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know when someone bowls a strike, lands a hole-in-one, or just hits the proverbial
nail on the head? Well, that's what BMW did with its elemental Z3. Aiming
squarely to build the perfect sports car for normal folks, BMW hit the target
with the precision of an Olympic Archer. And that was back in 1997 (does James
Bond ring a bell, anyone?). Now fully six years into its product cycle, as we
anticipate the Z3's replacement this fall (to be called the Z4), today's Z3 still
pleases with a balance of talents that other roadsters just can't match. The
Z3 began life as a no-frills (well, relatively few frills, anyway), purpose-built
sports car that delivered everything you need to have a heyday on the back roads,
while burdening you with nothing extraneous to sour your joy. Standard are things
like side air bags and CD-equipped stereos with at least 10 speakers, while frivolities
like leather upholstery, a power top and wood trim are rendered optional. While
the Z3 has grown up a little bit in terms of features, it has grown up a lot in
terms of performance. When we say that no one can match the sound of a BMW engine,
we mean it. Indeed, much of what makes a Z3 such a joy to drive is listening to
any one of its available six-cylinder engines. The 2.5i is the smallest of the
lot, although its 184 horsepower has no problem scooting the little roadster with
zeal, especially considering the intuitive nature of its steering, suspension
and brakes. The 3.0i adds another 31 ponies and thus turns the performance dial
up a few more notches. The
Z3 M Roadster even benefits from factory tweaking (to the tune of 315 horsepower!),
turning the well-balanced Z3 into a rocket sled that really aught to come with
a driving class in order to teach people how to control all that superfluous horsepower
without becoming a highway casualty on their drive home from the showroom. But
who are we to whine about too much power? The Z3 is a charmer no matter what's
under the hood. If only all sports cars were this pure, this well engineered,
this Zexy.
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