New Z4 M Coupe

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

I'm seeing a steal from a couple dif cars here.

djmcmath · 04-09-2006, 04:56 PM

Not bad, Por_sha, but tell me ... would you set a coffee cup on the hood?

1973911s · 04-09-2006, 05:23 PM

I wonder if us bigger guys could fit in this one?

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

i like the previous one better

84porsche · 84porsche's Garage

This month's Automobile compares it to the Boxster S and even with less HP and slightly more weight, the Boxster S prevails again. I think 100lbs difference between the cars. Really good article.

fastpat · 04-09-2006, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Por_sha911
I'm seeing a steal from a couple dif cars here.

They're making them 15 miles from my house, maybe it's time for a factory tour.

Jared at Pelican Parts · 04-09-2006, 05:48 PM

still ass ugly

FrayAdjacent911 · 04-09-2006, 05:50 PM

Buddy at work as a Z4, and let me drive it out to pick up some dinner a couple times. It's a very tight handling car, and it is decently quick.

The things I note about driving it, it handles like it's on rails. When you bring it to a stop, instead of the front end diving forward a bit, the whole car sinks down. The one time I was able to take a sharp righthand turn with a little speed, the back did come loose, and slid... for about ~6 inches, then it got traction and handled the rest of the turn like it was on rails.

They're definitely fun cars to drive!

yellowline · 04-09-2006, 06:03 PM

What was the line about lipstick on a pig again?

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by djmcmath
...would you set a coffee cup on the hood?

This is a daily driver not something sacred like a Porsche. Frankly it looks like you could put 8 dinner place settings on this hood. I think they blew it when they dropped the z3 style.

makaio · 04-09-2006, 06:46 PM

I think the Z4 coupe smokes the Cayman in the looks department. It may not be able to keep up with it though.

djmcmath · 04-09-2006, 06:55 PM

Actually, I preferred the look of the Z3 coupe. This looks ... wrong, somehow. I think Por_Sha's got it dead-on with the 8 dinner place settings. I was envisioning a landing pad for a helicopter, personally.

Are we, as rear-engine guys, somehow biased against the arguably classic look of an insanely long hood?

kqw · 04-09-2006, 07:06 PM

Looks like a new generation Datsun 240Z....

fastpat · 04-09-2006, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kqw
Looks like a new generation Datsun 240Z....

Until Mazda comes out with the Miata coupe, it is.

masraum · 04-09-2006, 08:02 PM

Another vote for the Z3 coupe looking better, but I do prefer the Z4 roadster to the Z3 roadster.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by makaio
I think the Z4 coupe smokes the Cayman in the looks department. It may not be able to keep up with it though.

?

no way. I suppose I should wait to see the Z4 in person, but the Cayman looks way better on the road than in pictures. Somehow I think this Z4 will be the opposite...

Still prefer the "clown shoe" M Coupe.

fastpat · 04-09-2006, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nostatic
?

no way. I suppose I should wait to see the Z4 in person, but the Cayman looks way better on the road than in pictures. Somehow I think this Z4 will be the opposite...

Still prefer the "clown shoe" M Coupe.

I haven't seen one, but everyone who has is pretty much in agreement, that BMW should produce more, and will sell more coupe models than roadsters based on looks alone. It's that much better, they say. BMW doesn't have it on their BMWUSA web site, so can do much looking there.
In fact, the M-roadster is on the site, but all of the accessories for it aren't.

epbrown · 10:46 PM

Ahem! I'm right here guys! Within earshot?

The Z4 reminds me most of the 944, but as someone on the Z4 forum pointed out, there's only so many ways to draw a long-hooded 2-door coupe.

Mulhollanddose · 04-09-2006, 10:53 PM

I despise those Z4 lines...blech.

epbrown · 04-09-2006, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulhollanddose
I despise those Z4 lines...blech.

Have you seen one in person, up close? The car doesn't photograph well, and I wasn't too big on them from the pictures in magazines I'd seen. But when I test drove the Z3, the chassis was just way too loose and rattley, and the salesperson mentioned that the Z4 chassis is twice as stiff (actually, it's nearly 3x as stiff - more stiff than the Boxster, btw). Checking around, it also seemed that used 2003 Z4s were going for about the same as low-mileage Z3s, so despite my ambivalence, I decided to try one. I was shocked how much I liked the car in person, and the handling is great.

The Boxster always wins the comparisons (except in evo this month - the Z4 was their top pick) because somehow Porsche has mastered keeping their suspensions stiff but fluid to much higher limits than anyone, and the brakes are better, but the Z4 is good. Put conventional tires on one instead of the run-flats (like mine, like the new M Roadster as well), and it's very close - to the point that the Boxster seems overpriced.

Try searching video.google for the "5th Gear" comparison of the two cars. Makes for good watching.