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Well, my other thread got carried away, but I wanted to write up a review of the Z4 M Coupe I test drove tonight.
I had an appointment with JM at Calgary BMW and the first thing I want to say is that they treated me with pure class at the dealership. Treated me like a prince, got me a coffee, got to sit in all the showroom cars... then they opened up the glass doors, moved several cars out of the way (including an AM Vanquish) and pulled the showroom floor car out into the rain just so I could go for a test drive. How nice is that?! A+ Calgary BMW. JM is a nice guy too, props to him.
Drove a stunning red 07 M Coupe with every option except Nav. I don't normally like red, but it looked so good on the M Coupe! Hid some of the odd angular lines a bit better than silver or black, maybe? It looked like this one:
First off, JM took me on a little tour around the block, then we got out and changed places and he let me take it for a rip. It was raining, so I didn't drive as hard as I usually would, due to visibility, poor traffic and of course wasn't sure of the grip on the wet corners. I still put it through its paces (I think) including getting the rev's up to the top and slamming on the brakes and checking out the ABS
Overall my review is positive because I really had a lot of fun. I have driven a few quick cars here and there in my life but this was really the best I have driven so far. Some things definitely put a grin on my face even though I was skeptical.
Handling
Handling on this car is amazing. The steering is tight and responsive, almost too responsive (which is a nice feeling). It feels like a sports car. You feel like you can make any turn at any speed. The turn radius is barely larger than the car itself. You feel really connected to the steering as well, it doesn't feel electronic or assisted or soft. Suspension feels sporty, maybe a little rough on the rough patches of deerfoot though at high speeds. Part of this is maybe intentional, you can feel the bumps translated through the steering wheel to your fingertips.
Braking
Brakes, likewise amazing. Best I have ever experienced. You gotta be careful with your brake foot so that you don't accidentally have some dude in a hyundai rear ending you all the time. Can't say enough good things about how fast the brakes stop this car, and how firm and confident the whole car feels.
Acceleration
Acceleration... well, the car is fast, and you know its fast from the gauges. But to be honest it doesn't feel that fast to me. The gears are lonnnng even first and second. It takes a long time to get through second, and although this is good because you are reaching amazing speeds even in second gear by the time you redline it, it doesn't feel like you are "flying through the gears" as they say. It feels like you're waiting. I would rather have the gears shorter just for the fun of changing them. The delivery is also almost too smooth and flat, you don't really get thrown back into your seat at all when you get on it. You can hear the engine get louder and the speedometer is going up, but compared to even a 1.8T I think the seat of your pants feeling is not as exciting in a straight line race. I guess once you go turbo, you never go back... always addicted to that rush of acceleration as the turbo kicks in at higher RPM's. :( The throttle response is pretty good but if there was anywhere that I felt disconnected it was through the gas pedal.
Driving Experience
The steering wheel and transmission feel amazing. Transmission is notched and firm in a nice way, you can feel each gear click and the throw is short. I found myself choking up on the lever a bit and not holding it in my palm. One thing I didn't like is how the shifter is recessed into the central console, so that it appears short, but you can kinda tell its not. After about 5 minutes you can easilly forget about the feel because it is second nature, even heel-toe is super easy almost automatic. Its a really fun driving experience but its very gritty and feels very manual. I think some people might get tired of it. I don't think you could drive this car on a daily basis without always being reminded of how BMW wanted you to feel like you were piloting a car that had some intentional grit and roughness to it. The way that the engine rumbles and the car vibrates and how the brakes and steering and clutch feel... not an easy car to daily drive. Not easy to "forget you're driving" if you want to just sit in traffic or talk to your passenger. You are basically in "driving mode" when driving it. All the time. Suits me since I will be having a daily driver. Might not suit everyone. They definitely didnt want it to feel "refined" but more "base". Sometimes this even feels a bit fake since it is so in your face with how the engine sounds in the cabin.
Interior
Okay interior. Seats are nice but side bolsters feel a bit too plush and kind of bend around your legs rather than being firm and holding you. I have a faily medium ass - if you have a big ass, I think you will ruin your bolsters.... I fit okay. The bolsters do seem like they are more for looks than support. But comfy anyhow. Seatbelt a bit too comfy and soft too, couldn't cinch it tight. Leather is nice but the dash itself is made of godawful plastic that looks like it is from recycled juice boxes or something. Worse than my dad's Pontica maybe. Brushed aluminum trim was nice but it just made the poor plastic look cheaper next to it :( The steering wheel is of course the best thing in the car I found myself with my right leg kind of hitting the center console too a bit, its a bit cramped but not in a bad way, kinda the same as the audi TT. In a nice "cockpit" way where you climb in and feel like everything is close but in reach. Lots of headroom, I would say even a 6'6" person would fit just fine.
Other Criticisms
Visibility when shoulder checking is a major problem. The rear pillars are huge. The side and rear view mirrors are also small and the rear window feels small. You do kind of feel like visibility is an issue, and the blind spots on the rear corners are always going to feel like they are threatening you. I'm a tall guy and I can stretch to look over my shoulder, but still, it is not very good. Stereo kinda sounded like crap even though it had the Premium system. The model I was driving had some kinda On-Star clone in it ("BMW Phone") and the controls for this were in the center armrest near the back, and look UGLY.
Also in a few other spots than the dash you can see that BMW kind of tried to keep costs down and build a stripped down race kind of car. Some of the plastic trim on the outside and inside of the car looks a bit flimsy. The grill and headlights look kinda cheap, the headlights look like they were made by a cheap aftermarket company not top-notch imo. When you are in it you are kind of aware that its a compromise car basically in the opposite way that they compromised in the TT. I think in the TT you get luxury and comfort and quality but maybe lost some raw performance and grit. In the M Coupe you get extra grit and performance but lose out on some luxury items and comfort. I would say that even my Mk4 Jetta feels more luxurious inside overall and more comfortable and higher quality inside in terms of the dash and panels and all that.
Well, thats about all I can think of. Overall the car is fun to drive except that you feel a bit let down by the acceleration/torque (but it is fast). Not for everyone in terms of how it feels but a lot of fun. I am sure it is great fun on the track. The kind of car the Top Gear guys like, for sure.... feels like a toy more than a mode of transportation.
Edit: Going to add some more impressions I remembered overnight.
The clutch on this car is pretty stiff with a really springy feel and long pedal travel. It really adds to the feeling I said above about it being a hard car to forget you're driving. When you release the clutch from the stop, the spring in it almost forces you to be pretty quick, making your launches feel a little sportier than you might like if you're trying to drive civilized. Its also quite a workout on your left foot and knee, way more than any VW I have driven. My knee is actually tired a bit this morning! So I am not exaggerating when I say that its a bit more work. The angle of your seat (a bit low) makes your clutch motion a bit more forward-back than up-down as wel Its really a great clutch for launching but not easy for beginners compared to a nice easy clutch in a VW.
The gauges are also a bit too dim, maybe just coming from the beautiful blue on the VW? They are illuminated in soft white and not very brightly, more of a soft glow but definitely understated and subtle, the windshield is more your focus than the cluster.
One thing I did not like is that you can clearly see the bulge of the hood while sitting in the driver's seat, it rises above the level of the windshield. I can see this being a bit of a pain. I'm sure you would get used to it.
When you're sitting in the car, you feel like there must be lots of car behind you, but there isn't, you're almost at the back! Its a weird feeling.
I didn't get to look at the trunk since I don't much care about the trunk There is no room, and I mean NO ROOM up front for any kind of cargo. I took off my spring jacket and tried to tuck it under JM's legs in the passenger footwell while we drove around - there wasn't even enough room for a small folded up jacket down there. Basically, there is room for legs and only legs. If you had a case of beer you would not be able to sit down unless you held it in your lap.
There was a cup holder to the left of the steering wheel which felt really fragile and IMO was in a bad place and likely to spill.
There is a weird cubby between the seats with a little door that opens. There is quite a lot of space in there but the opening is so small. I don't know what you would put in there. Its kind of like a second glove box I guess?
As I already said the stereo sounded poor. It was a 6 or 8 speaker system but they looked like they were all 3 inch speakers with 2 tweeters in the doors. The deck is built right into the dash and is a bizarre shape so not sure how easy it would be to upgrade :(
I'm gonna compare it vs the Cayman S this week I hope.
I had an appointment with JM at Calgary BMW and the first thing I want to say is that they treated me with pure class at the dealership. Treated me like a prince, got me a coffee, got to sit in all the showroom cars... then they opened up the glass doors, moved several cars out of the way (including an AM Vanquish) and pulled the showroom floor car out into the rain just so I could go for a test drive. How nice is that?! A+ Calgary BMW. JM is a nice guy too, props to him.
Drove a stunning red 07 M Coupe with every option except Nav. I don't normally like red, but it looked so good on the M Coupe! Hid some of the odd angular lines a bit better than silver or black, maybe? It looked like this one:
First off, JM took me on a little tour around the block, then we got out and changed places and he let me take it for a rip. It was raining, so I didn't drive as hard as I usually would, due to visibility, poor traffic and of course wasn't sure of the grip on the wet corners. I still put it through its paces (I think) including getting the rev's up to the top and slamming on the brakes and checking out the ABS
Overall my review is positive because I really had a lot of fun. I have driven a few quick cars here and there in my life but this was really the best I have driven so far. Some things definitely put a grin on my face even though I was skeptical.
Handling
Handling on this car is amazing. The steering is tight and responsive, almost too responsive (which is a nice feeling). It feels like a sports car. You feel like you can make any turn at any speed. The turn radius is barely larger than the car itself. You feel really connected to the steering as well, it doesn't feel electronic or assisted or soft. Suspension feels sporty, maybe a little rough on the rough patches of deerfoot though at high speeds. Part of this is maybe intentional, you can feel the bumps translated through the steering wheel to your fingertips.
Braking
Brakes, likewise amazing. Best I have ever experienced. You gotta be careful with your brake foot so that you don't accidentally have some dude in a hyundai rear ending you all the time. Can't say enough good things about how fast the brakes stop this car, and how firm and confident the whole car feels.
Acceleration
Acceleration... well, the car is fast, and you know its fast from the gauges. But to be honest it doesn't feel that fast to me. The gears are lonnnng even first and second. It takes a long time to get through second, and although this is good because you are reaching amazing speeds even in second gear by the time you redline it, it doesn't feel like you are "flying through the gears" as they say. It feels like you're waiting. I would rather have the gears shorter just for the fun of changing them. The delivery is also almost too smooth and flat, you don't really get thrown back into your seat at all when you get on it. You can hear the engine get louder and the speedometer is going up, but compared to even a 1.8T I think the seat of your pants feeling is not as exciting in a straight line race. I guess once you go turbo, you never go back... always addicted to that rush of acceleration as the turbo kicks in at higher RPM's. :( The throttle response is pretty good but if there was anywhere that I felt disconnected it was through the gas pedal.
Driving Experience
The steering wheel and transmission feel amazing. Transmission is notched and firm in a nice way, you can feel each gear click and the throw is short. I found myself choking up on the lever a bit and not holding it in my palm. One thing I didn't like is how the shifter is recessed into the central console, so that it appears short, but you can kinda tell its not. After about 5 minutes you can easilly forget about the feel because it is second nature, even heel-toe is super easy almost automatic. Its a really fun driving experience but its very gritty and feels very manual. I think some people might get tired of it. I don't think you could drive this car on a daily basis without always being reminded of how BMW wanted you to feel like you were piloting a car that had some intentional grit and roughness to it. The way that the engine rumbles and the car vibrates and how the brakes and steering and clutch feel... not an easy car to daily drive. Not easy to "forget you're driving" if you want to just sit in traffic or talk to your passenger. You are basically in "driving mode" when driving it. All the time. Suits me since I will be having a daily driver. Might not suit everyone. They definitely didnt want it to feel "refined" but more "base". Sometimes this even feels a bit fake since it is so in your face with how the engine sounds in the cabin.
Interior
Okay interior. Seats are nice but side bolsters feel a bit too plush and kind of bend around your legs rather than being firm and holding you. I have a faily medium ass - if you have a big ass, I think you will ruin your bolsters.... I fit okay. The bolsters do seem like they are more for looks than support. But comfy anyhow. Seatbelt a bit too comfy and soft too, couldn't cinch it tight. Leather is nice but the dash itself is made of godawful plastic that looks like it is from recycled juice boxes or something. Worse than my dad's Pontica maybe. Brushed aluminum trim was nice but it just made the poor plastic look cheaper next to it :( The steering wheel is of course the best thing in the car
I found myself with my right leg kind of hitting the center console too a bit, its a bit cramped but not in a bad way, kinda the same as the audi TT. In a nice "cockpit" way where you climb in and feel like everything is close but in reach. Lots of headroom, I would say even a 6'6" person would fit just fine. Other Criticisms
Visibility when shoulder checking is a major problem. The rear pillars are huge. The side and rear view mirrors are also small and the rear window feels small. You do kind of feel like visibility is an issue, and the blind spots on the rear corners are always going to feel like they are threatening you. I'm a tall guy and I can stretch to look over my shoulder, but still, it is not very good. Stereo kinda sounded like crap even though it had the Premium system. The model I was driving had some kinda On-Star clone in it ("BMW Phone") and the controls for this were in the center armrest near the back, and look UGLY.
Also in a few other spots than the dash you can see that BMW kind of tried to keep costs down and build a stripped down race kind of car. Some of the plastic trim on the outside and inside of the car looks a bit flimsy. The grill and headlights look kinda cheap, the headlights look like they were made by a cheap aftermarket company not top-notch imo. When you are in it you are kind of aware that its a compromise car basically in the opposite way that they compromised in the TT. I think in the TT you get luxury and comfort and quality but maybe lost some raw performance and grit. In the M Coupe you get extra grit and performance but lose out on some luxury items and comfort. I would say that even my Mk4 Jetta feels more luxurious inside overall and more comfortable and higher quality inside in terms of the dash and panels and all that.
Well, thats about all I can think of. Overall the car is fun to drive except that you feel a bit let down by the acceleration/torque (but it is fast). Not for everyone in terms of how it feels but a lot of fun. I am sure it is great fun on the track. The kind of car the Top Gear guys like, for sure.... feels like a toy more than a mode of transportation.
Edit: Going to add some more impressions I remembered overnight.
The clutch on this car is pretty stiff with a really springy feel and long pedal travel. It really adds to the feeling I said above about it being a hard car to forget you're driving. When you release the clutch from the stop, the spring in it almost forces you to be pretty quick, making your launches feel a little sportier than you might like if you're trying to drive civilized. Its also quite a workout on your left foot and knee, way more than any VW I have driven. My knee is actually tired a bit this morning! So I am not exaggerating when I say that its a bit more work. The angle of your seat (a bit low) makes your clutch motion a bit more forward-back than up-down as wel Its really a great clutch for launching but not easy for beginners compared to a nice easy clutch in a VW.
The gauges are also a bit too dim, maybe just coming from the beautiful blue on the VW? They are illuminated in soft white and not very brightly, more of a soft glow but definitely understated and subtle, the windshield is more your focus than the cluster.
One thing I did not like is that you can clearly see the bulge of the hood while sitting in the driver's seat, it rises above the level of the windshield. I can see this being a bit of a pain. I'm sure you would get used to it.
When you're sitting in the car, you feel like there must be lots of car behind you, but there isn't, you're almost at the back! Its a weird feeling.
I didn't get to look at the trunk since I don't much care about the trunk
There is no room, and I mean NO ROOM up front for any kind of cargo. I took off my spring jacket and tried to tuck it under JM's legs in the passenger footwell while we drove around - there wasn't even enough room for a small folded up jacket down there. Basically, there is room for legs and only legs. If you had a case of beer you would not be able to sit down unless you held it in your lap. There was a cup holder to the left of the steering wheel which felt really fragile and IMO was in a bad place and likely to spill.
There is a weird cubby between the seats with a little door that opens. There is quite a lot of space in there but the opening is so small. I don't know what you would put in there. Its kind of like a second glove box I guess?
As I already said the stereo sounded poor. It was a 6 or 8 speaker system but they looked like they were all 3 inch speakers with 2 tweeters in the doors. The deck is built right into the dash and is a bizarre shape so not sure how easy it would be to upgrade :(
I'm gonna compare it vs the Cayman S this week I hope.
If it's smoken it ain't broken
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