The new BMW Z4 2009
This is the model many hope will bring BWM back to its glory days as the leader in admirable car design and sex appeal. Sure Chris Bangle’s vision of designs might have been misunderstood. 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. The Z4 is on track to being a timeless beauty. The looks will still hold for many years to come.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 of late is more elegant, more civilised and more acceptable.
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 seems to be a misfit for the rest of the body maybe because of the largish, shark like front. BMW has also played it safe with the interior.
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. The iDrive makes a return and BMW claims the interface is much friendlier.
Is the new Z4 an irresistible must have? 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. There will be no easy forgiveness awarded to the new comer but it will surely do much better that the outgoing car.
BMW Z4 for sale, Audi TT for sale, Mercedes Benz Slk for sale
BY M.E Bapela
