BMW Z4 2007 review

It borrows nothing from the limited-run Z3 series M Coupe, which aimed at a narrow but discerning audience and was a wild, tail-happy blast to drive.

When it came out in 1998, it was a ballistic little bread van-style unit cranking out 236kW of power and 350Nm for $137,000 new. The Z4 M coupe arrives for $127,500 with a completely fresh look some are interpreting as a modern-day version of Jaguar's E-Type.

That may be so in the eyes of some, but this BMW has one gene unique to the species — the power of M division. There is not much that is subtle about the piping-hot Z4 hardtop, which produces 252kW from the screaming 3.2-litre M-tuned inline motor. Everything it does is edgy, loud and proud.

It is a boombox on wheels, with an unrelenting soundtrack that fills the air like a heavy metal rock concert at full volume. This M baby barks big time, the quad tailpipes giving off their sinister beat at the blip of the throttle.

You need to give the go pedal a decent shove to awaken the two-seater, and from there, its ballistic sounds turn into ballistic moves.

Grip the meaty, three-spoke steering wheel; grab second, third, bang it into fourth, and you'll be guaranteed a thrill in less than 60 seconds. Pluck fifth and sixth only if you want to dawdle around.

The clutch is fairly heavy and will give your left calf muscle a decent work-out in traffic. It is also measured for an early take-up so you can blast away with little delay.

Balancing the take-up point and your throttle delivery is a fine art and one which, when applied precisely, rewards the driver.

Gear changes on this model were a little imprecise, occasionally fumbling between third and fifth.

The brakes are huge and can cop a hammering with the pedal feel firm, but with enough modulation that you can wash speed off gently and safely. On a drive involving city roads and highways for a week, the Zed blaster gulped about 12L/100km but that was being fairly kind to the equipment and sticking within socially acceptable speeds.

It is a tough car and requires a firm hand at the controls. There are no compromises. It would be out of place down “poseur street”, where soft-style, fashion-accessory cars park. This is a carnivore on steroids. It rides like a rock, banging and crashing and walloping. Lack of suspension travel will do that.

It is not as at home on the impure roads of Australia as it is on a nice smooth racetrack. That's its environment to a tee. The Z4 M coupe is essentially a competition car that just happens to be able to be cop a rego sticker on the window.

Switching off DSC frees up the ability for the rear to wave its tail but it doesn't want to let go altogether. It can be controlled on the throttle. Point-to-point it is devilishly quick with pin-sharp steering. It doesn't promise to deliver a balance of serenity and aggression on demand. There is one mode for this BMW: hard and fast.