For a while I've thought BMW should take advantage of the Triumph name that they own to make a roadster to sell through Mini dealers. Make it a 4-cylinder stripped down Miata competitor, then make an upscaled BMW Z4 with a 6-cylinder or a 4-cylinder turbo with more luxury stuff. Maybe even make it in conjunction with Honda and they'll make an S3000 or something.
They could also go the other direction and make a Z6 thats more of a direct Mercedes SL competitor (or undercut it). Put an M3 engine in a big roadster.
It just seems like it would be silly for BMW to totally walk away from from the brand's sporty pretensions.
I can't remember the last time I saw a new Z4 tbh. The first generation seemed really popular, 2nd less so but still saw fairly regularly and the latest ones I've not seen many of at all
I was tempted to get a new Z4 instead of a used 718, because the price delta was nearly $40,000 and that’s hard to ignore. Had I not been working with what feels like a genuinely stupid budget the Z4 would have been in my garage right now. It ticks every normal person’s box and they’re pretty nice looking to boot.
Yeah I had the last 2 gens of Z4s and it's one of my favorite platforms because they're performance values.
The thing with the 718 is of course the mid engine, superior steering, and overall much more fun to drive but it's not like the Z4 is bad, it's just that Porsche is extra, extra special when it comes to tuning small sports cars.
What I'm not seeing with this generation Z4 is the horrific depreciation you normally see with the Z4 which might be just the current market or maybe fewer were produced or people just demand it more.
I disagree the Boxster is much more fun to drive. Both the new M2 and Z are a riot to drive and I would say a lot more entertaining on public roads than my Boxster GTS.
Yeah just like timing chain guides, these automotive engineers fucking kill me… why plastic and why IN THE FUCKING BACK OF THE ENGINE THAT REQUIRES DROPPING THE ENGINE TO REPLACE… FU Audi.
Yeah agreed. I guess what I’m trying to say is I love the styling but don’t like the compromises of getting a soft top in NYC. In traffic surrounded by trucks in my Miata is brutal
With the added suspension bits you get with the Handshitter Package and the insanely tunable B58 you may end up being very right about this prediction.
oGsMustachio@reddit
For a while I've thought BMW should take advantage of the Triumph name that they own to make a roadster to sell through Mini dealers. Make it a 4-cylinder stripped down Miata competitor, then make an upscaled BMW Z4 with a 6-cylinder or a 4-cylinder turbo with more luxury stuff. Maybe even make it in conjunction with Honda and they'll make an S3000 or something.
They could also go the other direction and make a Z6 thats more of a direct Mercedes SL competitor (or undercut it). Put an M3 engine in a big roadster.
It just seems like it would be silly for BMW to totally walk away from from the brand's sporty pretensions.
Flexuasive@reddit
They appear to be gaining in popularity, at least where I'm from. I'm starting to see them much more frequently. It is likely the last one, for now.
SerialExperimentLean@reddit
I can't remember the last time I saw a new Z4 tbh. The first generation seemed really popular, 2nd less so but still saw fairly regularly and the latest ones I've not seen many of at all
jpharber@reddit
Roadster sales crashed HARD after 2008, which is right before the first gen stopped production
dynesor@reddit
I see the new ones fairly often. but for the UK anyway I think they made a mistake by getting rid of the folding hardtop version.
jawknee530i@reddit
They're the only car that every now and then seems like it might be a replacement for my Miata. But then I snap back to reality.
zoobygainz@reddit
Only replacement for a miata is another miata
Jah348@reddit
Last Z4 of this generation*
ibarg@reddit
I really wish they made a coupe version.... so much better looking than the supra.
V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit
It's last roadster that BMW ever made, we know that BMW would never want to touch this segment again.
BahnMe@reddit
If I didn’t already have a 718, I’d jump on one with an M40i and six speed in that great green color with beige interior.
If you’re looking at a B58 car though, make sure to get a newer one with a metal oil pump.
CallLivesMatter@reddit
I was tempted to get a new Z4 instead of a used 718, because the price delta was nearly $40,000 and that’s hard to ignore. Had I not been working with what feels like a genuinely stupid budget the Z4 would have been in my garage right now. It ticks every normal person’s box and they’re pretty nice looking to boot.
BahnMe@reddit
Yeah I had the last 2 gens of Z4s and it's one of my favorite platforms because they're performance values.
The thing with the 718 is of course the mid engine, superior steering, and overall much more fun to drive but it's not like the Z4 is bad, it's just that Porsche is extra, extra special when it comes to tuning small sports cars.
What I'm not seeing with this generation Z4 is the horrific depreciation you normally see with the Z4 which might be just the current market or maybe fewer were produced or people just demand it more.
cookingboy@reddit
I disagree the Boxster is much more fun to drive. Both the new M2 and Z are a riot to drive and I would say a lot more entertaining on public roads than my Boxster GTS.
BahnMe@reddit
The new M2 feels super heavy, there’s only so much suspension trickery you can do to fight inertia. I prefer the previous gen M2.
cookingboy@reddit
The previous gen M2 was awesome. It was such a fun car on the canyons. The only downside was the mushy manual.
BahnMe@reddit
BMW and mushy or truck like manuals, name a more iconic duo.
I still haven’t driven a better manual than the S2000, just human machine precision perfection. Wish all manuals were like that.
KarmaticEvolution@reddit
Crazy that oil and water pumps (that are moving very high temperature liquids) were ever made of plastic.
BahnMe@reddit
Yeah just like timing chain guides, these automotive engineers fucking kill me… why plastic and why IN THE FUCKING BACK OF THE ENGINE THAT REQUIRES DROPPING THE ENGINE TO REPLACE… FU Audi.
Pinecone@reddit
How many versions of B58 are there now?
Quick_Coyote_7649@reddit
I presume itll likely just be suceeded, if it’s not though that’ll suck. Itll mean that the only “sports car” you can buy from them is the 8 series.
kneedoorman@reddit
It will never be a pure ICE roadster with manual ever again
zoobygainz@reddit
I wish they made these in a hardtop convertible
BahnMe@reddit
The last gen came in hardtop and it was a mistake.
zoobygainz@reddit
Yeah agreed. I guess what I’m trying to say is I love the styling but don’t like the compromises of getting a soft top in NYC. In traffic surrounded by trucks in my Miata is brutal
pablxo@reddit
These will age beautifully and hot take: these will become the S2000 of this generation of automobiles. Especially the manuals.
CallLivesMatter@reddit
With the added suspension bits you get with the Handshitter Package and the insanely tunable B58 you may end up being very right about this prediction.
bullseye717@reddit
Every discontinued car is gonna be like Star Wars: Somehow, ~~Palpatine~~ the Camaro has returned.
BobSapp@reddit
Gonna trademark z5 BRB