the mark for me really never really was a special car imo.

With another possible economic crash round the corner I think im going to sit and watch what happens.

 

[BMWZ4MC]

I've had my Z4 Coupe 3.0si for about 9 years and it has been superb. Just over 160k miles now so I am very attached to it.

Went out for just over an hour in a new Z4 3.0i M Sport yesterday. That was a lot of FUN! :lol: It was brand new, 8 miles on the clock! Felt very lucky to have the first drive.

Knowing this new one I tried is a 2L 4 cylinder engine (30i) I was prepared for it to be a let down. Initially pulled onto a dual carriage way and put my foot down and immediately thought "this isn't as quick as mine", BUT... put it into Sport Plus and WOWWWWW! :rofl: It's like a totally different car. I cant believe it is 2L. It doesn't have the turbo lag I was expecting when it is in Sport.

The noise! Another point I was expecting to be very dulled down in this new version and I was totally wrong. In Sport Plus it makes the most amazing noise, really nice. When slowing down it seems to blip the throttle and you get the occasional pop!! Changed it back into Adaptive and it drives so smoothly, a complete contrast.

Handling was great, feels planted and just overall smoother than my Coupe, I guess a lot has changed in the last 11 years! . Enjoyed having the roof down between the showers but also tested the noise with the roof up. Surprisingly the cabin noise was quieter than my Coupe even with the cloth roof, but you can still hear that superb engine/exhaust noise.

Looking at the pricing, with all the nice extras, there seems to be about 3-4k between the 30i and 40i which is surprising. But overall it still seems a lot!!

Colour wise, I think I would go for the black or dark grey with dark orange leather. Blue photos are the 30i and black just for colour reference is the 20i. What do other people think about the colours?

I'm trying to the 40i next week I think and will report back - I expect it to be insane and other posts here seem to suggest so.

Interested to hear from more people that have tried both the 30i and 40i.

Chris

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When I saw your first photograph of the blue Zed, I thought it wasn’t as hideous as I remember...then your next picture revealed how truly awful it is from the A pillar forwards! Then there’s the comic book lips that are the front grill...
I’m sure that dynamically it’s a great car but that doesn’t excuse it being so ugly.

 

[BMWZ4MC]

I know it's not me being a dick, there are pics all over the web today of the latest 3 series., it's stunning & you just can't say that about the latest Z. The headlight design & positioning is woeful by comparison

Am i the only one that thinks the new 3 series is also painfully ugly?

Nope, I agree. Not as much of a mess as the Zed but another car that looks like it was made from spare parts from other vehicles.
I don’t understand the current obsession with ridiculous oversized grills.

 

[Chuffer]

Went for a test drive in a G29 2.0, sort of liked the tech, really liked the arm rest! much more sensible. It was the four pot engine with about 190hp, felt a bit gutless without reving it hard, sounded like my sons Mini Paceman. Build quality looked pretty good, didn't like the grill, overall shape ..... E89 looks better, To me it looks like a cut down 3 series convertible, sensible place for the fuse box, in the boot. Ride quality was better than the E89 over the potholes, did it put a grin on my face when driving........... No, does my E89 .........Yes. :driving:

 

[Anonymous]

I know it's not me being a dick, there are pics all over the web today of the latest 3 series., it's stunning & you just can't say that about the latest Z. The headlight design & positioning is woeful by comparison

Am i the only one that thinks the new 3 series is also painfully ugly?

Nope, I agree. Not as much of a mess as the Zed but another car that looks like it was made from spare parts from other vehicles.
I don’t understand the current obsession with ridiculous oversized grills.

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Love it..not going to sleep well tonight with that image burnt into my brain... :rofl:

 

[MACK]

Just been past one of these parked up a few times walking the dogs. It was in the red that's very similar to Imola. I didn't even realize that any had actually been delivered as of yet. I have to admit I'm not sold on the looks at all. Looked too soft at the front and a bit too fussy at the rear in a (dare I say it) Japanese car way. It kinda reminded my of the current Honda Civic design, way too much going on in a disjointed sort of way.
Still that said I wouldn't mind have a go in one and I'd like to see if it looks better in other colours. Long way off but maybe the face lift will improve things! All in all at this sort of money its still a Boxster for me over this or the Jag F type all day long.

 

[ThomasDE85Z4]

Went up to my local dealers to have a look today & managed to get a spin in this monster!!
Apart from the front grill (which is an absolute disgrace imho) i was really impressed with the looks, loved the interior although I’d want the seats to grip a bit more, 1st impressions were abit yeah it’s smooth, sits well, ride not harsh, steering sharp, can push on when promted, then you set it to sport :fuelfire: that transform it to a lunatic! The exhaust noise is something else!! It pins you back it the seat, just couldn’t stop smiling, the gear change was sharp, not to early (I didn’t try the paddles) it’s proper car in that mode, I didn’t want to get out tbh, really shocked how good it sounded, lots of pops & crackles.
Serious amount of money but some car, just wish that front end was more aggressive, grill is a joke, so much worse in real life.

I love the side by side pics!

 

[TONYMOR]

Stopped by at my local dealership today to look at the latest in fact first edition.
Glad I did albeit I didn't want a test drive today but I walked out feeling very wealthy as I didn't find it did enough to cost me££££££££££?! And made me realise how much l prefer my E 89. Good saving I call that ,,
I m o .