BMW: Can They Still Make Small Sports Cars?

The BMW Z4 is an accomplished midlife crisis on wheels. This is not to say that the Z4 is not an excellent car. On the contrary...its steering is direct, the clutch engagement is smooth and easy to modulate, and the brakes are fade-free despite some serious stomping from this lead-footed writer. But, and this is a BIG but: the suspension is so hard, I often found myself wishing for a plank of wood to sit on in hopes it would alleviate the pain in my rear end.

So what happens, do you suppose, when you add over 100 horsepower to a light car that is probably scary enough to make Jeremy Clarkson wet himself? You'd think it would be unmanageable. The suspension is so hard already, even imagining going over speed humps at 60mph made my back hurt.

But frankly, it's brilliant! The normal Z4 has only enough power to reach its limits when you plant the throttle. So of course, that's how this writer drove it. The BMW Z4 M (in the tested spec), on the other hand, has 330 horsepower. This much power, in a car that weighs about the same as a squirrel, incites some serious respect. This respect led me to be far more careful in the M than in the normal Z4. And because I was concentrating so hard on not crashing, I paid no attention, whatsoever, to the vertebrae-destroying suspension. So, in this case at least, the scary levels of power made the car a joy.


I realize that most drivers of the Z4 M will likely ignore the respect which this reviewer felt towards that massive power. And I'm sure many of said drivers are much more accomplished than I. And despite the sore bottom, the massive power, smooth transmission, and, shall we say, sporty ride the BMW Z4 M is a true enthusiast's drop-top that deserves a test-drive.

So, did BMW create a true small sports car? In a word - yes.