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Written by JST
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Monday, 05 May 2003 |
I just went to the Komen event; I managed to drive 4 cars (a 745, a Z4 2.5, a 525iA SP, and a 330CiCA SP).
The 745 was the main event. I am going to have to echo the sentiments
of nearly every review I've read: dynamically, this car kicks ass. The
engine is outstanding. This car really walks and talks, and the
midrange acceleration is just explosive. At 75, a kickdown brings an
onslaught of power, and the car just blasts up into the triple digits.
The handling is also very well sorted. While the steering is a little
light, there is very little body roll and the car changes direction
with an tossability that belies its huge, thundering weight. This is a
car that you could cover a lot of ground in.
Then, there are the negatives. The ergonomics are worse than I imagined
they could be. The seat adjusters are counterintuitive, the turn signal
stalks and shift lever answer questions that no one asked (was anyone
really clamoring for a redesign of these parts?). The iDrive system is
distracting and impenetrable; is there a way to shut that damn computer
monitor off?
I have nothing new to add to the styling debate; let me just say that
the car has not grown on me, and I still find both the interior and
exterior detailing as repellant as I did the first time I saw the car.
In short, it's a fantastic dynamic package fatally marred by the
godawful interior and exterior detailing. I love driving it, but I
would never buy that car.
I can't get excited about the Z4, but I've never been a roadster
person, so I guess I am not the best person to ask. The only roadster
I've ever really enjoyed was the Miata, and though the Z4 is faster,
the Miata is more fun.
Originally posted on bimmerfest.com.
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