2006 BMW M Coupe

As auto enthusiasts know, the â??Mâ? in BMWâ??s automobile nomenclature means â??fast.â? The Z4 M coupe hikes the bar on a sports car that is considered a class leader.

BMW engineers have transplanted the running gear and power train of the very competent M3 sedan to the Z4 sports car. Hereâ??s how it works. The M3â??s suspension components are tuned to the Z4 coupe and roadster. For example, the spring rates for the coupe are higher and the damping more aggressive when compared to the roadsterâ??s settings. Both Z4 Ms use the M3â??s front struts and rear multilink suspension, rear subframe, limited-slip differential (M Variable Differential Lock), rear anti-roll bar mounting points, wheel bearings, and front control arms, while the vented, cross-drill rotors and single-piston calipers were brought over from the M3 Competition package.

Further, the short-throw, well-spaced six-speed manual gearbox also comes over from the M3. A hydraulically assisted rack-and-pinion steering replaces the normal electric power unit of the Z4s, which has led to some critical reviews regarding the Z4â??s lack of subtle steering feedback. Add it all up and the sum is greater than the parts, as the lighter Z4 M is a more willing and superior performer on the track.

BMW also did a heart transplant on the Z4 by tapping their M3 donor for its jewel of a motor. The award-winning S54 inline six uses a cast iron block so that its 100-plus hp per naturally aspirated liter can be safely contained within its 3.2 liters. The engine is crammed with BMW technology: six individual throttle bodies, DOHC, 24-valves actuated by the Double VANOS variable valve timing system, and an 11.5:1 compression ratio. All of this produces 330 hp at 7,900 rpm â?? just 100 rpm short of the 8,000 rpm redline and 3 hp less than the M3 due to exhaust system constraints â?? with 262 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm and 80% of that maximum torque available from 2,000 rpm. The EPA estimates 16/24 mpg and Road and Track observed 19.9 mpg in its comparison test of an M coupe against a Porsche Cayman S.  

Cram all of that power in a two-seater thatâ??s 117 pounds lighter than the donor M3 and Car and Driver ripped a 4.6 second 0-60 blast in an M roadster. However, running through the twisties, specifically those on the Nordschleife (Northern Circuit of Germanyâ??s Nurburgring), the M coupe out ran the M roadster and the M3. Reviewers raved over the Mâ??s handling. They found that the Z4 M has a hard edge to it. A Road and Track editor commented that it felt like â??a German Viperâ? naturally, more refined, â??but still with that aggressive, powerful nature.â? Reviewers seemed addicted to ripping off 8,000 rpm shifts and powering out of perfectly carved corners. Car and Driver recorded 0.90 g on their skidpad and compared the car to a cheetah. Continuing the characterization, they found that a car capable of â??feline responsesâ? is one that offers only a â??modicum of complianceâ? in the daily drive â?? while not â??a go-kartâ? you will know â??every expansion joint and concrete patch the tires encounter.â? The Z4 M exhibits minimal understeer that is easily corrected with the throttle.

The interior is elegant and business-like; that business being - the road. The well bolstered seats are M sport buckets - they hold you in place in perfect reach of everything necessary to work the carâ??s driving potential. The steering wheel has telescoping and tilting functions to aid in your perfect fit. Yet, the combination of wood, leather, and brushed aluminum trim bits let you know itâ??s a BMW cockpit.

M continues to signify the â??fast and the furiousâ? in the BMW lineup.