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    This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Just picked up a copy of this week's Autocar in my lunchbreak. One of the featured articles was the Best UK Handling Car for 2006 - I don't want to ruin the surprise but you can guess what the outcome was!
    Will scan the article in when I get home!!

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    www.autocar.co.uk/popups/video.asp?ar=222412



    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Very resourceful, ol' chap! ;-) Nice one...

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    would still love to see a scan. I would like to read what they wrote about the M coupe as well.

    Thanks

    Michael

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Cayman S

    You have to feel sorry for Porsche's engineers. They build a car as talented as the Cayman, only to have it dismissed by enthusiasts as a poor man's 911. But real fans of the marque know better. With its mid-engined layout, gutsy 3.4-litre flat-six and inspired road manners, this is a car that out-handles the 911. And the 19 rivals it's pitched against here.

    In truth, the writing was on the wall from the moment we tested the Cayman against BMW's M3 last December. It dazzled the opposition then, has waltzed through every comparison test since and swept to victory in the Sporting Car category of our 2006 New Car Honours.

    Key to its success is the way in which every single component has been honed to deliver maximum driver satisfaction, and succeeds magnificently. The charismatic engine pulls hard and sounds great at every point in the rev range, while the gearbox, brakes and steering are faultless.

    And, thanks to the mid-engined layout, low centre of gravity and weight distribution, the chassis balance is unbelievably good. Yet you don't need to be an expert to enjoy it, as the Cayman delivers on every road at any speed.

    However, it could be cheaper and more generously equip-ped, while the looks won't be to everyone's taste. You could also argue the Cay-man is so capable that it seems a bit clinical at times, and isn't as characterful as the 911.

    But that would be unfair. The scalpel-sharp steering delivers a stream of information, and the suspension effortlessly soaked up the worst the North York Moors could throw at it. That's when you realise this is one of the most accessible and enjoyable driver's cars ever built.

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    M Coupe

    The M badge has been a familiar sight at Greatest Drives since we staged our first shoot-out in 1998. Back then, the Z3 M Roadster was featured, and didn't score highly with our judges. Eight years later, little has changed.


    The seats are figure-hugging, while the layout is suitably stylish.
    It's not that the Z4 M Coupé doesn't look the part. With its long, proud bonnet and bold tail, it can't be mistaken for anything else. Slip into the cockpit, and the seats are figure-hugging, while the layout is suitably stylish.

    Although it's low, lean and lithe, at 1,465kg the two-seater is a bit porky - heavier than a Lamborghini Gallardo, for instance. If anything, that only serves to make its performance even more impressive. The BMW recorded the sixth-fastest lap time and shot from 0-60mph half-a-second quicker than the claimed figure.

    But it performs well only on smooth surfaces. On track, it was a blast - turn-in is crisp, the stiff chassis is very adjustable on the throttle and the 3.2-litre 343bhp engine is a masterpiece.

    If your inputs are too abrupt, though, the M Coupé becomes edgy. The suspension is too stiff and not that well controlled, so it's hard to pick a smooth line through corners. As a result, the steering needs constant correction - but it lacks feedback, so that's not easy to do.

    Take the car down a bumpy British B-road and things deteriorate further as the Z4 fidgets and fights. It's tiring, not that rewarding and falls short of the Porsche Cayman's standards.

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    woolfe --

    Thanks for taking the time to post that. Curious, is that from Autocar? It is the identical text from the autoexpress article. So can I assume they are one in the same?

    Thanks again.

    Michael

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Brilliant result

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    As luck would have it....I got home last night and my bloody broadband was conked out!!! Bloody Telewest! Hopefully better luck tonight and will upload the article for you fellas.

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Here we go....

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Just the relevant pages....

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    The Final Selection...

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    The Runners-up

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    No surprise here....

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    JYH --

    thank you for taking the time to put these scans up, it is greatly appreciated as I agonize over buying an M coupe or a Cayman S. This helps greatly.

    Michael

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    No problem - I feel your pain! My choices prior to buying the Cayman S were: the SL500 (old man's car?), M3 CSL (couldn't wait for the new M3 to come out! but the CSL is too much of a compromise on many aspects of comfort and practicality.....cardboard boot-pan, slicks and rain? I don't think so....), 996 C4S (preferred the old widebody shape with large front air dams but....no space for my golf clubs!), Audi RS4 (an absolutely savage piece of machinery but the bucket seats castrated you everytime you got in and out of the car. Plus would you pay Pounds50k for a car that looked close to a conventional saloon from the side profile?), Jag XK (Ford reliability?) or Nissan 350Z (high on kudos, but residual values?)......and then my Porsche dealer asked me to try out a Cayman S. After my first test-drive, I was sold!! Couldn't argue with the sublime blend of performance, handling, build quality, practicality (golf clubs in the boot, shopping in the front) and strong future residual value......who said you can't have your cake and eat it? :-)

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Man I wish we had CSL's over here. I drive a 2002 M3 currently, and wish I could like the way the car drives, as much as I like the way it looks! It just feels dead and lifeless on the road. Power is great, brakes aredecent for non-circuit work, but the steering feels like it is connected through a series of government intermediaries. The communication as to what the front wheels are doing is terrible.

    So I want a new car that does a better job communicating. I find this article to be very well written. The control issue they talk about re: the M coupe is exactly the type of stuff that I am looking for info on. I am very interested to see what EVO has to say in their annual car of the year issue, in which I expect the M coupe to be a participant.

    Thanks again

    Michael

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Thanks for the scans JYH they are great.

    Michael have you driven the M3 CS? If you have did you feel it was a big improvement over the original M3?

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Hello Woolfe --

    I never had a chance to drive a CS, but everything I read had high praise for its improvement, especially in steering feel over the standard car.

    I do a LOT of long distance driving, and never considdered the car because of its lack of cruise control. Rediculous I know, but sometimes its the small stuff.

    Michael

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Thanks for the scans JYH, must be looking forward to getting your Cayman back even more now!

    Woolfe - I remember you were deliberating between a 996 and a Cayman, have you made a decision?

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    JYH, check out 997 board reaction to Autocar results! ouch!
    Its the post by Dreamcar.

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Yes, many thanks for the scans and links, JYH. I thought it might promote an interesting discussion on the 997 Board... Relevant question, now that the mid engined Porsches are actually considered better to drive than the 997's. I hope the 997 and its successors continue for many years, though.

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    I sense you have ruffled a lot of "threatened" 911 owners' feathers! :-) IMO, the rear positioning of the 911 engine is revolutionary/iconic and an engineering feat. However, a theory could be that Porsche persisted with the unique set-up only for marketing purposes (realising that they needed this cash cow to survive their 80s near-bankruptcy and fund their other product lines: read additional revenue streams!) but times change. Now, it's not just car journalists' who vouch for the Cayman's greater sense of tactility and B-road loving performance, but Porsche's own testers have also openly acknowledged the Cayman's threat to the 911....in an engineering context... albeit not cash generation-wise (persistence and risk in maintaining a unique rear-engine car means higher r&d expended to stay competitive and surely warrants a higher margin than the 'generic' 987 layout). However, for a layman like myself, who bought into Porsche with no preconceptions, and test-drove the 996 4s, 997 4, and the Cayman S, nothing can detract from the raw talent that the Cayman has... 20-30bhp less or not! So for all those 911 owners who can truly appreciate sheer driving pleasure (and are not just branding slaves), try a Cayman S.... you might surprise yourself.

    Thank you for taking the time to read this on Cayman turf ;-p

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Quote:
    So I want a new car that does a better job communicating. I find this article to be very well written. The control issue they talk about re: the M coupe is exactly the type of stuff that I am looking for info on. I am very interested to see what EVO has to say in their annual car of the year issue, in which I expect the M coupe to be a participant.

    Thanks again

    Michael



    I occasionally work with EVO and after participating in several Boxster/Z4M and Cayman/Z4MC tests I chose to buy the Z4MC.

    However from driving several thousand miles before I bought one, I had a good idea why it was losing out to the Cayman in some tests, so I chose a few options from the BMW accessories catalogue.

    Richard M of EVO popped round and retested my Z4MC after these alterations and the article will be published in next month's EVO. Suffice to say, the problems with the standard Z4MC are mainly due to the appalling choice of tyres (Series 1 Conti SportContacts) and by merely fitting the same Michelin PS2s as fitted to the Cayman S transforms the way it drives. I went a little further, but all the changes were added before I took delivery of the car and should have been options available on the main price list. The Cayman is still the more composed car along bumpy roads, but otherwise there's more chassis and steering feedback in the Z4MC and there's more 'drama' in the way the Z4MC drives. The Z4MC reminds me very much of the 993C2 that I used to own and has that same solid and chunky feel. It's a shame BMW supply them in such an under-par state, but thankfully it's pretty easy to correct.

    As you can see, it does look a little better too.



    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Very nice, Steve! I got my first drive in an M Coupe this weekend and it's very fun and peppy. Different than a Cayman but it some ways more playful (and noticably gutsier). I'd be interested to hear what upgrades you recommend, besides the tires.

    Thanks,
    Grant

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Thanks for the article.

    Surprising outcome for the DB9! Looks like the Exige S did very well too, other than the impractical nature of the car.

    - Justin

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    The tyres were a critical component to change. Conti SportContacts were a pretty poor performance tyre when they were originally produced 5 years ago, and nowadays are leagues behind something like Michelin's Pilot Sport 2. Most of the comments about the Z4M, including the understeer, uncertain feel of the front end and an inbalance between front and rear axles are caused by the lack of mechanical grip and progression at the front axle.

    Additionally I also fitted BMW's standard Z4 front strut-brace, which stabilises the front end alignment (and thereby increases confidence). Finally I fitted the Michelin PS2s on to 19" wheels which are around 15lbs lighter than the OEM wheels/tyres, which by reducing unsprung weight also improves ride and compliance.

    Simple obvious changes that make a very worthwhile difference - and clearly BMW should have included this configuration as standard. It still doesn't 'breathe' as well over the surface as a Cayman, but that's the only area where the Cayman pulls an obvious advantage. The Z4MC in turn is more agile, quicker and is tremendous fun when taken over the limit. Each have an interesting set of characterstics that will suit certain drivers and define their preference.

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Great topic. Thanks for the magazine data.

    Steve,

    great car and modifications! Looks great as well. You seem to be affiliated with BMW - otherwise I couldn't imagine to get my car specced that way right at the factory. Or did the M GmbH did it as an Individual work?

    Re: This week's Autocar (UK) article

    Quote:
    SteveD said:
    The tyres were a critical component to change. Conti SportContacts were a pretty poor performance tyre when they were originally produced 5 years ago, and nowadays are leagues behind something like Michelin's Pilot Sport 2. Most of the comments about the Z4M, including the understeer, uncertain feel of the front end and an inbalance between front and rear axles are caused by the lack of mechanical grip and progression at the front axle.

    Additionally I also fitted BMW's standard Z4 front strut-brace, which stabilises the front end alignment (and thereby increases confidence). Finally I fitted the Michelin PS2s on to 19" wheels which are around 15lbs lighter than the OEM wheels/tyres, which by reducing unsprung weight also improves ride and compliance.

    Simple obvious changes that make a very worthwhile difference - and clearly BMW should have included this configuration as standard. It still doesn't 'breathe' as well over the surface as a Cayman, but that's the only area where the Cayman pulls an obvious advantage. The Z4MC in turn is more agile, quicker and is tremendous fun when taken over the limit. Each have an interesting set of characterstics that will suit certain drivers and define their preference.


    Thanks very much, Steve! My only serious question about the Z4MC is how they managed to make such a compact car weigh 3,250 lbs. It's a bit disappointing that they couldn't make it a bit more lithe. Still, a very entertaining drive! Any hints of a lightweight version (ala CSL)?

     
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