RE: Tell Me I'm Wrong: BMW Z8

[Motorrad]

Devil2575 said:

It is if you consider depreciation.

How much would a similar era 911 be worth now?

Well I was looking at a 993 RS at 50k and the Z8 so possibly not the best examples.

[don logan]

SuperchargedVR6 said:

don logan said:

SuperchargedVR6 said:

Krikkit said:

Beautiful car, surely the handling could be sorted with a bit of fettling, and you'd end up with something really desirable.

My thoughts too. Most dynamic short comings can be corrected with either in-house or aftermarket parts. IIRC, it was an American market only car, where 9/10ths precision isn't a top priority. I'm sure if it was Europised, it would be a nice car

But what in house bits were there?(apart from the fact that Alpina had a go but also added an auto box and insanely ugly wheels)

And who does aftermarket bits for a Z8?and why would they bother? (how much of it would they sell?)

I have no idea. What car is it based on, or is it a one off? I.e. what ever it's base is, use the sporting / M version bits off that. Maybe I should have said aftermarket or in-house "know how" instead of parts. The understeer could just be a simple geometry or ARB thing, which is easily sorted.

Me neither!

I remember being totally caught off guard by the understeer, I think I was expecting AC Cobra lairyness but got Chevrolet Matiz with 100psi in the front tyres! (ok slight exaggeration)

[cuda]

"It makes Audi’s achievement with the R8 all the more admirable, and leaves the Z8 as a monument to what might, and should have been"

Er Chris, you do know who designed the R8 don't you...

[kambites]

cuda said:

"It makes Audi’s achievement with the R8 all the more admirable, and leaves the Z8 as a monument to what might, and should have been"

Er Chris, you do know who designed the R8 don't you...

Quattro GmbH, although obviously they started with the Gallardo platform.

[300bhp/ton]

don logan said:

SuperchargedVR6 said:

don logan said:

SuperchargedVR6 said:

Krikkit said:

Beautiful car, surely the handling could be sorted with a bit of fettling, and you'd end up with something really desirable.

My thoughts too. Most dynamic short comings can be corrected with either in-house or aftermarket parts. IIRC, it was an American market only car, where 9/10ths precision isn't a top priority. I'm sure if it was Europised, it would be a nice car

But what in house bits were there?(apart from the fact that Alpina had a go but also added an auto box and insanely ugly wheels)

And who does aftermarket bits for a Z8?and why would they bother? (how much of it would they sell?)

I have no idea. What car is it based on, or is it a one off? I.e. what ever it's base is, use the sporting / M version bits off that. Maybe I should have said aftermarket or in-house "know how" instead of parts. The understeer could just be a simple geometry or ARB thing, which is easily sorted.

Me neither!

I remember being totally caught off guard by the understeer, I think I was expecting AC Cobra lairyness but got Chevrolet Matiz with 100psi in the front tyres! (ok slight exaggeration)

There must be something that you could do about it though. The chassis itself is unlikely to be the cause, more the setup. And as a rule toe in, cambre and such can be changed. Or at least wouldn't be difficult to change with a little thought.

Same as with shocks and springs. A shock/damper really isn't that complex and there are plenty of places that make custom or adjustable ones.

[kambites]

300bhp/ton said:

There must be something that you could do about it though. The chassis itself is unlikely to be the cause, more the setup. And as a rule toe in, cambre and such can be changed. Or at least wouldn't be difficult to change with a little thought.

Same as with shocks and springs. A shock/damper really isn't that complex and there are plenty of places that make custom or adjustable ones.

I think the only question in terms of what could be achieved by modification, is whether the centre section of the chassis is stiff enough. Of course with values as high as they are, largely on the back of their rarity, I doubt many of them will get modified.

[rtz62]

Personally, I think people 'investing' in these would see better returns selling condoms to a nun; IMHO prices have been hyped up to unsustainable levels, just like happened to tulip bulbs in Holland during the Dutch Tulip Bubble of 1637.
And a celebrity owner like Ronan Keating says it all; it could only be worse if Victoria Beckham had owned one.......

[Tobeman]

Always had a soft spot for these on looks alone but never really delved in for further info. Starting poking around Classifieds...

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

Just a flesh wound, get the T-cut out etc.?

[300bhp/ton]

kambites said:

I think the only question in terms of what could be achieved by modification, is whether the centre section of the chassis is stiff enough. Of course with values as high as they are, largely on the back of their rarity, I doubt many of them will get modified.

Suspect it can't be worse than a 60'd Cobra in torsional rigidity though? Agree few are probably modded, although maybe more in the USA as it's more the norm there as a general trend.


Wow, really loving this:

[kambites]

300bhp/ton said:

Suspect it can't be worse than a 60'd Cobra in torsional rigidity though? Agree few are probably modded, although maybe more in the USA as it's more the norm there as a general trend.

Well no, but the Cobra's handling was hardly... precise.

From what I've read at least, I've never driven an original one.

[SuperchargedVR6]

300bhp/ton said:

kambites said:

I think the only question in terms of what could be achieved by modification, is whether the centre section of the chassis is stiff enough. Of course with values as high as they are, largely on the back of their rarity, I doubt many of them will get modified.

Suspect it can't be worse than a 60'd Cobra in torsional rigidity though? Agree few are probably modded, although maybe more in the USA as it's more the norm there as a general trend.


Wow, really loving this:

Wow, I'm liking the look of that a lot! Not liking the lack of suspension travel though

I agree, I don't think the basic car is the fundamental flaw. I mean, it's got a V8 up front like the 5 series, but 5s don't understeer you off the road.

I think it's likely the spring/damper choices and geometry. I know Clarkson DVDs aren't the epitimy of good car journalism, but when he took a Z8 round the track, it was very obviously setup for comfort rather than sport.

[JohnGoodridge]

kambites said:

cuda said:

"It makes Audi’s achievement with the R8 all the more admirable, and leaves the Z8 as a monument to what might, and should have been"

Er Chris, you do know who designed the R8 don't you...

Quattro GmbH, although obviously they started with the Gallardo platform.

The R8 is the car that should have been; the Z8 a low production folly. BMW had the right idea in 1978 with the M1. A mid engine supercar to do their M engines justice.

There's already two generations of this theoretical car missing from the catalogue. The first powered by either the S54 l6 or s62 v8, and the second generation by the S65 v8 or S85 v10. Quite why they didn't produce such a car and let Audi steal their thunder remains beyond me (apart from the cost of developing a new platform).

Saddest thing is that now we'll never know as the NA M engine is a historical item...

[LongLiveTazio]

Photos don't do it justice, in real life it has such beautiful proportions in a small footprint and it is elegant rather than brash. I last saw one on a summer's evening when the light seems to go on forever; driving round topless at sensible speeds it makes sense as a cruiser that happens to be gorgeous inside and out. Not something to really go at hammer and tongs, just something special when you want to drive, take in your surroundings and enjoy living. Not enough modern cars do this well enough, IMO.

[CRA1G]

One Car I do regret selling now for obvious reasons,I had one of the last a 53 plate car in topaz blue done 7K,I sold it for £55K..... I think today probably worth £120/140K.....A lovley driving car,400 BHP on a alloy body but the main problem for me or should I say the wife was the LHD she just wouldn't drive it which was no good after a night out....!

[g3org3y]

Absolutely gorgeous car and my #1 choice on winning the lottery.

Stunning from the outside, interior is great too. Some photos make it look a little awkeard, but in the metal it is achingly pretty.

Am staggered how well they have maintained their vlaue, not sure whether this is in part to a certain six sided north London BMW dealer.

Might not be the last word in driving dynamics but with looks like that, who the fk cares!?

[Dagnut]

Audi achievements with the R8





Bought Lamborghini

[Mermaid]

g3org3y said:

..
Am staggered how well they have maintained their value, not sure whether this is in part to a certain six sided north London BMW dealer.

At one stage, maybe

[astirling]

I saw one of these at Bavarian in Belfast when my gf picked up her X1. Looked gorgeous - as someone said above, it's really small in the metal and just looks brilliant. Interior is very cool too.

[Muzzer79]

I've not driven one but I've always liked them.

People expected an M5 sports car but that's not what they're about.

They're a GT cruiser. Nice to Monaco in record time - that kind of thing.

If I was in the fortunate position of having a car 'collection' (not a couple of cars, or even a fleet; a collection) then a Z8 would definitely be in it.

[marshall100]

Tobeman said:

Always had a soft spot for these on looks alone but never really delved in for further info. Starting poking around Classifieds...

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

Just a flesh wound, get the T-cut out etc.?

That's got to be for spares only?? looks beyond borked in my eyes.