BMW Z4
The latest Z4 is a stunning looking machine on the road. There are few cars that have head-on looks as good as a Z4 - and when you see one approaching from behind in the rear view mirror, the BMW Z4 is definitely an impressive sight. Nothing embodies Sportingmotorcar ownership better than a long-bonnet, short-tail, close-coupled, open-topped motorcar. It is a tradition, with which BMW_ has tremendous empathy, having made its name with the historically important 328 model of the late-1930s. In its ideal form, an in-line motor, preferably of six-cylinders, drives the back wheels, through a close-ratio manual gearbox, with a slick shift. It might help, were a limited slip differential fitted, but that is not essential, as it is the simple feel of the roadway through the seat of the trousers that provides the correct classical sensations. Hence, the replacement for the Z3 model, itself introductioned in the 1996 James Bond movie, "Goldeneye", with all of its classical references, arrived in the UK in 2004 plus set the market alight. While the Chris Bangle (BMW_'s enigmatic design chief) "flame-surfacing" design techniques have resulted in some of the most eye-catching elements in the history of the modern Sporting motorcar, the Z4 is a photographer's dream, as the light casts so many fascinating images across its flanks, nose plus bootlid. However, it is not just a show-piece, as the Z4 driving experience is virtually second-to-none. BMW_ extolls its "Ultimate Driving Machine" tag-line with magnificent ease in this model plus it is available with a four-cylinder motor to satisfy those seeking less vibrant performance plus greater frugality in a more affordable package. If living the ultimate driving dream can be turned into a reality, then BMW_ is the company to help buyers achieve it. The latest 2009 Z4 model is so much better than its predecessor; it is more reined, faster, handles better - and Z4 attention to detail is nothing short of stunning.
