2006 BMW Z4 3.0si Road Test

The Stylish Stylist

What a difference one little s can make. While the 3.0si is not the top of the Zee line (that honor goes to the M Roadster, or the M Coupé perhaps, if they can truly be considered Zees), it easily could be thanks to its balance of engine and handling making for a livable car with a wild child always lurking around the next bend. Yeah, I pretty much spent the whole week around that bend, finding out just how much its back end likes to come out and play. Okay, I exaggerate, I also spent about an hour and a half soaking up mellow, pastoral vibes when I was driving my mom around The County (Prince Edward County), soaking up the rays and the fresh country air, and I found the Z4 a great companion for that kind of relaxing, leisurely cruise as well.

No matter how you drive it, youll look good in it, thats for sure. This car is a creature of beauty, slinky and seductive as only a roadster can be. Its long bare hood is like an alluring expanse of skin when viewed from the drivers seat, but its from the side profile that I most loved admiring it. While simple in form, it is rich in detail, with a carefully orchestrated series of creases dancing across the doors and fenders, the boldest production expression of BMWs trademark flame surfacing, closely mirroring the original XCoupé concepts radical vision, though the Black Sapphire metallic was rather picky about which lighting conditions were best for multiplying the complex surfaces into a dance of reflections and shadows.

The interior of my tester managed to turn up the heat and ramp up the shock value with lurid red leather worthy of an exotic concept car, or exotic dancer for that matter. Standing outside and looking in was slightly overwhelming, with the seats entirely covered in what BMW calls New England Dream Red Leather. One persons dream is anothers nightmare, but once I settled into my seat with a passenger in place the remaining swaths of red on the door trim were a pleasurable and lively splash of color onto the monochromatic black and silvery aluminum palette of the interior.

The seats are borrowed from the M Roadster, part of the Sport Package, and theyre extremely supportive, well bolstered and sublimely cosy once I used the variety of power adjustment options available at my fingertips. Finding my personal comfort zone was a matter of twitching my fingers, but getting in and out of this very low roadster is a chore, and the neck strain and risk to ones forehead increase significantly with the top up. Even with the top down, slinking into the seats that are only about a foot above the ground requires a combination of balance and sacrifice, so anyone with a sensitive back or delicate limbs may want to consider a slightly more practical vehicle.

For those who dont mind that initial sacrifice, the rewards are aplenty. As I mentioned earlier, the cabin mixes materials and adds a dash of color, but everything comes to a climax when you grab hold of the artfully composed steering wheel and twist the key in the ignition, bringing the 3.0L inline six to life. From the very first spark to the silky rumble at idle to the screaming approach to redline, this engine never failed to please, its Valvetronic variable timing offering an equally adept surge of power almost anywhere in the rev band, meaning it was often a no brainer when slinging it around corners or launching it down backcountry roads.

A side note about the engine is in order here, because although both the 3.0i and the 3.0si feature 3.0-liter inline sixes, and both employ BMWs double-VANOS variable valve timing, the engine in the 3.0si is the R6, the latest BMW masterpiece. This straight-six features a magnesium-aluminum composite alloy crankcase to reduce weight (that in part saves 22 pounds while the engine itself is 31 pounds lighter) and make it one of the lightest powerhouses in its class. The R6 is also the first six-cylinder BMW engine to feature the aforementioned Valvetronic, which adjusts the valve opening times and the valve timing infinitely and according to the position of the accelerator pedal, offering great advantages in engine response and performance at higher revs as well as improving fuel efficiency.

It should be mentioned that the old entry level 2.5i is gone to pasture despite not reviewing the base Z4 this week, so the new base model, now the 3.0i, is no wimp, making 215 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque from as low as 2,750 rpm, but the 3.0si rings in at a maximum 255 hp at 6,600 rpm and 220 lb-ft at a leisurely 2,750 rpm. Lets not talk about the M Roadster since theres no Zee to be found, plus it might make the other Zees feel a little inadequate.

The Zees should in no way feel inadequate anyway, since they both hit 100 clicks in under seven seconds, with the 3.0si connected to a manual the fastest at six flat. Speaking of six flat, that is also the number of forward gears eagerly riding the wave of revs up to the 7,000 rpm redline. The clutch is firm and even, but a little long, and the shifts are short and each upshift clicks into its gate satisfyingly and firmly. If youre looking for gear ratios, feel free to look them up for yourself on BMWs site, but without getting too technical I found the spacing well measured with the considerable torque band masking any inadequacies. One of my favorite things to do during my week with the 3.0si was slotting the shifter back into 4th on the highway and chillin at cruising speed, keeping the tach needle at noon, then just dabbing the throttle and feeling the sweet crush of g-forces pressing me into my seat. Silly fun.

While highway fun is silly and all, what I liked most about the 3.0si, and the Z4 in general I suppose, is how I felt surrounded and serenaded by the engine and its operatic range. With the top down and the pedals working in concert, the engine revs to the sky and all the way back down to earth, spinning out an epic anthem, yet an intimate song that bonds car and driver, helping me feel a connection to the heart of the machine that makes the drive worth taking.

And while the heart beats strongly and loudly, the chassis also communicates how the road is straightening beneath you, not only through its sharp, slightly muted steering (old school rack & pinion, still a favorite), but more importantly via a firm, but not quite rough suspension.

That suspension is almost exactly how I would ask an engineer to tune mine for day to day driving, because its not rock hard but I can still feel road imperfections thoroughly as well as any limits of grip on the road. The components of the suspension are nothing revolutionary, with MacPherson struts up front and a central link rear axle managing an excellent balance and leaving enough room for a 8.5 cubic-foot trunk; plenty of room for most minor luggage, but not necessarily ideal for antiquing, another favorite pastime when in the County. Another delicate balance achieved with the suspension components in use, as well as the chassis itself, is a near perfect 50:50 front:rear weight distribution, helping keep the car flat around needless, deserted parking-lot autocross tests.

While the car remains horizontally flat, as I mentioned earlier, this little puppy is a tail wagger if you get adventurous on tight turns, but with BMWs Dynamic Driving Control dialled in (press the Sport button on the centre console) it sharpens throttle response and steering inputs (and also affects the transmission in automatics), plus the Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) dialed back one level, leaving only the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) active, the cars brain holds the electronic driver aids off a little bit longer, but kicks them in at a more distant edge to balance out rotation and therefore keeps you coming out of the turn settled and, well… facing forward.

Thats a whole lot of Dynamic options, but you can also turn both DSC and DTC completely off if you hold the button down for four seconds, a feature only for purists and psychotics who love flying without a safety net. With full DTC mode enabled, the traction control is virtually seamless, and even better at keeping you locked on your line around curves because it slips in a little earlier and lets you simply steer your way out without throttle adjustments. If I spent more time drifting I might have disabled all the electronics, but with a smattering of wet weather and a variety of degraded surfaces almost everywhere I travelled, I generally preferred the standard setting because it kept me happy, safe and out of ditches.

If you do manage to find the trouble, the 4-channel ventilated disc brakes at all four corners should pull you down to speed in a hurry, gripping down on 12.8-inch rotors in the front (up from 11.8 in the 3.0i) and 11.6 inches in the rear. They were more than adequate for my needs, but in the event they fail, the Z4 has an extremely rigid body structure, and enough safety devices to protect you and your passenger from almost any angle, but as with any small car, its likely not wise to tangle with semis.

Im quickly running out of areas to dissect in a car that is, at best, an occasional or seasonal vehicle for denizens of the north eastern states, the often colder midwest or the depressingly wet northwest. Californian, Arizonian, New Mexican and Floridian readers can skip ahead a paragraph happy in the knowledge that the rest of America is jealous of your year-round convertible weather. For the rest of us, the Z4s sporty character, rear-drive layout and questionable visibility with the top up severely limit its practicality in the heavy weather months, but you probably dont need me to tell you that.

Then again I do love pointing out the obvious, like the fact that it only has two seats, so only two people can sit in it, legally. Then again, that is at least more honest than some of the seats Ive seen in so-called 2+2 drop-tops (the +2 might as well be a synonym for torturous contortion-inducing confinement). Im not even going to mention some 7-occupant SUVs. And while the Z4 is not the worst offender in terms of sightlines, the convertible top robs you of the unrestricted view and creates a bit of a claustrophobic environment.

As for quibbles with the top down, there was an unholy squeak and rattle coming from the passenger side rollbar cover that complained at every sharp turn or jittery pothole; not necessarily applicable to all Z4s, but perhaps symptomatic of slightly less than Germanic assembly at BMWs Spartanburg, South Carolina assembly facility. When calmly cruising about, the cabin is generally serene, but it often reminded me that it was time for a haircut, the effect of airflow impinging on average to taller folks such as myself.

Despite American assembly the price remains Bavarian, with the Z4 range starting at $42,100 for 3,020 lbs worth of metal, glass and plastics. The 3.0si starts at an eyebrow-raising $42,100 and can climb to an Alpine-like mid-$50K territory with options like Navigation ($1,800), Bi-Xenon headlights with auto leveling ($700), or a 6-speed automatic with Steptronic manual-mode and paddle shifters ($1,275), not to mention its various packages. As far as this price bracket goes, Boxsters and SLKs are also in there, and if youre only interested in the driving experience and looks, you can take a step down the price ladder and slide into an MX-5 Miata, which has much of the fun and all of the wind-in-the-hair experience, although youll never feel as coddled or pampered.

If my testers almost $50K tag sounds pricey to you, it is, but this is a statement car, and that statement is that you make enough money to drop a substantial chunk of change on an occasional, accessory car. However, unlike many accessories, this one is a functional tool, a purpose-built machine not only honed to bring its driver great pleasure but also for a gratifying connection between man/woman and machine.

The 3.0si is a machine of great capability, but in my eyes the Z4s rare and truly modern beauty separate it from the many conventional attempts at this same two-place roadster form, justification enough for having one parked in the garage for your own private viewing on those days when the sun wont come out to play. 

2006 BMW Z4 - $26,999
Norristown, PA 19403