Test drive BMW Z4 E85 2002 - 2006 convertible

Bavarian "Shark"

This is a real road predator - Rogster BMW Z4
 
If it was only about appearance - well, yes, there is definitely something shark in the appearance of the car - the comparison would look too banal. But the matter is in the essence. By its very nature, the roadster is a predator, without constant movement and food - gasoline, kilometers, turns - it seems capable of wagging. Like any powerful and dangerous creature, it causes at the same time delight and awe. But keeping it in a cage means to make abuse.
 






 
 
 
 
 
 
Get in the parking lot!
 
In America, where Z4 is produced, you can break away on it almost all year round. In Moscow, with unpredictable summer, it is necessary to catch days in order to enjoy the trip with an open top. I was very lucky with the weather, and the roof obscured the sky only in rare cases. But more on this - a little later, but for now - about the indicative episode. A warm evening with a friend, who felt only a princess, rolled up to a large metropolitan cinema. The new film who want to watch is the sea (well, tickets were bought back in the morning), but nearby - not a single free parking space, except for the protective chains. This is where the miracle happened: the keeper of the parking lot gave a sign to stop and uttered to the negotiation device - here BMW Z4, Paring the Central. Hearing approval in response, he helpfully removed the chain, inviting him to leave the car right at the entrance. Of course, I still raised the roof - ten seconds after pressing the desired button - this, by the way, is also a kind of record in the classroom. Moreover, if in a rather voluminous, oddly enough, the trunk lies, the folding top will not hurt them: a special compartment is provided for it.
 
Of course, a miracle has a simple explanation: on the ground floor of the cinema there is a casino, the owners of which act to attract the public just like the owners of all such institutions-in Monte Carlo or, say, in Baden-Baden. Namely: putting on a show and illuminating expensive prestigious cars.
 
I really have something to admire. Familiarities in the BMW 7th series have found the features into Z4, I would say, conciseity and complete. A long hood, low doors and small feed - all this, along with expressive lines of the body and headlights, makes the appearance of the car unusual, bright and angry. Moreover, regardless of whether the roof is installed or not.
 
You can not slowly sit down in a sports leather chair with magnificent lateral support - you can only fall into it. And it doesn’t matter whether the top is set or not. In the latter case, it is only easier to get out of Z4. But since you are inside, and you don’t want to go out between the door and the massive central tunnel, like in a racing machine. And there is a desire to quickly, with the help of electric drives, to adjust the seat and immediately take up a small three -spoke bagel, the rim of which lies in the hand, like the palm of her beloved girl. But - do not rush to run a 3 -liter engine, tune the steering column and at least look around at least around. Pay attention to two separate windows of the speedometer and tachometer (how can you not recall the founder of the genre-Alfa Romeo), on the tree in the decoration, to the control unit of the music center with the compact disk player and on the pens of climate control. Finally, feel the cool chrome of the lever with a 6-speed mechanical gearbox.
 
Only for nuts
 
That's it, are you ready to go? Stop! That's just this key with the inscription Sport cannot be pressed, at least at first! If my will, I would provide it with a warning - Only for Nuts, which in English slang means only for frostbitten.
 
It was calm at that hour Dmitrovskoye Shosse. Until the silence was torn by the tuned exhaust of the BMW, scaring the birds and forcing people at some stop to retreat away from the road. When the arrow of the tachometer exceeds the mark of 3000 rpm, and in the car, and the driver seems to instill a demon. However, the Z4 and the rider is already one whole rushing towards the wind and feeling with each cage, how hard the wheels are clinging to the canvas and how good the asphalt is. But you can’t go here for a long and quickly - here the oncoming already signals the headlights about the police ambush ahead. I inhibit and warn the potential owners of the Rodster: you will have to forget about the habit of habit. Although the pedal allows you to clearly dose efforts, slowing down can be so effective that there is a danger of getting bruises. An employee of the GAI Gi-GDD still raised his wand, and, approaching, discouraged the statement: I even stopped stopping you and it was somehow embarrassed to approach. But still you have passed the indicated settlement at a speed of 84 km/h. True, I did not notice the village, but I gave 50 rubles that solved the problem.
 
Taking advantage of the stop, the friend who was with me demanded to immediately raise the roof. He turned out to be sufficient and a 30 -kilometer trip at a speed of 180 - 200 km/h to spoil the model hairstyle and get the embedded ears. It should be said that Rodster aerodynamics are very close to the ideal. And if you are not sitting too far from the steering wheel, then even at high speed the wind gently concerns the crown. But with growth of 2 meters and in fact - hard.
 
Raising the awning and smelling of the side of the road, we proceeded to the second round. Ten minutes later, having overcome almost fifteen kilometers along the third under Moscow Ring, we leave for the Rogachevskoye Shosse. This road is well known to those who want to raise the level of adrenaline in the blood in a relatively safe way. Almost 60 kilometers are covered with asphalt of good quality, and a series of rise, descents and turns is exactly what is required to check the Sport mode. It is worth clicking on this button, and Z4 begins to respond to the accelerator pedal as a shark for prey. Roadster rushes forward with a monstrous acceleration.
The steering wheel is heavy and becomes very sensitive. Turn, gas, braking, still turn - Z4 reacts with lightning speed to teams and does not demonstrate the slightest desire to break into the skid. Huge wheels (the rear are wider than the front) with low -profile rubber, it seems that no force can knock down from the course. If the moment of demolition is close (any machine is powerless against the laws of physics), the branded stabilization system comes into effect - very correct and competently. But I would not advise her entirely. Such a car does not forgive errors, and it is worth not calculating at the speed at the entrance or exit from the turn or twist the steering wheel, as in an instant you can be on the sidelines. But if you feel quite prepared, then enjoy the honed steering control, the complete absence of body rolls, a tight and, unfortunately, a fairly long-term clutch pedal, a clear transmission algorithm of 6-speed mechanics. You will not even notice how the next turn will be passed at speed twice as high as that is available to ordinary cars.
 
A toy for the rich
 
Buying Z4 is a process and complex (unfortunately, all quotas for Russia have already been selected), and not cheap. So, the tested car, however, with almost all options, costs 60 thousand euros. Moreover, this buyer actually spends money on a weekend car - to ride Z4 in city traffic jams, it is that it is a free beast rushing down the cage. No joy, and envious glances from all sides are a dubious pleasure.
 
It is noteworthy that the rubber is equipped even by the seats heating system. But, you see, it is difficult to imagine a person who travels around the city in severe frost. However, in the summer I really do not want to think about winter ...
 
As for competitors, there are only two of them in the Russian market (among officially delivered relatives) - Mercedes Slk and Honda S2000.
 
Andrey Osipov
 
Brief technical characteristics BMW Z4 3.0
Engine volume, cubic meter. See: 2979
The number of valves for the cylinder: 4
Power, l. With. at about./min.: 231/5900
Max. Torque, Nm/at about. min.: 300/3500
Acceleration to 100 km/h, p.: 5.9
Maximum speed, km/h: 250
Average fuel consumption l./100 km.: 9.1
Fuel tank volume, l.: 55
Dimensions, mm.: 4091x1781x1299
 

Source: "Automobile Izvestia"