NOW here's an oddity. BMW has taken a shine to a design exercise put to it by some of its more forward-thinking engineers, and decided to manufacture a two-seater convertible, something it has not attempted since the Fifties.
Its sales brochure claims that the aim of the exercise is ''to rekindle old dreams, to challenge man to reawaken his slumbering passions through vitality''. Rot, obviously, but I suppose you've got to fill a brochure with something. Luckily, it does not have to convince many people, as BMW is aiming to make only 10 cars a week, and UK demand is already running very high. If you order one now, you might just get it next autumn. Is it worth waiting for?
Well, it depends. The BMW Z1 is a good car if you want to be stared at.
This is the perfect poser's motor: it is very pretty, it is beautifully made as you would expect of a BMW, and it has got doors that do not open. They simply disappear. You press a recessed button on the outside (it is very stiff, and a nightmare for anyone with nails), and the window and door sink down into the bodywork. You then clamber in over the high sill, (very difficult with a raised hood, and extrememly undignified for anyone with a skirt) and pull a handle on the inside. The door and window rise. It really is very impressive. And the interior is nice: a well-crafted combination of leather and cloth and plastic.
On the road, the car's grip is the most impressive aspect: its ability to hold the road is quite astonishing. The performance is less impressive. This car is quick, but not fast; although one should not expect much more from an engine that is the standard item from the BMW 325i. It rides well, the soft-top is easy to get up and down, and it does not seem too noisy at speed.
Not being very experienced with convertibles, I keep forgetting how easy it is to hear what is going on outside the car, even with the hood up. In stationary traffic you can hear the conversations of pedestrians. When a truck roars by, you get the fright of your life.
You might suffer a similar experience when you hear the price. pounds 36,925. You do get anti-lock brakes as standard, in my view the greatest automotive advance since the seat belt, and the car is very green: it has a catalytic converter, and runs on unleaded fuel.
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 140, 143 mph - 163, 177 bhp - Diesel - Available Trims: ES, SE, Sport, M Sport
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 130 mph - 143 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: M Sport, Sport, SE, ES
BMW 3 Series - Saloon - Rear (RWD) - 6 Speed Manual, 6 Speed Automatic - 1995 cc - Max Speed: 137 mph - 150, 170 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: ES, SE, Sport, M Sport
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Advantages: Plenty. Residual values are also truely astonishing! Disadvantages: The rear doors - they don't open very wide and it's hard to manage getting very young children and the elderly in and out
Blackdog23 21.06.2006 ·
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