Test drive BMW Z4 E85 2002 - 2006 convertible

From another life

The BMW company throughout its history has positioned itself as a car manufacturer for active drivers. Moreover, BMW models are distinguished by enviable dynamics and honed controllability, regardless of their size and engine volume. And from time to time the company gives real masterpieces of automobile architecture, you can mention model 850, for example, or now produced X5. The fresh development of the German manufacturer BMW Z4 is clearly from the same category.


The history of BMW double machines began in 1936 with the 328 model, which once won more than 130 international races, including Mille Miglia and Le Mans. In 1955, model 507 appeared, one of the fastest and most technically advanced road machines of that period.


In 1987, Roadster Z1 saw light. The car was designed by BMW Technik GmbH only as a platform to demonstrate new technologies, but the public liked it so much that it was launched into the series. For four years, about 8 thousand Z1 were sold around the world (for comparison: model 507 was released in only 252 copies).


In 1995, the first BMW Z3, \u200b\u200bwhich became the most popular relative in the history of the company over seven years of producing, sold almost 300 thousand cars (including Z3 and M, which began in 1998), left the conveyor of the plant in Spartanburg, the USA.


In the fall of 2002, the BMW Z4 was replaced by Z3. The official debut of the car took place at last year's international car dealership in Paris. Sales in the United States began immediately, and in Europe (including in Moscow) in April this year.


For me, so this relatives can be admired endlessly. Yes, this is precisely a class with a soft roof, not a convertible. I am sure that Z4 is the most beautiful car of all the BMW today. To say that he looks unusual is to say nothing. The developers worked for fame by the machine demonstrates the designer passages of the middle of the last century, adjusted for the sake of the present century. During the day of movement in Moscow, I miraculously did not cause a good dozen accidents. And all because the metropolitan drivers, who, it would seem, will no longer surprise anything, as if on command, glanced at Z4, only he appeared in the field of vision.


I must say that with my height (170 cm) and complexion you can easily accommodate even in the formula car, not to mention mass autoproom products. But inside the BMW Z4 I began to develop claustrophobia. Am I sitting well? Definitely yes. Conveniently extended his legs, adjusted the pillow and back of the chair in an ideal position, lowered a little and moved the steering wheel to him ... It seems that nothing constrains the movement, but there is some kind of discomfort, as if on me alien tight clothes. This sensation is facilitated by a miniature instrument shield, and a tiny light switch hidden behind the steering wheel on the steering wheel on the console, and a tiny climate control remote control. Everything is as if for lilliputs. And try to get a finger at any of these buttons on the go ...


Perhaps the low opaque soft roof was still pressed, but the temperature was slightly higher than well, I dripped the rain, and there was no question of removing the top. After a couple of hours, the rain ended, and I, wrapping myself in a scarf and having a clutch, eliminated the ceiling. The car became brighter, but not spacious. In addition, hesitated to the bones.


The roof is electric, folds simply amazingly (of course, only when the car is still in place). You press the button, a quiet buzz is heard the tent quickly and exclusively begins to clean. Something leaves there, picks up, the glasses are lowered, rise ... At the same time, the control light flashes until the process is completely completed, ten seconds.


A few more words about miniature. In Z4 there is no full -fledged glove box in the one that is, only the instruction for the owner of the car will fit. And the pocket in the door? A narrow gap, in which a pack of cigarettes will not pass, except perhaps the ladies' Vogue! But it will not work to get it on the go, you will have to stop and open the door. For a long time I was looking for where to attach a jar of soda. Nowhere! Thank you, the passenger found a small net on its part of the transmission tunnel. From the driver's seat, the net is not visible and inaccessible. On the one hand, it is stupid to demand increased comfort from the Rodster. On the other hand, the price of a car is more than $ 50,000 ...


BMW Z4 is equipped with 3 l with a 231 -hp engine with at 5900 vol./min. The maximum moment is 300 nm at 3500 rpm. The box is a six -speed manual (there is a version with a 2.5 liter engine in 192 hp and a five -speed box). The indicators are not bad, but currently not overwhelming. The highlight of the car with 3 liters of the engine is excellently configured (acoustic) exhaust. With such a sound background, the manufacturer could not be spent either on a rather frisky motor or on a 6-speed checkpoint.


The dynamics of Z4 is good, although the imagination is not amazing. On a good suburban highway, it was possible to carry out the BMW 328 engines comparable in power. With a simultaneous start from the place of the car, a nostril went to the nostril until about 195 km/h, then I moved to the sixth and slowly went forward. Trushka had no sixth gear ...


The box is normal. With quite close gears and at the same time comfortable, not annoying the need for frequent switching. The suspension is correct, but too hard, racing in the city is not needed.


The car has a lot of equipment helping driver. For example, the DDC system (Dynamic Drive Control), which accelerates the engine reaction to gas pedal. The system is tied to an electric steering amplifier accordingly changes its characteristic. As an option, a robotic six -speed SMG box with electronic control is offered. There are disconnected stabilization systems and APS. In standard configuration, tires with pressure sensors are not afraid of punctures ...


The manufacturer, in my opinion, was absolutely correctly preferred to allocate a racing component in Z4, waving his hand to comfort. Comfort, dear, you will receive in your service limousine, and here you please work hard, honing racing skills. The car may seem like a lamb only in the parking lot, when you move at a speed of 5 km/h, and the steering wheel amplifier shows all its power. Here you can cope with the control with one finger. But it is worth a little accelerated, as the steering wheel is poured with weight and becomes very informative. After 100 km/h, it is sharp without reservations. The machine responds very nervously to its slightest movements, but the matter here is not only in the transmitted way of the steering mechanism.


The Z4 layout is such that the driver sits almost above the rear axle, and the whole car is in front of it. Like in steam locomotive. Or in a boat with a suspended engine. The guided wheels are somewhere far ahead, and the car reacts to their turn unusually the front hand makes a sharp swing to the side (you can get used to it, however). Faced with such behavior, I stopped and re -adjusted the landing of the back is absolutely straight, the steering wheel is strongly pulled to my chest. Only in this way, using the muscles of the hands and back, you can reliably hold this powerful brisk machine in a given course.


Needless to say, you quickly get tired of such a aerobatics. Rodster Z4 is not in the city stream, but on the racing highway. Probably, he would look quite appropriate, for example, on the north loop of Nürburgring among specially prepared cars. However, the race is a helmet, a security frame. And here is only a soft awning above the head ...


It is quite obvious that this machine should be the second or even third in the garage of a wealthy person who can afford to enjoy on weekends, rising with a cleaned free paths near Moscow. And even better somewhere on the French Riviera, under the sun, with a sea view, at a speed of not higher than 60 km/h. The peculiarity of the Moscow exploitation when you go with the cleaned roof, it smells. Not a car air, and bad. God forbid to be in an open car in a traffic jam!


By the way, it is worth removing the roof, how the amazing sound of the exhaust is being spoiled, and the juicy notes completely disappear. Weird. Everything explained the manufacturer’s press release. It turns out that it doesn’t sound exhaust in Z4, but the unique Engine Sound System does not sound in a special way processes pressure pulsations in the intake path of the engine and transfers them to the salon, creating an appropriate auditory illusion of its inhabitants, which disappears without a roof.


I'm afraid that BMW Z4 is not waiting for a large amount of sales. This car is very specific. Insanely beautiful, but still created more for pampering. Although, according to Moscow dealers, the number of orders for this year has already exceeded the quota established for Russia. I, perhaps, will limit myself to a big poster with my new acquaintance over the desktop. And the soul warms, and inexpensive.
 
Boris Schulmeister
 

Source: Motor magazine [June 2003]