Took the opportunity to test drive a Z3 today, the first BMW of any kind I've ever driven.
It was a 2 litre straight six with low miles (74k) on a 'V' plate and in pretty good condition.
I was looking forward to the drive as I've only heard good things about the BMW M52 six (unlike the M44).
So, imagine an engine that starts on the button and settles to an offbeat idle that hints at great things to come.
Imagine an engine that picks up revs quickly and smoothly, with a distinctive bass tone at low revs that builds to a spine tingling and addictive turbine whine as you keep the throttle pressed to the floor.
Imagine an engine that's docile in traffic but comes on the cams at 3,000 revs, unleashing the latent beast within and charging past the red line with no rev limiter cutting in to spoil the fun even if you keep it planted.
Imagine that's the BMW M52 2.0?
Err, no. Actually I was describing the 1.2 triple in my wife's Nissan Note, which has a hell of a lot more character than the BMW six. No, really it does despite the lack of outright power. Our Zanussi washing machine has more character on a fast spin for Christ's sake.
The truth is I found the Z3 to be enormously
competent.
The engine is so quiet and smooth that I kept hitting the rev limiter in second (at a lowly 6,500rpm). The power delivery is completely linear - there's no surge anywhere in the rev range, it just pushed the car along. The suspension soaked up the bumps without transmitting the slightest of jolts into the cockpit. The steering made the car go wherever I decided to point it and the car moved along the road at speed with no drama whatsoever.
So BMW. Where's the
fun? Isn't it supposed to be a sports car, not a luxury executive saloon?
Where's the mechanical thrashings of the engine? The rasping exhaust note? The steering feedback? The turn in? Where's the ability to adjust the car's attitude mid bend with the throttle? Where's the drama?
Truth be told it's a very good car, but that's damning with faint praise as I'd heard that BMW are supposed to make
great cars.
So, what to do? Well, I still need to drive a 1.9 in case that engine actually has more (some?) character, and I also want to drive a 2.2 and a 2.8 before committing to purchasing a donor (the 3.0's brakes are too big for my wheels).
But it's not all bad news. I'm guessing a change of exhaust would make it sound more dramatic, while skinnier, taller tyres should give the handling a lot more adjustability (I was worried that the 2.0 engine would be too powerful for 185/15's but I now know they'd be fine).
Ultimately I expect the transformation from Z3 to SWB to also transform the feel of the car enough to make it interesting, while preserving enough of the sheer competence of the BMW donor to make it a genuinely capable intercontinental GT car.
Which is exactly what I didn't know I wanted until today...
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