BMW Z4 M Roadster 2006 Review

And there is always the opportunity for a super sprint to 100km/h in only five seconds.

But . . . the BMW Z4 M Roadster is a flawed car. It is not as good to drive as an M3, it demands total attention every time you do more than just trickle down the road, and the design work and final finishing is nowhere near what we expect in a BMW.

Let alone an M car costing $130,500.

How can that be?

In some ways, the M Roadster is a step too far for the Z4 design. We think the droptop two-seater is nicest at the most basic level — with a 2.5-litre engine and a $77,600 price — because the package is swift, well balanced, comfy and responsive.

It also wins out over a range of fresh-air rivals including the cheaper Mazda MX-5, the softer Mercedes SLK and the less refined Nissan 350Z.

The M-car, in contrast, is a rowdy rocket that tries too hard in some ways and doesn't do enough in others. And it never beats a Porsche Boxster.

It's the same with the M Coupe, which we drove at the world press preview in Spain.

It is great on a racetrack when you are absolutely hammering and tapping all its M strengths for speed and cornering enjoyment, but it is far less satisfying on an ordinary road at legal speeds.

Even the boss of M admits that his two newest children, the M Coupe and Roadster, were rushed through the system at the hot car division.

SOME corners were trimmed to get them going as soon as possible, and — don't mention this to BMW Australia — some things could, and should, have been done better.

The Z4-based Ms are also out in time to get them going before BMW unveils the next M3, which has a complete body change and will also come with a compact V8 powerplant that will make the current in-line six look as fresh as yesterday's fish.

Even so, BMW Australia is big on the car.

"The arrival of the Z4 M Roadster version establishes it as the most exciting sports car in its segment. It is the epitome of the BMW slogan: the ultimate driving machine," managing director of BMW Australia Dr Franz Sauter says.

He is talking about a car with clear ties to earlier BMW sports cars, and classic long-nose styling with rear-drive power delivery.

The M Roadster comes with 252kW of power, 365Nm of torque and a six-speed manual gearbox, with no chance of an automatic or the clutchless SMG semi-auto that has polarised opinion on the M3.

There are huge brakes, sharpened steering, tweaked electronics — including full M settings for the stability control and an off switch — and 18-inch alloys with extra rubber on the rear to cope with the go.

The M car picks up some nice stuff, including leather seats, bi-xenon headlamps and a punchy sound system, but there is no spare tyre — boot space is too tight — so BMW fits a sealer system with pump.

It is easy to pick the M Roadster, thanks to a deeper front spoiler, twin exhaust pipes and a race-look aero swoosh below the number plate. Interior reminders run to the M wheel, gear knob and M logos on the door sills and head rests.

ON THE ROAD

The M Roadster is a feisty critter. It likes nothing better than a good strop and the chance to show what it can do.

What it can do is pole-vault past slower traffic, crush corners with arrogant grip and fire itself into the future with a rasping howl from its straight six as it rushes up to the red-line action at close to 8000 revs.

Oh, and it can do it all with the top down and the sun shining in to warm the parts that the performance misses.

But you have to work hard to get the best from the M Roadster, which is never as balanced or enjoyable as an M3 or a bunch of lesser cars.

It feels narrow and a bit jittery on all but the smoothest roads, and you have to be very delicate with the sharp steering and the just-as-sharp throttle if the engine is turning anywhere beyond 5000 revs.

It takes a lot to get the M car seriously out of shape, and that only happens if you deactivate the electronics, but it is never as settled as a Boxster and feels a touch nervy.

It is better to take things a little easy through bends, braking early, then firing the car away with the ripper engine.

There is a lot of other stuff to like in the car, from its excellent grippy sports buckets to the sound system and those xenon lamps.

It can also be surprisingly light on fuel, running better than 10 litres/100km at highway pace.

And it is good fun to stir through the slick six-speed gearbox and balance the car in the old-fashioned way, using the throttle to get the back tyres hooked up and driving.

But the cabin is cramped for anyone taller than 180cm, vision is restricted if you have the top up, the dials can be hard to read, and the wheel is too fat in the rim for many people.

Worst of all, the test car had more squeaks and chirps and rattles than anything we have driven in recent times. We would slam a Kia or a Proton that was this bad.

And the cabin quality, including the fake carbon-fibre padding on the dash, poor plastics and even the outdated switches — the M Roadster does not have the one-touch signals fitted to the newer BMW models — let the car down badly.

Does it sound as if we were disappointed? Yes. Still, there are some people who will absolutely love the M Roadster. They will rave about the performance, smile when the top is down, and delight in unleashing the tasty morsels in the M package.

But the M3 is a nicer car if you don't want the full open-air experience or need extra seats.

The Boxster is a more complete package and a speed machine if you get the 3.2 engine, and our favourite speed machine — the Audi RS4 — would stomp on the M Roadster and do it carrying four people and their holiday luggage.

The Chrysler Crossfire is more relaxing and the 350Z is a lot cheaper.

So the M Roadster is fun for a while, but we were not sad to see it go.

 THE BOTTOM LINE

Great for fun runs but not a car for the long haul or a serious relationship.

73/100