Drove the Z4 sdrive 30i Today

[strider41]

Saw the new Z4 30i and 35i at Passport this afternoon. Opted to drive a Black 30i with MT and Kansas Coral Red w/o sports package. Know what the N54 can do. This is a luxurious and pleasurable cruiser.

Exhaust sound similar on start up to N54 but not when driving. Steering does not feel quite as tight as my E92 and suspension softer than my 335 with ZSP even on sport setting. Focus is on luxury and comfort as opposed to sportiness. Good torque in 5th or 6th gear. You can feel it pull. Just not like an N54 but more than adequate. Silky smooth shifter and lots of fun running throught the gears.

Trunk space still very limited with the top down and would probably accomodate two 15"W x 28-30"L duffles with top up. Good head space for me at 5'11" and good driver ergonomics but my E92 has more comfortable driving position for my build. Forward visibility is good but rearview mirror did obstruct some forward viewing angles. Rear vision is adequate with top up. Top mechanism is less complex in operation than the E93 which I think is a strong point. Appears more solid and less fragile.

Great looks and toy as a daily driver and day weekend cruiser and very nice with the top down. Not the car I would take for a weekend or week long distance trip as space is at a premium. Overall a fun car and focused on luxury rather than sportiness.

I wondered if I would prefer the Z4 30i over my E92 and got my answer. Now I have to drive the 35i to confirm my conclusion.

[Emission]

Saw the new Z4 30i and 35i at Passport this afternoon. Opted to drive a Black 30i with MT and Kansas Coral Red w/o sports package. Know what the N54 can do. This is a luxurious and pleasurable cruiser.

Exhaust sound similar on start up to N54 but not when driving. Steering does not feel quite as tight as my E92 and suspension softer than my 335 with ZSP even on sport setting. Focus is on luxury and comfort as opposed to sportiness. Good torque in 5th or 6th gear. You can feel it pull. Just not like an N54 but more than adequate. Silky smooth shifter and lots of fun running throught the gears.

Trunk space still very limited with the top down and would probably accomodate two 15"W x 28-30"L duffles with top up. Good head space for me at 5'11" and good driver ergonomics but my E92 has more comfortable driving position for my build. Forward visibility is good but rearview mirror did obstruct some forward viewing angles. Rear vision is adequate with top up. Top mechanism is less complex in operation than the E93 which I think is a strong point. Appears more solid and less fragile.

Great looks and toy as a daily driver and day weekend cruiser and very nice with the top down. Not the car I would take for a weekend or week long distance trip as space is at a premium. Overall a fun car and focused on luxury rather than sportiness.

I wondered if I would prefer the Z4 30i over my E92 and got my answer. Now I have to drive the 35i to confirm my conclusion.

Great observations!

- Mike

[c41006]

i would have to go with the 35 sport

[el indiano]

i would have to go with the 35 sport

exactly, nothing like feeling completely inadequate when the 35 sport pulls up if your in the baby z.

go for the fast one, you will enjoy it more. i love my 3.0si!:thumbup:

[EdCT]

I'm starting to think this 3.0 with a manual tranny, sans sports package, would be a pretty good option for me up here in the road scarred northeast.

I spend way too much time dodging potholes and cringing every time I cross a road divide with my lovely ZHP vert, shod with 18's and low profile tires. So far, so good, but horror stories from up here abound with broken wheels and flat (and really expensive) tires on the increase, especially after the winter we've had.

I no longer race, do autocross events or track my cars, so a marginal handling loss to something like a Boxster is no big deal to me - what I really want is to not have to hold my breath crossing the Willis Ave Bridge in NYC :)

Ed

[135eye]

the 35 engine is a drug to be honest.. alot of bad things can be said about it, but when you use it once, you will never go back to anything else

[rmorin49]

I don't think BMW has hit a homerun with the new Z4. Yes it is better looking than the previous model and the folding hardtop is nice, BUT, considering the price and what you get for it, not sure it will be a marketing success. I am hoping for the best as I recently bought some BMW AG stock hoping their market share will increase with what is happening to the US manufacturers. BTW, anyone know if the "Cash for Clunkers" is having any effect on BMW sales? It seems to be helping some of the domestic dealers.

[john5]

Everyone is saying the car is too soft and too heavy

[teagueAMX]

I don't think everyone is a saying it is too soft or too heavy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1onxsrS--E

[bmwdog]

I traded up from an 06 3.0si to the 09 35i with the 7 speeed double clutch and what a difference :D

[john5]

I don't think everyone is a saying it is too soft or too heavy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1onxsrS--E

His opinions are for show and entertainment, you shouldnt be making a car buying decision based on what he says. Didnt he think the e39 M5 was rubbish? Its FAR from rubbish

[rmorin49]

I'm sure the new tranny is an improvement. I have a DSG in my R32 and there is no way anyone could shift a manual tranny as well as the DSG shifts both up and down.

[teagueAMX]

His opinions are for show and entertainment, you shouldnt be making a car buying decision based on what he says. Didnt he think the e39 M5 was rubbish? Its FAR from rubbish

Sure, he's an entertainer, and I would never make a purchasing based on his show. But I think your quote was that everyone is saying it. . . No doubt there will be many that agree with him, entertainer or not. In general, the reviews I've read have been very positive.

The Porsche Boxster S is lighter, but I drove a Z4 35i yesterday and thought it was great. The suspension was just right IMO for a daily driver, which is what I'd be looking at. The Z4 I tested had DCT, and I drove it in sport mode/manual shift for the test drive and it was a blast. I've had cars with really stiff spring rates, dampers and anti-roll bars but don't want to go back there - not for a daily driver. I'd love to have a Z4 M coupe for weekends and rallies, but don't want to get beat up all the time.

Porsches are a great icon in the sport car industry, and I've been a Porsche fanatic for years but I'm a little tired of the styling. The other thing is I feel their pricing is out of line - after all they have the status of being the most profitable per unit manufacture, and I***8217;m sure that won***8217;t change with the VW merger. I recently did a side by side price comparison between a Cayman S and Z4 35i. The Cayman S hp has the edge on the Z4, but the base Cayman hp is closer to the Z4 30i. Even though I like a convertible, the Boxster styling doesn't excite me that much.

The Z5 35i maxed out at around $70,000 US, whereas the Cayman hit $90,000 US and could have reached $100,000 US. You've got to wonder what the Cayman has that the Z4 doesn't? Sure the Cayman's lighter, and the suspension is a bit tighter, but $20,000 worth? I like the Z4 hardtop so I***8217;m willing to pay a 300 lb weight premium for that versatility, even though I hate giving up the trunk. Take the hardtop out of the equation and the weight diff is around 100 lbs. But is the construction of the Porsche in any way superior to the BMW? No. Basically it comes down to Economics 101: Whatever the market will bear. I say it***8217;s too expensive so in my world it is too expensive. Said another way, my cost benefit analysis favors the Z4 35i.

Lastly, I***8217;m a traditionalist which means I like the old Porsches, but, it also means I like the old British sports cars. So where does Z4 barrow its design cues: Early, long hood, short tail, front engine, rear wheel drive British sports cars.

So, yes, Jeremy is a big mouth turkey, but not everyone says it***8217;s too heavy and too soft.

[BlueZ4AZ]

Everyone is saying the car is too soft and too heavy
Everyone? Everyone! Really???

[cruisingdog]

Have to agree with you. The one thing that doesn't get spoken about is how nice it looks. You don't buy a coat because it's rain proof. You buy it because it's rain proof and it suits you and looks good. Same thing with a car.

You can wear a yellow anorak that's completely waterproof, or you can wear a really classy coat that looks good and keeps you perfectly dry.

I do classy mate! :D

Sure, he's an entertainer, and I would never make a purchasing based on his show. But I think your quote was that everyone is saying it. . . No doubt there will be many that agree with him, entertainer or not. In general, the reviews I've read have been very positive.

The Porsche Boxster S is lighter, but I drove a Z4 35i yesterday and thought it was great. The suspension was just right IMO for a daily driver, which is what I'd be looking at. The Z4 I tested had DCT, and I drove it in sport mode/manual shift for the test drive and it was a blast. I've had cars with really stiff spring rates, dampers and anti-roll bars but don't want to go back there - not for a daily driver. I'd love to have a Z4 M coupe for weekends and rallies, but don't want to get beat up all the time.

Porsches are a great icon in the sport car industry, and I've been a Porsche fanatic for years but I'm a little tired of the styling. The other thing is I feel their pricing is out of line - after all they have the status of being the most profitable per unit manufacture, and I'm sure that won't change with the VW merger. I recently did a side by side price comparison between a Cayman S and Z4 35i. The Cayman S hp has the edge on the Z4, but the base Cayman hp is closer to the Z4 30i. Even though I like a convertible, the Boxster styling doesn't excite me that much.

The Z5 35i maxed out at around $70,000 US, whereas the Cayman hit $90,000 US and could have reached $100,000 US. You've got to wonder what the Cayman has that the Z4 doesn't? Sure the Cayman's lighter, and the suspension is a bit tighter, but $20,000 worth? I like the Z4 hardtop so I'm willing to pay a 300 lb weight premium for that versatility, even though I hate giving up the trunk. Take the hardtop out of the equation and the weight diff is around 100 lbs. But is the construction of the Porsche in any way superior to the BMW? No. Basically it comes down to Economics 101: Whatever the market will bear. I say it's too expensive so in my world it is too expensive. Said another way, my cost benefit analysis favors the Z4 35i.

Lastly, I'm a traditionalist which means I like the old Porsches, but, it also means I like the old British sports cars. So where does Z4 barrow its design cues: Early, long hood, short tail, front engine, rear wheel drive British sports cars.

So, yes, Jeremy is a big mouth turkey, but not everyone says it's too heavy and too soft.

[teagueAMX]

Have to agree with you. The one thing that doesn't get spoken about is how nice it looks. You don't buy a coat because it's rain proof. You buy it because it's rain proof and it suits you and looks good. Same thing with a car.

You can wear a yellow anorak that's completely waterproof, or you can wear a really classy coat that looks good and keeps you perfectly dry.

I do classy mate! :D


I agree 110 percent - the Z4 is a class act.

[unagi]

As a 2007 M Coupe owner, I am really disappointed with the new Z. The car went from the "ultimate badass BMW" (Automobile Mag, not me, on the M) to the ultimate country club cruiser. Of course, there's possibility for redemption with an M version, but in this economy, it seems uncertain BMW will make it. But they have the resources for an M-X5 and M-X6! What a joke....

[zibawala]

35i is an amazing car and is placed right in the middle of 335i and M3, dynamics and performance! minus 2 seats!