Test Drive BMW M Roadster E36 1997 - 2002 Convertible
By the summer are ready
Immediately make a reservation with Z3 was very short, although we did not see the car for the first time. First, naturally, photographs appeared, then the roadster was put up on the salon in Detroit. In Geneva, showed a car already equipped under the program M. But what can be compared with the first sensations on the test-drive. So, we will assume that this is our first meeting. And since the first, the proverb comes to memory: they meet by clothes .... We all walked as the color of the car. It is good that the car was not like a bond, frivolous-blue, and the fire-red this color goes both the rodsters in general and Z3 in particular.
Even in the first photographs it was seen that the designers of the new rodster are trying to preserve traditions, the beginning of which was found by the famous BMW 328 (1937). I must say that now it happened even better than when creating Rhodster Z1.
On Z3 Street immediately collected a crowded crowd. Open cars, and even more so expenses, we are very rare. On the road, the car seems very small. But its aggressive view of the sideways, similar to the sharks of the gills, the low front spoiler and the huge hood of alligator type can be frightened by any drivers' gone.
In the cabin of the machine site quite a bit. At first glance it seemed that it was convenient enough to settle there. The only serious problem for high-rise people will be the upper edge of the windshield. I have come just for the level of the eyes when the head of Merzla leaned down the roof. You can, of course, leak the back of the seat and sit down. But then there will be problems with the knees. In the end, it is difficult to demand special comfort from the rhodster.
The interior trim from the car is classic for BMW. Bavarians did not go to the footsteps of colleagues from Mercedes, which were separated by SLK salon in avant-garde style.
The steering wheel on Z3 is very light. However, with such dimensions of the car, the steering wheel could be done smaller. By the way, it would look prepressive.
The roof is manually folded, and quite quickly. Part of the luggage compartment occupies a tent, but a pair of medium-sized bags or a large picnic basket will fit in the trunk.
Cars are equipped with two 1.8 liters engines. and 1.9 liters. We got more powerful. It seemed that 140 l. With. Must make such baby rockets. But Z3 is easier than an ordinary treshki only by 25 kg, so designers managed to win on overclocking only 0.4 seconds. According to the stiffness of the suspension, the roadster is also similar to the classic treshka. About the handling is still difficult to say anything. At the same time, attempts to hang the wheel for a spectacular shot were crowned with success. The car did not drop from asphalt.
We hope that we will soon be able to work with this car. In the meantime, we inform the lovers of the original machines that it is a customs cleared roadster $ 35-40 thousand. Depending on the configuration. You should order a car now, as they produce them a bit, and until summer is not far away.
Savva Simonov
A source: Magazine Motor [№05 / 1996]