Shark

BMW's new design direction really offends my eye.

loki

That's a stretch.

steve c

No I was commenting on the line formed by the conjuntion of the front bumper and the hood. No grace.

Rspec99

They really should have made the hood extend down to the trademark kidney grills like the E46 3-series.

There are really some strange design elements on the Z4. The top looks almost like a bubble and the angle created by the rear window looks rather abrupt. The rear fender has a strange lateral line bisecting it just aft of the doors.

I guess the colour to get the Z4 in is black. You'll save on the metallic paint cost, the joint lines will be not so obvious as well as the funky "Z" cattle-branding on the side.

S2000typeR

Ahh! MSRP on the 3.0i is $41,000! I'll stick with the S thank you very much.

Rspec99

From a performance perspective I believe the 3.0 is going to be a better performer than we anticipate. Having recently driven a BMW 330i, the motor feels much more powerful than the numbers indicate and some have even suggested that it is actually underrated as with some BMW engines. Unfortunately, from what I've read the ASC and DSC III systems prevent proper dyno test results to substantiate thses claims.

Given that a 5 speed 330i already runs high 14's, and a high 5 second 0-60, the Z4 that is about 300lbs lighter and utilizes a 6 speed transmission ought to run considerably better.

airgate

Damn, I don't know. I'll reserve my opinions until I see one in person but I gotta give out some SUPER THANKS to loki for sharing these real world pics! It's amazing how different a car looks in the "real" world.

I gotta say I like it better in these pics than any other ones I have seen. Now, bear in mind. I said I liked it better. Not that I liked it or anything. Alright, clear?

Now, I do have to say that the side profile shot is somewhat disturbing. The rear has a sudden drop after the top. I'm not liking that very much, but again, gotta see it in the flesh.

Ted

I'll take the S2000 and the 10 grand, thanks

Porsche951

From certain angles I like it, that bubble top looks a bit odd however. I'm really more interested in what improvements BMW has made to the chassis. The old one had way too much cowl shake. Will the Z4 have the rigidity that is comparable to the S2000?

gregstevens

I have never been a fan of the Z3 and the Z4 gives me no reason to change that. It's sort of elegant in a weird kind of way, but it's just got all these goofy angles and swooping curves that just don't flatter the car, IMO. I do, however, look forward to seeing one in person, I reserve the right to change my mind...but it's not likely to happen!

And the instrument cluster just like it was lifted straight out of a 1976 Dodge Dart. That's horrible...



Thanks for linking the shots, loki...