BMW Z4 sDrive35is M Sport – quick test drive at AB Sungai Besi Innovation Days 2010

Auto Bavaria Sungai Besi recently held an Innovation Day which allowed participants to sample selected BMW vehicles. Among the vehicle available was the all-new BMW Z4 sDrive35is M Sport. Yes it has the special ‘s’ alphabet and the term M Sport in it’s designation which means it has a few extras over the Z4 sDrive35i. The add-ons are made up by aesthetics as well as mechanical upgrades.

Before we go straight to the review, lets take a quick look at the major differences. The highlight is the bump in power. The Z4 sDrive35is M Sport is motivated by the same N54B30 engine featuring a twin-turbo force induction system found in the Z4 sDrive35i. Compared to 306hp and 400Nm of torque offered by the latter, the power house in the Z4 sDrive35is gives you 340hp and 450Nm of torque. Now that translates to a bump of 34hp and 50Nm of torque. Not only that, the BMW 507-inspired car gives you additional 50Nm of torque in “is” trim which is available as an overboost. The overall increase in power is mostly thanks to an improved air intake with higher boost pressure on the turbos.

Continue reading to check out the rest of the report and to salivate over an image gallery.

The engine is still paired with the snappy 7-speed dual clutch transmission (with Launch Control). On paper the Z4 sDrive35is hits the century mark in 4.7 seconds and top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h. Compared to the Z4 sDrive35i, it’s sprint time is 0.4 seconds quicker while top speed is similar. Its M Sport goodies are made up by an M aerodynamics pack as well as an M adaptive suspension with a 10mm lower ride height and different operating modes, apart from other aesthetic features which remind you that this is an M Sport model.

Since we only had a few moments with the Z4 sDrive35is, we will provide a full test review later on. Apart from it’s good looking exterior, the Z4 sDrive35is has a pretty handsome cabin, as with other models in the E89 Z4 range. The cabin also feels like how a BMW should. A good combination of class and sporty-ness. The seats offer excellent support, good for hard cornering since they support the sides of your body well. Getting in and out isn’t really a huge problem.

It has a low roof so it would take a little bit more effort but then again you don’t need to crawl into or out from it. Sitting on the driver’s seat alone reminds you that you are in an “is” model. Apart from the relevant M insignias, there is also an “sDrive35is” logo printed on the grey rev counter. The same can be found on the floor mats. As with other M models, the steering wheel is nice and thick, reminding you that you are in a speed demon.

I then cranked up the engine via the ‘start’ button, revved it up and noticed a slight difference in the exhaust note. It is slightly deeper but you would have to listen to it a few times to notice the difference. I decided to put the roof down to soak up some sunlight and started the drive. I had a quick encounter with the Z4 sDrive35i before this and I must say that I really felt the difference in power, especially when I stepped on the gas.

It was pretty easy to get the traction control indicator to blink on the instrument panel and the torque really pushes you into your seat, more than the Z4 sDrive35i can. The retuned engine gives out a nice audible response and gear shifts via the 7-speed dual clutch gearbox are quick and sharp. The ‘pop’ sound during upshifts found in the cars like the Golf GTI Mk6 or the Scirocco was also evident in Z4 sDrive35is.

Through some brief corners in the vicinity of Putrajaya I can conclude that this powerful Z4 handles really well. Sharp curves and medium speed turns can be taken without a hitch. In normal mode the car was a little floaty but sports mode took that away and it gave me a more precise driving experience with little free play. It turns in and out of corners well with very minimal body roll and the steering offered very good feedback despite featuring an electric mechanism. I expected the M Sport suspension to give the Z4 a bumpier ride quality but in reality it was quite negligible in the Z4 sDrive35is. Perhaps it was because the car was so fast that everything else went unnoticed.

Talking about driving fast, I took the roadster to the Maju Expressway which to me, is the closest thing we Malaysians have to the Autobahn. With the top back up I hit 200km/h rather quickly and effortlessly and most importantly I did not even notice I was traveling at those speeds! The car still felt very composed and it took long sweeping bends very nicely.

The car did not twitch whatsoever and it felt quite planted. Since the car felt at home at those speeds, I kicked it up a notch and brought it up to 240km/h, just 10km/h shy from the vehicle’s governed top speed (and yes my heart was beating 500 beats per minute, as much as the total torque!). However, at speeds between 220 and 240km/h, the car didn’t feel as planted even while driving with the sports mode turned on.

The front end felt a little too light at times, I felt as though the tires weren’t resting on the tarmac for a couple of milliseconds, occasionally. It could well be due to the condition of the road surface. At these speeds even the smallest of bumps, which you won’t notice at 110km/h become more apparent. I wouldn’t take even high speed corners at those speeds. I gently released the accelerator pedal and squeezed the brake paddle ever so slightly to bring the car down to a more civilized speed. While braking I noticed that if I braked too hard and too quickly I could lose the rear end.

After the quick high speed drive, I drove a more relaxed affair at speeds of between 140 and 160km/h. The car felt very calm and it was a smooth ride, giving me, the driver a rather relaxed feeling. As soon as I hit the city, I was looking to see at how it would perform in such conditions and it passed with flying colours. The transmission worked smoothly and jerks, if there were, went unnoticed. Overall the BMW Z4 sDrive35is is a powerful car that adapts well to different situations including city or slow driving, performance driving and it does well during laid back cruising too. It doesn’t work well for more practical usage thanks to it’s lack of ‘extra’ space but hey its a high-performance roadster which is being titled as the current generation’s Z4 M so its fine, I have no qualms about it.

If I were to compare the Z4 sDrive35is with another competitor I would confidently take it up against Porsche’s entry-level high-performance roadster which is the Boxster S, although some would beg to differ. The Boxster S is priced at RM598,000 while the Z4 sDrive35is carries an RM598,800 price tag, just an RM800 difference making it a perfect competitor. The Boxster S has a fabric roof while the Z4 has a hard top convertible configuration. The former has 310hp and while the latter has 340hp. So the Z4 sDrive35is is more powerful and furthermore, it has a better looking interior, and its more premium too.

Porsches may handle better but the Boxster’s lack of a hard roof should make it a little more flexible. The Cayman S, a coupe verson is nippier around corners than the Boxster S and the Z4 sDrive35is but I would still go for the Z4 unless I am taking up a slalom or an autokhana contest. Don’t get me wrong, the Boxster S is good car but for the same price tag, you get more bang for your buck with the BMW. It would be a different case altogether if the Boxster S carried a lower price tag. In this case the Z4 sDrive35is would be my pick. It makes more power, its more comfortable and overall, it makes more sense unless if you want a Porsche badge on your hood.

DRIVEN: Lexus IS 250 Luxury and F Sport sampled

There hasn’t been a lack of trying in Lexus’ attempts at matching its Teutonic rivals for appeal and desirability in buyers’ eyes. For years now, the brand has been plugging away at getting buyers to view it in the same vein as BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Sales successes in select markets – such as the US – notwithstanding, it hasn’t always measured out convincingly.

There’s no argument about the engineering – it has been bombproof, and meticulously so. The problem has been the squeaky clean nature in which the wares have been presented. It’s all fine to be ticking as clockwork, quiet as a mouse and comfortable as a cushion, but there’s no denying that a mechanical nature also translates to boring.

In a bid to shed that image, the brand has finally taken a stand on things – having secured ‘reliability’ as a tagline, it’s seeking to ally ‘emotion’ to that by upping things in the looks department and making the cars more exciting prospects to be in from behind the wheel.

The LFA might be an excellent voice to showcase that new reasoning, but the GS better illustrates the approach realistically – the current fourth-gen L10 represents a radical departure from its S190 predecessor, and was a bit of a revelation when we drove it in our four-way luxury group test. Now, the third-generation IScontinues on the trail paved by its larger sibling. Does it finally measure up to its rivals?

From an exterior viewpoint, it certainly does, and then some. The second-gen XE20 was a handsome car, and on the whole has aged very well. The new XE30, as previewed by the LF-LC concept, takes things into a different direction. Led by that imposing spindle grille, the front end isn’t shy, and it’s even more in your face with the F Sport trimmings.

The rakish profile, however, looks far better in the metal than the photos suggest, and the rear – from dead-on centre – is striking, even if some of the visual cues seem to be familiar from other places. Whatever it is, there’s nothing bashful about the shape or the lines.

A comparative glance of both new and old IS 250 during the drive shows how much the phase has been altered. Traditionalists will no doubt think the new IS a bit over the top, but if you want to inject excitement into your car, exciting looks surely help. Well, at least that’s the train of thought.

Some may contend with the exterior lines, but no such qualms where the interior is concerned. The old car’s interior space was tight and the seating positions (rear, especially) pinched, to put it simply.

The new one increases the width (by 10 mm), and a longer wheelbase (increased by 70 mm to 2,800 mm) offers better access to the rear seats, while thinner front seat backs means an increase of 85 mm in knee-room.

The cabin is a roomier place, and comfort levels are decent, though there are some issues at the back – the seats are very low-set, so you can’t put your feet under them, meaning that you’ll have to sit with your legs propped up, at which point there’s virtually no thigh support. The tall and wide transmission tunnel also means that any fifth occupant is set to face an uncomfortable time.

Interior elements include a centrally mounted seven-inch high-res display screen, with a remote touch controller working things. The interface is less clunky than that on the GS, with improved logic and better sensitivity to input coming off the Remote Touch Controller joystick.

Other new bits include an analogue clock, which finally replaces the tacky, cheap-looking digital one of old, and a new circular knob Drive Mode Selector system to offer switching between the three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sport, and on the F-Sport, an additional Sport+ mode). The centrepiece is undoubtedly the F-Sport’s LFA-inspired sliding ring LCD display instrument panel.

Mechanical improvements include revisions to the suspension set-up, which consists of double wishbones up front and a multi-link setup at the back. The wishbones have been reworked, giving a 20% increase in roll rigidity, while the new multi-link system is similar to that featured in the new GS. The IS 250 F-Sport, meanwhile, gets an exclusive Adaptive Variable Suspension System.

The media drive saw only the IS 250 on call, in both Luxury and F-Sport forms. Much has been made of the new IS’ ability to deliver, dynamically. And the car does very well in twisty terrain, as the Simpang Pulai route up and down Cameron Highlands showed.

The new car steers very ably, and tracks through corners in far tighter, cleaner fashion than the XE 20, addressing the second-gen’s shortcomings in this area of performance. The electric steering has a high level of assistance and very little feedback, but is quick, and responds to input and corrections without vagueness.

So far, so good – it’s rather funny to mention Lexus and keenness in the same breath, but here it is. From a chassis dynamics point of view, it’s a significant progression over the old car. While not quite yet the complete measure of the F30 3-Series in terms of balance and scope, it edges closer to its rival than ever before. I’d even venture that it’d make the current W204 C-Class feel spongy in comparison.

The new focus is not without its issues, however. The taut, enthusiastic handling is undoubtedly a strong point, but it also means that there’s some give to ride comfort, which has now been firmed up. It’s not rough, but IS owners will definitely feel more of the road than ever before.

In terms of overall ride scope, the IS 250 Luxury felt much more balanced than the F-Sport. The adaptive dampers worked a charm in the twists and turns, but less so on the highway – there was a small level of oscillation present in Normal mode, and Sport+ jarred off poor tarmac, very noticeable from the back seat. Settling for in between with Sport mode offered the best equilibrium throughout the drive.

The recent agility also exposes the continued powertrain and drivetrain choice to a degree. There’s no contention if you drive it in regular fashion, because all the 4GR-FSE’s smooth and silky characteristics are evident going about town, as is the six-speeder’s transitions across the cogs. Even when you urge it on, the refinement of the 2.5 litre V6 comes across.

Squeezing the most out of the newfound dynamics does however mean the engine – good for 205 hp at 6,400 rpm and 252 Nm at 4,800 rpm, with 8.1 seconds from 0-100 km/h and a 225km/h top speed for performance figures – needs to be kept on the boil. Keeping it singing is the challenge, because when the revs drop it takes a while to climb, and on the way up to Camerons in the Luxury variant, the paddles had to be employed to get the best out of things.

Leaving it in D, even with Sport mode, didn’t quite work here, with gear selection sometimes not responding quickly enough to demand. Paddles on tightened things considerably, though at that point an extra cog in between third and fourth ratios would have been good – too long in third and there’s an element of surging, and fourth at times felt a bit too tall.

Otherwise, the six-speed auto transmission feels polished, its refinement a boon when the car is driven in a less unhurried manner. Which is how most owners are likely to drive it. That it can now handle the way it does when asked to is surely a very big plus point.

Nonetheless, if the brand continues to hone its focus on handling and performance, fresh powertrain – and gearbox – choices look like they need to come about eventually. A group test against its direct rivals should well answer if there are any deficits in the current selection; hopefully, that’s something that can be accomplished soon.

Whatever the case, as it goes, the new IS represents a significant step forward for Lexus. All the hallmarks and core competencies (superb built quality and fine engineering) are present here, but now there’s something new, and it’s called excitement. Sounds exquisite for fans of the brand, and perhaps the only minus is the price being asked for it, especially in the case of the IS 250 F-Sport.