Z8 at Frankfurt Show

["Paul F. Kunz" <pfkeb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

   I saw the new Z8 at the Frankfurt Autoshow (IAA'99) on Saturday.
Here are some impressions...

- - The one at the show was a bit different than the pictures shown in
  the September Roundel.

- - BMW designers say it is a hommage to the BMW 507, and indeed it is.
  The design appears very simple, something that could have been done
  in the '50s.  And yet, there are sutle details that make the car one
  from the late '90s.   Overall, however, the styling is timeless,

- - Some items uncharacteristic for a BMW.  The ellipsoidal headlamps
  don't have the enclosure to make them look like 5 1/4" ones, however
  the lamps (fog lamps?) in the elongated kidney give back the BMW
  round headlamp look.

- - The instrument cluster is located in the center of the dash, angled
  towards the driver.  Each instrument has its own round housing, with
  the speedometer and tach of equal large size, and gas and
  temperature gauges smaller.  The bottom of the speedometer has a
  rectangular box which I guess is for the computer display, while the
  bottom of the tach has an analogue clock.

- - The above leaves the dash very clean an uncluttered with modern
  gagdets.  It slopes upward the the base of the windshield.   It was
  roughly flat, black plastic.   Very retro style.   Below the
  instrument cluster there appeared to be the AC/Heater controls,
  which were silver in appearance to make them look old, but obviously
  controlled a moderne system.   I could not see deep enough into the
  cokpit to fine a radio, CD player or other controls.

- - The steering wheel was a blend of the old and the new.   The wheel
  was supported to the hub by three parallel metal tubes at the 3, 6,
  and 9 O'clock positions and looked quite old style.   Yet, the word
  "airbag" was on it and thumb rests for a good 2 and 10 driving
  position for the hands was supported as well.   Besides the turn
  signal and wiper stalks, you could see the standard cruise control
  stalk as well.

- - Lots of chrome.   Door handles in chrome.   Side air vents in
  chrome. 

- - The windshield and its angle blends well with the re-born 507
  styling. However, the windshield is glued in like other modern BMWs
  and has that black out portion to hide it.   But the blacked out
  portion covers quite a bit of the space from the metal pillars to
  the clear portion.   This is the only part of the Z8 design I found
  to a bit awkward.

- - There are some modern features never seen before on a production
  automobile. The long slated tail lights and directional signals are
  powered by neon bulbs. as well as the front directional lamps. Also
  the side lamps embedded in the fake side vents are neon orange
  lamps as well.   

- - The big question in my mind is whether the Z8 will sell at its
  estimated price of $125-150K?   Yes it has the M tuned 4.8 liter V8
  from the M5 on a light weigth alumimium chassis making it quite a
  machine on the road.   But buyers in this price range might expect a
  super high tech look, especially in the interior.   The Z8 offers
  the ultimate in simplicity instead.   My opinion: cut the price by a
  factor of two and BMW will have lots of buyers, but at the high
  price they are thinking it will take a someone who really
  appreciates a car to consider it.

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