Fun face off: Audi S4 (B8) vs BMW Z4 Coupe
Discussion
RoVoFob said:
How can you say that? The Crossfire is a car of supreme taste, unbeatable engineering and boundless quality that everyone loves.
Not sure if serious. But for the record I prefer the styling of the Crossfire over the Z4 coupe in many ways and from many angles. I think what kills the Crossfire a bit is the Chrysler grill. 
Shifter1 said:
Not sure if serious. But for the record I prefer the styling of the Crossfire over the Z4 coupe in many ways and from many angles. I think what kills the Crossfire a bit is the Chrysler grill.
Was being facetious, but it does have a couple of plus points. Pretty cheap, too.RoVoFob said:
May I recommend a Subaru Legacy Spec B as a fast, cheap, enjoyable six-pot estate!
My logic is that if I have only one car I can afford to spend a bit more on it, since there's only one set of running costs.
I think that makes sense. Save up a bit for an S4 saloon, sell Legacy and then see whether I still have Z4 cravings or if S4 is good enough to compensate.
I hear what you're saying. As good as VXR probably is, I just don't want one. I'd rather keep Subaru, the more I think about doing that.
Annoyingly I've found a practically perfect S4 fir me now. Just not in a position to buy one for a few months. Doh.
But a Spec B will only ever be a fast, cheap, six-pot but with £500+ a year road tax post 2006 whereas my daily 330i (E90, but could be E91) is possibly quicker and "only" £325 for road tax.My logic is that if I have only one car I can afford to spend a bit more on it, since there's only one set of running costs.
I think that makes sense. Save up a bit for an S4 saloon, sell Legacy and then see whether I still have Z4 cravings or if S4 is good enough to compensate.
I hear what you're saying. As good as VXR probably is, I just don't want one. I'd rather keep Subaru, the more I think about doing that.
Annoyingly I've found a practically perfect S4 fir me now. Just not in a position to buy one for a few months. Doh.
I sort of don't mind paying £570 for road tax for my Z4MC - it's way quicker than any 370Z!
Mr Tidy said:
I sort of don't mind paying £570 for road tax for my Z4MC - it's way quicker than any 370Z!
Performance figures wise they are actually very similar to each other. Neither are quick cars when compared to modern stuff now though, and they are more about the way they drive than the performance for me. A current hot hatch like a Audi RS3 or Mercedes A45 etc would destroy both of them very easily performance wise. Both the 370Z and Z4M do 0 to 60 in around 5 seconds which is pedestrian nowadays, and they are both very light on torque when compared to the turbo cars of today too.
Mr Tidy said:
But a Spec B will only ever be a fast, cheap, six-pot but with £500+ a year road tax post 2006 whereas my daily 330i (E90, but could be E91) is possibly quicker and "only" £325 for road tax.
I sort of don't mind paying £570 for road tax for my Z4MC - it's way quicker than any 370Z!
True, but that’s not a problem if you go pre-06; mine’s a 55-plate and £325 to tax.I sort of don't mind paying £570 for road tax for my Z4MC - it's way quicker than any 370Z!
Surprised to say that despite the 3.0-litre in my 130i being muscular and smooth, the Legacy engine is actually noticeably smoother, more revvy and sounds better.
Am sure 330i is a bit faster - mainly due to more of the torque being at particularly low revs, but the Subaru is still an impressive thing. Handles better than my 130is, too, which never fails to surprise me.
I've had a 350z and Z4 coupe 3.0, I would say they were about on par for fun. The 350 has an LSD which is nice to have but I didn't miss it that much on the Z4 which for me felt slightly quicker than the Nissan. The cockpit of the BMW was a bit nicer and it's also far more economical. You can't go wrong with either.
TameRacingDriver said:
You can't go wrong with either.
This. 
I'd recommend both and they make a very nice change to the sea of hatchbacks/saloons(plus SUV's!) that you always see out on the roads now.
I really like the way the 350Z looks...but the Z4 Coupe is absolutely stunning to my eyes and its one of the best looking Bmw's ever made for me.
Totally agree, the Z4C was the best looking car I’ve ever owned. Drop dead gorgeous. They’re really cheap now too. When I had mine a manual wasn’t possible for under 10K, now they’re 5K! This was only about 3 or 4 years ago too. I really thought they would have held their values better than they have. Almost tempted to get another!
TameRacingDriver said:
Totally agree, the Z4C was the best looking car I’ve ever owned. Drop dead gorgeous. They’re really cheap now too. When I had mine a manual wasn’t possible for under 10K, now they’re 5K! This was only about 3 or 4 years ago too. I really thought they would have held their values better than they have. Almost tempted to get another!
When I went for my Z4MR(I'd never had a convertible before so I thought I'd try one)...pretty quickly I'd wished I'd gone for the Z4MC instead for sure. The Z4C/Z4MC are stunning looking things for certain. TameRacingDriver said:
Totally agree, the Z4C was the best looking car I’ve ever owned. Drop dead gorgeous. They’re really cheap now too. When I had mine a manual wasn’t possible for under 10K, now they’re 5K! This was only about 3 or 4 years ago too. I really thought they would have held their values better than they have. Almost tempted to get another!
Like the idea of both 350Z and Z4. Z4 looks that bit more special and isn’t so thirsty, though, so that seals it for me.Have been trying to second guess what will happen to values for Z4s over the next year or two - it’s hard to know but even if they go up a bit, they shouldn’t go up by more than the running costs I’d have saved by not having one for that time...
Just hope that if I get an S4 in a few months’ time and save up for a Z4 Coupe that they won’t have suddenly doubled in price!
RoVoFob said:
Was being facetious, but it does have a couple of plus points. Pretty cheap, too.
I honestly think they look better now than a few years ago. Age has been gentle to the Crossfire. A pity that the SRT6 can only be had in auto. But at least here they are very rare and an eye catcher. BMWs, Audis and Mercedes are everywhere. Everybody has them and I mean everyone. Nothing special. Specially that you can barely tell the difference between the diesels and the top stuff anymore. If you want something more special. Something that everybody doesn't have and you want a 4 door or 2 door saloon or a SUV, you need something like a Maserati.
The 350Z is just not special enough for what it is and the price. Here they start at 10k to 12K for alright to good ones. But personally I see nothing on them.
And the Z4, I'm sorry but I just can't see all the people calling it gorgeous. Chris Bangle and gorgeous in the same sentence doesn't register for me. The ugliest BMWs ever made were Bangles design. And since the Z4 coupe starts at around 18-20K in price, no thanks!
Shifter1 said:
And the Z4, I'm sorry but I just can't see all the people calling it gorgeous. Chris Bangle and gorgeous in the same sentence doesn't register for me. The ugliest BMWs ever made were Bangles design. And since the Z4 coupe starts at around 18-20K in price, no thanks!
Well looks are always a matter of opinion, but I think Z4 Coupes look fantastic. Although as I'm on my 3rd I probably would say that! I bought my 1st 3.0Si Coupe in 2014 and sold it for £400 more than I paid in 2016.
As I realised what I had done I bought my 2nd 3.0Si for £8,600 a couple of days later. But the last year values seem to have dropped considerably and I had it advertised for £6,600 and sold it a week ago.
Partly because it isn't the best time of year to sell a 2 seater, but also because I needed to get some money back as I bought my M Coupe in December!
It was advertised for £14K but I got a deal because Christmas was only a week away. It's only done 76K miles, so any that are £18-20K should be much less-used examples.
There may be quicker hot hatches these days, but they just don't appeal to me - they still look like an A3, Golf, etc.
While there are loads of BMWs around, only just over 2,000 three litre Coupes were registered in the UK and less than 600 M Coupes, and they don't exactly look like any other BMW!
I can appreciate an S4 may be quicker and much more practical but for a fun car I'd much rather have a Z4MC, although I realise others may not.
Anyway I'm obviously a fan of the Z4 Coupe, so I might as well post a photo of my latest and look for my tin hat!
Shifter1 said:
And the Z4, I'm sorry but I just can't see all the people calling it gorgeous. Chris Bangle and gorgeous in the same sentence doesn't register for me. The ugliest BMWs ever made were Bangles design.
I can see where you are coming from and I didn't like the looks of my Z4M Roadster especially from the front, but I did quite like the rear though. I also agree that as a general rule BMW and ugly do mostly go hand in hand. I've had a couple of E90 3 series and I always thought that they looked like a dog's dinner in fairness. The Z4M Coupe I really like though and maybe that is because generally I really like a Coupe shape, and I really like the roofline/hatch(boot?) shape of it. From the side and rear the Z4 Coupe just really works for me.
Mr Tidy said:
Well looks are always a matter of opinion, but I think Z4 Coupes look fantastic. Although as I'm on my 3rd I probably would say that!
I bought my 1st 3.0Si Coupe in 2014 and sold it for £400 more than I paid in 2016.
As I realised what I had done I bought my 2nd 3.0Si for £8,600 a couple of days later. But the last year values seem to have dropped considerably and I had it advertised for £6,600 and sold it a week ago.
Partly because it isn't the best time of year to sell a 2 seater, but also because I needed to get some money back as I bought my M Coupe in December!
It was advertised for £14K but I got a deal because Christmas was only a week away. It's only done 76K miles, so any that are £18-20K should be much less-used examples.
There may be quicker hot hatches these days, but they just don't appeal to me - they still look like an A3, Golf, etc.
While there are loads of BMWs around, only just over 2,000 three litre Coupes were registered in the UK and less than 600 M Coupes, and they don't exactly look like any other BMW!
I can appreciate an S4 may be quicker and much more practical but for a fun car I'd much rather have a Z4MC, although I realise others may not.
Anyway I'm obviously a fan of the Z4 Coupe, so I might as well post a photo of my latest and look for my tin hat!
Always liked the standard Z4 M alloys, but those ones look very sharp. Good colour for the Z4, too.I bought my 1st 3.0Si Coupe in 2014 and sold it for £400 more than I paid in 2016.
As I realised what I had done I bought my 2nd 3.0Si for £8,600 a couple of days later. But the last year values seem to have dropped considerably and I had it advertised for £6,600 and sold it a week ago.
Partly because it isn't the best time of year to sell a 2 seater, but also because I needed to get some money back as I bought my M Coupe in December!
It was advertised for £14K but I got a deal because Christmas was only a week away. It's only done 76K miles, so any that are £18-20K should be much less-used examples.
There may be quicker hot hatches these days, but they just don't appeal to me - they still look like an A3, Golf, etc.
While there are loads of BMWs around, only just over 2,000 three litre Coupes were registered in the UK and less than 600 M Coupes, and they don't exactly look like any other BMW!
I can appreciate an S4 may be quicker and much more practical but for a fun car I'd much rather have a Z4MC, although I realise others may not.
Anyway I'm obviously a fan of the Z4 Coupe, so I might as well post a photo of my latest and look for my tin hat!
Realise the Z4 will offer a very different feel to the S4, with the massive bonnet, seats right in front of the rear axle etc. Since I need a somewhat practical car, though, will aim to replace the Legacy with an S4 in a couple of months and only then drive a Z4 and see if I have to have one as a fun car.
Hopefully if I do get one, I’ll be able to buy at this time of year when prices are low...
RoVoFob said:
Always liked the standard Z4 M alloys, but those ones look very sharp. Good colour for the Z4, too.
Realise the Z4 will offer a very different feel to the S4, with the massive bonnet, seats right in front of the rear axle etc. Since I need a somewhat practical car, though, will aim to replace the Legacy with an S4 in a couple of months and only then drive a Z4 and see if I have to have one as a fun car.
Hopefully if I do get one, I’ll be able to buy at this time of year when prices are low...
Thanks, the wheels are 19" CSL Replicas based on the E46 M3 CSL wheels.Realise the Z4 will offer a very different feel to the S4, with the massive bonnet, seats right in front of the rear axle etc. Since I need a somewhat practical car, though, will aim to replace the Legacy with an S4 in a couple of months and only then drive a Z4 and see if I have to have one as a fun car.
Hopefully if I do get one, I’ll be able to buy at this time of year when prices are low...
If you need practical a Z4M really isn't going to work, but if you can live with the looks an E9* 335i with a remap might be worth considering.
I've had a couple of E46s, an E87, E91, E90 and 3 E86s - and the E86s just feel so special compared to the others!
Mr Tidy said:
Thanks, the wheels are 19" CSL Replicas based on the E46 M3 CSL wheels.
If you need practical a Z4M really isn't going to work, but if you can live with the looks an E9* 335i with a remap might be worth considering.
I've had a couple of E46s, an E87, E91, E90 and 3 E86s - and the E86s just feel so special compared to the others!
Well, no, a Z4 wouldn't work as an only car for me! And as much as I like the 3 Series, I don't really want an E92. If you need practical a Z4M really isn't going to work, but if you can live with the looks an E9* 335i with a remap might be worth considering.
I've had a couple of E46s, an E87, E91, E90 and 3 E86s - and the E86s just feel so special compared to the others!
Not a turbo fan, so probably wouldn't go for 335i anyway, but think 330i would be disappointing having got used to that engine in the much lighter 1 Series.
Had a moment of madness last night and starting thinking about an e39 M5. Always told myself the key to a good BMW was to go for the one just below the M car, not the M car itself...
RoVoFob said:
Well, no, a Z4 wouldn't work as an only car for me! And as much as I like the 3 Series, I don't really want an E92.
Not a turbo fan, so probably wouldn't go for 335i anyway, but think 330i would be disappointing having got used to that engine in the much lighter 1 Series.
Had a moment of madness last night and starting thinking about an e39 M5. Always told myself the key to a good BMW was to go for the one just below the M car, not the M car itself...
I completely understand you wanting an N/A engine - me too! Not a turbo fan, so probably wouldn't go for 335i anyway, but think 330i would be disappointing having got used to that engine in the much lighter 1 Series.
Had a moment of madness last night and starting thinking about an e39 M5. Always told myself the key to a good BMW was to go for the one just below the M car, not the M car itself...
BMW quote 6.1 seconds to 100 kmh for the 130i, and 6.3 seconds for the 330i so I'm not sure it would feel that disappointing to be fair.
After 5 years with 3.0Si Z4 Coupes I finally bought a Z4M Coupe in December - believe me the M really is the one to go for!
But you might find an E39 540i.
Mr Tidy said:
I completely understand you wanting an N/A engine - me too!
BMW quote 6.1 seconds to 100 kmh for the 130i, and 6.3 seconds for the 330i so I'm not sure it would feel that disappointing to be fair.
After 5 years with 3.0Si Z4 Coupes I finally bought a Z4M Coupe in December - believe me the M really is the one to go for!
But you might find an E39 540i.
It’s not the absolute figures, more the feel. The 130i just feels so alive and energetic compared with bigger cars, and I imagine that’s the case compared with the 330i. Imagine the Z4 is even more so.BMW quote 6.1 seconds to 100 kmh for the 130i, and 6.3 seconds for the 330i so I'm not sure it would feel that disappointing to be fair.
After 5 years with 3.0Si Z4 Coupes I finally bought a Z4M Coupe in December - believe me the M really is the one to go for!
But you might find an E39 540i.
Well, maybe, but I like the underdog; prefer the smooth, progressive 3.0-litre compared with the raucous, much heavier 3.2.
E39 is a nice idea on paper, but as exciting as the M5 surely is, a 540i was never going to cut it!
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