Seeking redemption. 2009 BMW Z4 roadster.
Where Do You Live?
This is the model many hope will bring BWM back to its glory days as the leader in admirable car design and sex appeal. Not that the previous generation of designs under the direct leadership of the popular Chris Bangle was bad. Perhaps the designs were too futuristic, too sophisticated and too sexy in a way that confused an average BWM fan. The cars still delivered on the promise of “Sheer Driving Pleasure” the only issue being the driver wished dearly for better looks.
Well, the biggest talking point about the new Z4 will whether there has been an improvement to its predecessor. Is the car good looking? Difficult to tell at a first glance. The design is still faithful to the original Z4 by continuing with the shark nose theme together with very masculine styling. One cannot say immediately that the car is good looking.
Which is a good thing because there is just a lot depth to the design of the Z4 which needs careful observation for it to be fully appreciated. Said in another fashion, this car will gain more appreciation with time. It will be still cool to buy this car long after the hype has subsided.BMW has not been completely shy in trying out fresh design ideas. Only this time they seem to have thought carefully about what people will say. The Z4 has learned new tricks of the trade, one being that to be liked you have to look very nice.
The new design is more like the story of sweet and sour of any favourite food. Sweet and sour desert. BMW have managed well to combine elegance and aggressiveness by blending the conservative front with the sporty lines that flow all the way to the rear. The front looks more like a Mercedes CL coupe while the rest of the body paying tribute to the original Z4. The back is very similar to the outgoing 6 series. The interior is also a little bit more conservative in a bid to win back loyal BWM lovers.
The new car will be propelled by straight 6 engines and BMW is now coming up with an unusually naming convention for their engines. There will be the sDrive23i (2.5 litre/150kw) followed by the sDrive30i (3litlre/190kw). The will also be a turbocharged version sDrive35i which produces (3 litre/225kw). The new comer is quite quick off the mark too with times to 100 km (60 mph) ranging between 6 and 5 depending on engine size off course.
Other minor points that work in favour of the Z4 are that it is bigger (5.8 inches longer) and partly because of the new aluminium hard top which closes down in a whooping 20 seconds. Z4 would not be a real modern BMW without the iDrive which is ever being improved.
Is this a winner? Difficult one as a lot of BMW fans lost faith during the previous wave of designs. The driving dynamics are expected to be nothing short of what BMW can deliver, however, this car might be unfairly made to pay for the controversial design of its predecessor. Critics will be cautious to jump onto praising the new looks but the more they critisise, they more they will like.
BMW Z4 for sale, Audi TT for sale, Mercedes Benz Slk for sale
BY M.E Bapela
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