re: Z8 at Frankfurt Show

[Herman Chan <hermanc2@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul comments about one of the features of the Z8:

- - 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.

Ford has been using neon brake lights in the Explorer (CHMSL) and 
Lincoln Mark 8 for a few years.  I think LED light clusters are going 
to see broader application also, beyond the traffic signal/commercial 
truck/car CHMSL where they're currently used.

And further comments:

  - 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.

Did they offer any detailed information on the chassis?  For that 
price, I certainly hope it doesn't have a strut front suspension. 
It's time for BMW to move on to new front designs (for all its cars) 
now that the rears have been taken care of.  Further weight reduction 
efforts (to offset all the gadgets required by the market nowadays) 
would be nice too.

Nevertheless, I don't think BMW will have a problem finding enough 
buyers.  Limited production and "halo" car status will probably take 
care of that, though there might not be any money to be made off it.

Perhaps the last gasp of the Engineering-First/Cost-Ineffective Reitzle regime?

Just MO
Herman

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