RE: BMW Z3 M Coupe: Catch It While You Can
Discussion
seats from a M coupe (a bit different then from the 2.8 & 3.0) are fine/ok for normal driving etc, but when you go for say driving on a circuit, then better fit some lightweight bucket Recaro's or the sort like and
save around 40 kilo in the process :-)
so its also a good weight saver and those look good too in a Z3M say something like those examples.
but of course there are also cheaper options which look and sit about the same.
save around 40 kilo in the process :-)
so its also a good weight saver and those look good too in a Z3M say something like those examples.
but of course there are also cheaper options which look and sit about the same.
lord trumpton said:
Because women find the current choice fast enough
Manufacturers are gearing cars towards the baby boomers (because they're the ones buying new), hence the proliferation of so-called "sports" cars packed with the features of an S-class. - The current Z4 is more boulevard cruiser than B-road blaster.lord trumpton said:
Sampaio said:
Why doesn't BMW make a full-fat M version of the current Z4? It's their bloody sports car and it's one of the very few cars in the range without an M variant!
I think we'll see an M2 Active Tourer before we see a Z4M...
Because women find the current choice fast enoughI think we'll see an M2 Active Tourer before we see a Z4M...
The old one is plenty good enough still, if you want an M car of that type.
Mr Whippy said:
lord trumpton said:
Sampaio said:
Why doesn't BMW make a full-fat M version of the current Z4? It's their bloody sports car and it's one of the very few cars in the range without an M variant!
I think we'll see an M2 Active Tourer before we see a Z4M...
Because women find the current choice fast enoughI think we'll see an M2 Active Tourer before we see a Z4M...
The old one is plenty good enough still, if you want an M car of that type.
Apart from the sparkling S54 being dropped in theres very little effort gone into making it a special Z4 to drive. Hard, uncompromising suspension. snap oversteer and a few M badges thrown in its direction do not really lift it to the M status.
Although the Z4 based items are faster and quicker than the Z3 range; they at least have enough changes and quicks to induce a smile and make them special.
lord trumpton said:
Mr Whippy said:
lord trumpton said:
Sampaio said:
Why doesn't BMW make a full-fat M version of the current Z4? It's their bloody sports car and it's one of the very few cars in the range without an M variant!
I think we'll see an M2 Active Tourer before we see a Z4M...
Because women find the current choice fast enoughI think we'll see an M2 Active Tourer before we see a Z4M...
The old one is plenty good enough still, if you want an M car of that type.
Apart from the sparkling S54 being dropped in theres very little effort gone into making it a special Z4 to drive. Hard, uncompromising suspension. snap oversteer and a few M badges thrown in its direction do not really lift it to the M status.
Although the Z4 based items are faster and quicker than the Z3 range; they at least have enough changes and quicks to induce a smile and make them special.
It could have pulled off something more like the CSL and got away with it in my view.
Maybe even drop the folding roof altogether and have something like that recent Boxster Spyder thingy.
Dave
lord trumpton said:
Joking apart; Ive owned 2 Z3M Coupes, 4 Z3M Roadsters (all S50 mind) and 1 Z4M Roadster. I don't feel that the Z4M's - roadster or coupe are worthy of the M moniker.
Apart from the sparkling S54 being dropped in theres very little effort gone into making it a special Z4 to drive. Hard, uncompromising suspension. snap oversteer and a few M badges thrown in its direction do not really lift it to the M status.
Although the Z4 based items are faster and quicker than the Z3 range; they at least have enough changes and quicks to induce a smile and make them special.
Z4M? Well the brakes are from the CSL. And compared with the Z4, as well as the S45 they changed the suspension. steering. gearbox, exhaust, diff - actually all the running gear and some of the body parts. Kind of what they did with the E46 M3 when compared with a 330i. Chucked an S54 in and a few badges on? I don't think so. Be interesting what MORE you think they should have done?Apart from the sparkling S54 being dropped in theres very little effort gone into making it a special Z4 to drive. Hard, uncompromising suspension. snap oversteer and a few M badges thrown in its direction do not really lift it to the M status.
Although the Z4 based items are faster and quicker than the Z3 range; they at least have enough changes and quicks to induce a smile and make them special.
I would have a Z3m coupe, prices will only go one way for decent examples but I prefer having a roady, one of 4 RHD S54 Imolas.......one of the rarest ///M cars
And yes they are minute compared to more modern cars, you can actually drive them on B roads and enjoy it ;-)
And yes they are minute compared to more modern cars, you can actually drive them on B roads and enjoy it ;-)
Edited by jonttt on Monday 8th December 23:34
That looks very nice.
The only thing with buying older cars is that to get a good one it's expensive, and if you use it like you should, they depreciate hard.
Personally I love the idea of just taking my Z4 out in winter on a nice day and not worrying about salt, or mileage... or if it's a bit snowy going off and dinking it.
It's a car to be enjoyed, and I'd worry myself about driving a £20,000 going on 20 year old car that will probably go down hill fast in value if it's exposed to salty roads or not garaged, or I decide to use it a lot.
Of course each to their own. Nothing wrong with it. Just saying. It's sad that these cars end up getting so expensive and that puts people off really using them as they were meant to be... as cool and interesting daily drivers.
Dave
The only thing with buying older cars is that to get a good one it's expensive, and if you use it like you should, they depreciate hard.
Personally I love the idea of just taking my Z4 out in winter on a nice day and not worrying about salt, or mileage... or if it's a bit snowy going off and dinking it.
It's a car to be enjoyed, and I'd worry myself about driving a £20,000 going on 20 year old car that will probably go down hill fast in value if it's exposed to salty roads or not garaged, or I decide to use it a lot.
Of course each to their own. Nothing wrong with it. Just saying. It's sad that these cars end up getting so expensive and that puts people off really using them as they were meant to be... as cool and interesting daily drivers.
Dave
that is one very nice M roadster.
my first Z3 was also a M roadster, a Boston Green colored car, drove very nice, but I'm not a cabrio fan, although when the weather was good I must say it was a fantastic drive and fun to drive.
although the M coupe is much more robust? euh sturdy? I mean, you could feel the difference between the cabrio and coupe in flex/drive.
when I bought my first M coupe and drove the same way i always did back then, I noticed when driving the same speed across the highway with some imprint in the road and doing about 100 mph it felt different, to get the 'same' feeling I had to drive about 115 mph
anyway, here is my first M roadster and first from the Z3 family (by the time a M coupe second hand were more expensive) here it was not my car anymore, owned it in 2001 but its still alive seeing those pictures of my ex car from 2013 from the web :-) and still the same.
my first Z3 was also a M roadster, a Boston Green colored car, drove very nice, but I'm not a cabrio fan, although when the weather was good I must say it was a fantastic drive and fun to drive.
although the M coupe is much more robust? euh sturdy? I mean, you could feel the difference between the cabrio and coupe in flex/drive.
when I bought my first M coupe and drove the same way i always did back then, I noticed when driving the same speed across the highway with some imprint in the road and doing about 100 mph it felt different, to get the 'same' feeling I had to drive about 115 mph
anyway, here is my first M roadster and first from the Z3 family (by the time a M coupe second hand were more expensive) here it was not my car anymore, owned it in 2001 but its still alive seeing those pictures of my ex car from 2013 from the web :-) and still the same.
If anyone fancy's a Silver 200O X done 12K...........
£43,990..........! www.lawtonbrook.co.uk
I'm pleased they are on the up... i have one in my small BMW colection
S50 98 M Coupe 60K
E36 99 M3 Evo Convertible 65K
E31 98 840 Sport Individual 66K
All FSH and all "Dakar Yellow"
£43,990..........! www.lawtonbrook.co.uk
I'm pleased they are on the up... i have one in my small BMW colection
S50 98 M Coupe 60K
E36 99 M3 Evo Convertible 65K
E31 98 840 Sport Individual 66K
All FSH and all "Dakar Yellow"
These really are fantastic little cars, people should not be put off by tales of awful handling and reliability problems.
But, they are very small cars. I'm 6'5 and had to go for the roadster for the extra head room, even if this does make me look like something from Noddy! As an example, a picture of my old estoril S50 next to my wife's old 1 series:
I eventually sold the above as a I thought a 996 would be a far better option, and it is. Over any surface, on any road and weather condition its faster, more composed, more comfortable and just a far more accomplished bit of engineering.
Having said all of that, its still the Z3M that puts the bigger smile of my face, so the Porsche lasted a year before I replaced it with another M Roadster:
This was the last RHD S54 to come off the production line. Similar to Jonttt's very tasty S54 further up the page, this is another one of he four Imola red S54's to be produced.
PS: please excuse the poor quality phone photos, these are the first I could lay my hands on.
But, they are very small cars. I'm 6'5 and had to go for the roadster for the extra head room, even if this does make me look like something from Noddy! As an example, a picture of my old estoril S50 next to my wife's old 1 series:
I eventually sold the above as a I thought a 996 would be a far better option, and it is. Over any surface, on any road and weather condition its faster, more composed, more comfortable and just a far more accomplished bit of engineering.
Having said all of that, its still the Z3M that puts the bigger smile of my face, so the Porsche lasted a year before I replaced it with another M Roadster:
This was the last RHD S54 to come off the production line. Similar to Jonttt's very tasty S54 further up the page, this is another one of he four Imola red S54's to be produced.
PS: please excuse the poor quality phone photos, these are the first I could lay my hands on.
M roadster or M coupe always fine driver cars, although indeed like you mentioned, for people longer then say 1.85 it will be a tight fit, although I also read somewhere, that a guy about 1.92mtr also has a M coupe, must be cramped, or he has another special seat, so you sit deeper in the car even lower with your but on the tarmac.
Bigred67 said:
But, they are very small cars. I'm 6'5 and had to go for the roadster for the extra head room, even if this does make me look like something from Noddy! As an example, a picture of my old estoril S50 next to my wife's old 1 series:
Wow; that really does show the size difference! I wonder what it'd look like next to a current Z4 (or 370Z, Boxster, TT etc.).Still; lovely cars. The current generation of "sports car", with electric steering, handbrake, nose picker etc. just don't have the same appeal.
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