xkrim3
Well-Known Member
muahahaha... i am the first to test drive the z4m in singapore. the ang moh who drove it yesterday was simon rock. so technically, that doesn't count.
made my way to pml alexandra in the late morning.... i was in a pretty fair mood; decent session @ pool last nite, but i digress. buds who with me yesterday now know y i had to leave early, getting ready for the big drive today.
first up, met my se. i had this privileged session set up by my source at pml (se's boss) during the 19.7.06 launch, like i mentioned in the z4m pricing thread. http://www.bmw-sg.com/forums/bmw-haven/10819-z4m-z4si-official-pricing-19-july-2006-launch.html
made some small talk. then se got the pml trainer to brief me on the m. when the trainer knew i was driving the smg z, he kinda let up and described his own feel about the z4m rather than prescribing how i should drive. nice and honest chap.
waited 2 minutes before the arrival of the imola red devil of a car. i slipped my butt in and got comfortable immediately as the controls were 99% the same. had expected the gearbox to be notchy and clutch heavy. nope. pretty easy to handle, even by my crap driving standard.
the car had clocked only 221km. through and through virginal. gave me extra pleasure in abusing it. i targeted to redline the 1st and 2nd gear at least once. ended doing it three, mind blowing, times.
took the m to south buona vista link to test the bends. thoroughly impressed by its handling. so much poise. the video i shot didn't do the drive justice because traffic was heavy then. it was a little after the recording stopped that the road cleared. i managed to push the car to about 70% of its limit. need hell lots more tarmac to even tickle this beast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1AHAHjO1-Y
the bends were taken with absolute finesse.... now i am resolved to trash my current suspension. bmw.... kudos to you guys for junking the eps. this is how a real roadster should feel. feedback from the road was _razor_ sharp and there was a slight hint of oversteer - total contrast to the stock z, which was tuned to understeer. the m was a natural born drifter. i suspect bmw must have set the caster to 7 deg ala m3 and possibly the front camber to minus 2 deg (stock z front is zero deg).
and that steering wheel..... godly. if the s/wheel felt good while you were holding it with the car stationary, you would cum when you maneuver it with the car in motion. the m3 csl brakes were competent and confidence inducing, during my drive, and they should be able to take heavy track with upgraded pads. so there is very very little you need to do for the z4m. save a $tonne on mods. lastly, the wail of the s54 ,with soft-top down and peddle to the floor, is something u need to hear at least once in a lifetime. or it will be an eternal regret.
the car is being detailed and checked before going to the press in the next 24 hours. so pml has to be especially cautious. the m will be back for the official test drive after christopher tan (straits times) and some other journalists have produced write-ups on it. big thanks to a.y. of pml for letting me have this privilege to be the 1st at it.
cheers, xkrim3
made my way to pml alexandra in the late morning.... i was in a pretty fair mood; decent session @ pool last nite, but i digress. buds who with me yesterday now know y i had to leave early, getting ready for the big drive today.
first up, met my se. i had this privileged session set up by my source at pml (se's boss) during the 19.7.06 launch, like i mentioned in the z4m pricing thread. http://www.bmw-sg.com/forums/bmw-haven/10819-z4m-z4si-official-pricing-19-july-2006-launch.html
made some small talk. then se got the pml trainer to brief me on the m. when the trainer knew i was driving the smg z, he kinda let up and described his own feel about the z4m rather than prescribing how i should drive. nice and honest chap.
waited 2 minutes before the arrival of the imola red devil of a car. i slipped my butt in and got comfortable immediately as the controls were 99% the same. had expected the gearbox to be notchy and clutch heavy. nope. pretty easy to handle, even by my crap driving standard.
the car had clocked only 221km. through and through virginal. gave me extra pleasure in abusing it. i targeted to redline the 1st and 2nd gear at least once. ended doing it three, mind blowing, times.
took the m to south buona vista link to test the bends. thoroughly impressed by its handling. so much poise. the video i shot didn't do the drive justice because traffic was heavy then. it was a little after the recording stopped that the road cleared. i managed to push the car to about 70% of its limit. need hell lots more tarmac to even tickle this beast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1AHAHjO1-Y
the bends were taken with absolute finesse.... now i am resolved to trash my current suspension. bmw.... kudos to you guys for junking the eps. this is how a real roadster should feel. feedback from the road was _razor_ sharp and there was a slight hint of oversteer - total contrast to the stock z, which was tuned to understeer. the m was a natural born drifter. i suspect bmw must have set the caster to 7 deg ala m3 and possibly the front camber to minus 2 deg (stock z front is zero deg).
and that steering wheel..... godly. if the s/wheel felt good while you were holding it with the car stationary, you would cum when you maneuver it with the car in motion. the m3 csl brakes were competent and confidence inducing, during my drive, and they should be able to take heavy track with upgraded pads. so there is very very little you need to do for the z4m. save a $tonne on mods. lastly, the wail of the s54 ,with soft-top down and peddle to the floor, is something u need to hear at least once in a lifetime. or it will be an eternal regret.
the car is being detailed and checked before going to the press in the next 24 hours. so pml has to be especially cautious. the m will be back for the official test drive after christopher tan (straits times) and some other journalists have produced write-ups on it. big thanks to a.y. of pml for letting me have this privilege to be the 1st at it.
cheers, xkrim3
