lemming
01-29-2005, 09:52 AM
page 120.
long term test of the FORTY-NINE THOUSAND DOLLAR z4 3.0. that's right. $49470. :lol:
"The SMG is supposed to combine the sportiness of a manual gearbox with the convenience of an automatic. Nothing personal, but in our case we decided it failed miserably at both tasks."
(referring to SMG)..."..Word of these problems has apparently gotten around, because BMW says only 6% of buyers opt for SMG."
"We actually drove another z4 identical to our long-termer, right down to the color, but without the complex nav system and with the base six speed manual transmission. It was a joy to drive!"
it is also a testament to the speed of today's cars (brock yates article) that the z4 3.0i clocked 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds and ran the quarter in 14.3@98 once broken-in (6.0/14.7@96 new). this marginally surpasses the e36m3 US spec car. but for $49k --inflation doesn't scale that high so that in 1999, the best handling car in the world was $39,800 (e36m3) --it is rather obvious why the z4 sells slowly.
in the four way roadster test also in this issue:
c6 vert: $52k/62k as tested (4.3 to 60mph / 12.8@112mph)
chrysler SRT-6 $49k/51k as tested (4.8/13.4@106mph)
SLK350: 46k/50k as tested (5.4/13.9@102mph)
boxster S (new 2005 model): 53k/59k as tested (5.1/13.6@103mph)
-One axiom that a lot of the world lives by: if you get get a benz for about the same money, most people will buy that over the BMW (even the pretty ones) most of the time --the slk350 is about the same money, faster, better top, more conservative styling & higher quality interior.
long term test of the FORTY-NINE THOUSAND DOLLAR z4 3.0. that's right. $49470. :lol:
"The SMG is supposed to combine the sportiness of a manual gearbox with the convenience of an automatic. Nothing personal, but in our case we decided it failed miserably at both tasks."
(referring to SMG)..."..Word of these problems has apparently gotten around, because BMW says only 6% of buyers opt for SMG."
"We actually drove another z4 identical to our long-termer, right down to the color, but without the complex nav system and with the base six speed manual transmission. It was a joy to drive!"
it is also a testament to the speed of today's cars (brock yates article) that the z4 3.0i clocked 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds and ran the quarter in 14.3@98 once broken-in (6.0/14.7@96 new). this marginally surpasses the e36m3 US spec car. but for $49k --inflation doesn't scale that high so that in 1999, the best handling car in the world was $39,800 (e36m3) --it is rather obvious why the z4 sells slowly.
in the four way roadster test also in this issue:
c6 vert: $52k/62k as tested (4.3 to 60mph / 12.8@112mph)
chrysler SRT-6 $49k/51k as tested (4.8/13.4@106mph)
SLK350: 46k/50k as tested (5.4/13.9@102mph)
boxster S (new 2005 model): 53k/59k as tested (5.1/13.6@103mph)
-One axiom that a lot of the world lives by: if you get get a benz for about the same money, most people will buy that over the BMW (even the pretty ones) most of the time --the slk350 is about the same money, faster, better top, more conservative styling & higher quality interior.