REVIEWS AND ROAD TESTS

James Bond is a lucky guy

What’s not to like about BMW’s all-new Z8. It is, after all, a sports car built on an unlimited budget by a company that’s already proven it can design some of the most desirable cars on the planet. There’s looks to die for, enough torque to alter the earth’s rotation and, of course, James Bond drives one (at least he did in The World Is Not Enough, 007’s latest homage to espionage and bountiful babes).Styling wise, the BMW is quite a departure for the normally-conservative BMW. Inside there’s tons of polished aluminum and a totally unique, painted dashboard. But the best part of the interior is the gauge set. Switch on the high beams and they’re illuminated by a eerie orange light that diffuses away from the needles. On the downside, the relatively small cabin means that the stereo/navigation system controls are quite small, making them clumsy to use. And the system’s screen is just too teeny to be practical. Also, the electrically- retractable roof requires some fiddling to close properly.

Outwardly, the Z8 mimics some of the cues of BMW’s original coupe, the 507, as well as the notably muscular fender bulges of the Z3. But the chrome tidbits (mirrors, fender louvers and front grille) are all Z8 as are the neon taillamps and turn signals (a world first and eight times more expensive than normal lights claims BMW). It’s a beauteous beast seen its best light from the side or the rear. I’m still not 100 percent convinced about the front end treatment, but the overall effect is nonetheless engaging.Of course, one could carp about the $190,000 pricetag that relegates the Z8 squarely in the dot.com CEO and uber-mafioso snack bracket. And we’re not talking about your minor drug lords here. The Z8 is a two- seater only marginally practical for winter use and certainly won’t pass for a family vehicle. So you’ll need a 7-Series for your everyday driver. In other words, Z8 ownership announces you as the capo di tutti capo, reason enough I suppose, for some to part with over two hundred large.

But thankfully not the only reason. Get past that oh- so-gorgeous exterior and the major reason the independently foolish are drooling (and if reports of the advance orders are true, they are indeed embarrassing themselves with automobile lust) is that great honking motor under the front bonnet.

Liberated from the M5, the 5.0 litre V8 is rated at an impressive 400 horsepower (though Munich insiders swear there’s as much as 425 ponies lurking in there). Considering that Z8 weighs about 400 pounds less than BMW’s super sedan, it takes little imagination to anticipate scintillating performance.

The Z8 doesn’t disappoint. I could gush with enough superlatives to fill this entire section, but suffice it to say aftermarket tuners won’t be making much money selling turbochargers to boost the Z8’s acceleration. Row the six-speed manual transmission fast enough and the Z8 will scamper to 400 metres (just a little less than a quarter mile) in a very supercar-like 12.9 seconds. The powerband is a mile wide with the big V8 making power right off idle all the way to its 6,500 rpm redline.

It’s an aural delight, too. Mash the throttle above 4,000 rpm and the twin exhaust pipes react with V8 basso profondo that would make any stock car jealous.

And nothing that’s ever worn a NASCAR sticker ever sounded so sophisticated or generated so little vibration. In fact, the only thing wrong with all that power is that it can be a little intimidating on serpentine roads. Though the Z8 handles with exquisite precision, having all that power at your disposal requires a little discretion with the loud handle, particularly when BMW’s Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is switched off. Especially in the first two gears, the Z8 will light up its huge 275/40ZR18 Bridgestone Potenzas with remarkable ease.

Other than the need for a temperate throttle foot, the Z8 goes scoots around corners with aplomb for a car weighing 1585 kilograms. There’s precious little body roll and the steering is wonderfully light for a car so heavy. It’s not as chuckable as BMW’s own M- Roadster, but it’s more sporting than, say, a Jaguar XK8.

Constructed of lightweight aluminum (with a little carbon fibre thrown in for good measure), the Z8’s body panels seem thicker than anything else on the road. Even on the roughest roads I’ve ever driven a roadster across, the Z8 exhibited not an iota of cowl shake. It’s probably the only convertible more rigidly constructed than Mercedes tank-like SL500. It’s one reason why the Z8’s ride seems so comfortable despite its aggressive suspension. The dampers may pass some of the road irregularities onto the chassis, but at least it doesn’t exacerbate the intrusion.

Certainly, anyone looking an ultra-expensive coupe is not going to be disappointed. Just shopping a four- wheeled indulgence in this price range means you don’t really need to worry about practical matters like the Z8’s lack of cupholders or the placement of the CD changer behind the rear seat. You have other cars for that.

Nonetheless, it still makes the M5 sedan seem a relative bargain and miles more practical. As delightful as the Z8 is, it doesn’t shake my conviction that the former is the best car in the world, even if its roadster sibling will gather a larger crowd in front of the Friday ’ s.

PROS
Chassis rigidity
Fantastic engine
Amazing performance