Z4MR & Z4MC engine characteristics

[jpeeters]

Only difference mech wise is that the steering rack is slightly quicker on the coupe, otherwise they are identical.

x2, and unless giving the car 10 tenths, I doubt the average driver would be able to feel much difference between the two cars.

The differences you felt could just be a reflection as to the condition of the car/ road etc.

I've driven both on a race track, and could easily feel the difference between the steering racks. I find the coupe's rack is more nervous, it took me a few laps to get used to it.

 

[BMWZ4MC]

The S54 is even better in the E46 M3 most people say & that it sounds better in that variation that's not my opinion just what I've read on a few occasions.

The E46 M3 is noticeably slower on the track than the Z4M, and is quieter too. I suspect that the larger number of M3 owners than Z4M owners has given them a louder voice with which to shout their untruths

 

[StevenH72]

Only difference mech wise is that the steering rack is slightly quicker on the coupe, otherwise they are identical.

x2, and unless giving the car 10 tenths, I doubt the average driver would be able to feel much difference between the two cars.

The differences you felt could just be a reflection as to the condition of the car/ road etc.

I've driven both on a race track, and could easily feel the difference between the steering racks. I find the coupe's rack is more nervous, it took me a few laps to get used to it.

Yeh around a track I can understand. But as mentioned I doubt there would be any huge differences between the cars on a test drive.

 

[jpeeters]

Yeh around a track I can understand. But as mentioned I doubt there would be any huge differences between the cars on a test drive.

You'll only notice if you're an experienced Z4M driver. I didn't notice it during my test drive of the coupe, but a friend of mine owning a roadster did. My first "experience" with the more responsive steering rack of the coupe was at high speed on the German autobahn - not the most pleasant experience

 

[LeeZ4MR]

The S54 is even better in the E46 M3 most people say & that it sounds better in that variation that's not my opinion just what I've read on a few occasions.

The E46 M3 is noticeably slower on the track than the Z4M, and is quieter too. I suspect that the larger number of M3 owners than Z4M owners has given them a louder voice with which to shout their untruths

I must be honest I would expect the Z4M to be quicker as its lighter but these figures say differently...
http://fastestlaps.com/comparisons/bmw_m3_e46-vs-bmw_z4_m_coupe.html

 

[mmm-five]

The E46 M3 is noticeably slower on the track than the Z4M, and is quieter too. I suspect that the larger number of M3 owners than Z4M owners has given them a louder voice with which to shout their untruths

The e9x M3s don't pull away much (if at all) either

Don't know how those FastestLaps figures are gained (possibly individually posted times), but they've even got one showing the Z4MC as 1 second faster around the Baloco track than an e90 M3, so there's something not quite even on those posted lap times.

The Z4MC was 1.8s faster on the Top Gear track than the e46 M3, 0.2s slower than the e46 CSL and 3s slower than the e90 M3?

 

[LeeZ4MR]

The E46 M3 is noticeably slower on the track than the Z4M, and is quieter too. I suspect that the larger number of M3 owners than Z4M owners has given them a louder voice with which to shout their untruths

The e9x M3s don't pull away much (if at all) either

I am not surprised I was always disappointed with the weight of my Z4MR i felt it was too lardy & then I go & buy a heavier car...I need my head seeing to!

The E9x M3's are just barges they are pretty much a 5 series in weight with a high revving V8 crammed in & nothing blunts performance more than weight & my old Cerbera had over 100bhp per tonne more than my M3 & boy can you tell the difference between the two in terms of performance it's no contest

 

[StevenH72]

Yeh around a track I can understand. But as mentioned I doubt there would be any huge differences between the cars on a test drive.

You'll only notice if you're an experienced Z4M driver. I didn't notice it during my test drive of the coupe, but a friend of mine owning a roadster did. My first "experience" with the more responsive steering rack of the coupe was at high speed on the German autobahn - not the most pleasant experience

Interesting. I didnt notice a difference previously. Having owned the coupé for a few months now, I'll have to give a roadster a go to see if I can tell the difference.

 

[Franzino]

Yeh around a track I can understand. But as mentioned I doubt there would be any huge differences between the cars on a test drive.

You'll only notice if you're an experienced Z4M driver. I didn't notice it during my test drive of the coupe, but a friend of mine owning a roadster did. My first "experience" with the more responsive steering rack of the coupe was at high speed on the German autobahn - not the most pleasant experience

When you step from the roadster directly into de coupe, you can feel the difference. The steering rack of the coupe feels noticable faster. It't not night and day, but there is a difference and needs some getting used to! Obviously you can also feel the fact that the coupe has a fixed roof with less body flex and less interior noise. The suspension difference is not something that I personally felt as a big difference. In my opinoin; the coupe and the roadster are equally fast on a track...only the feeling is a little different. Both are great cars, but the coupe is the slightly better "drivers" car...if we are talking about driving dynamics....but driving topless in the roadster is also something unique with that S54 engine and I love it

 

[Adam D]

If my own Z4M roadster can feel like a completely different car after a full weighted geometry setup for 'fast road' it's not inconceivable that a coupe and roadster can feel different when they have different settings from the factory.

Corners lovely and planted now and really sharpened the turn in which makes it feel more lively and nimble - I disliked the way the heavy S54 motor made it push wide and tweaking camber and reducing front toe seems to help dial this effect out (at the risk of making the rear more likely to come out hehe).

I couldn't do without the roof down experience

 

[carl]

my old Cerbera had over 100bhp per tonne more than my M3 & boy can you tell the difference between the two in terms of performance it's no contest

I never liked the power delivery of my Cerb (4.2) and the relatively low rpm limit. Plus it packed up and left me stranded a few times.

IIRC the 4.2 is 0-100 in 9.9 and the Z4 11.something. As an all-rounder I prefer the Z4.