BMW Z4 Coupé makes its own music 09.08.2006

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BMW Z4 3.0 Si Coupé
PRICE £31,400-£32,925
ON SALE Now
YOU'LL LIKE? Engine, steering, roadholding
YOU WON'T? Refinement, rear vision

DON'T BOTHER TAKING any CDs along with you in the new BMW Z4 Coupé - this is a hardcore car that supplies all the entertainment you could ever wish for.

By fitting a fixed roof and a hatchback to its slash-styled Z4 Roadster, BMW has created something of a high-speed echo chamber.

Some of the noise is delightful - the bellow of the engine under acceleration tells you as much about your rate of progress as the feeling from under your seat. It booms at other times, however, such as when cruising at UK motorway pace. There's also plenty of road noise on coarse surfaces.

The Si is powered by BMW's light and flexible 265bhp 3.0-litre straight-six engine and is available in two guises. The £31,400 SE comes with 17-inch alloys, a CD player, climate control and leather trim, while the £1500 more expensive Sport ups the wheel size to 18 inches, rides on firmer suspension and adds special seats and trim.

BMW says the Coupé's body is much stiffer than that of the Z4 Roadster, but thankfully the same can't be said for the ride. Although those large wheels will try to follow every contour in the surface and the steering needs a monitoring hand, there's a fluidity to the suspension that takes the sting out of rough roads: it's firm, but fair.

Find the right road, though, and the fun really begins. The engine is a gem whether you're working it hard or just ambling along - although the gearshift isn't always as slick as you'd like. The steering is firm and precise, and the car sticks to the road like it's clinging on for dear life.

The cabin is roomier than you might expect from the outside, and trimmed with beaten aluminium panels that lend it a high-quality look. You also get a good driving position and fine ergonomics, although rear vision is severely limited.

BUYER'S FILE
Engine size 3.0
Price from £31,400
Power 265bhp
0-62mph 5.7sec
Top speed 155mph
Economy 31.7mpg
CO2 g/km/tax 213/29%
Insurance group 18
Airbags 4
Doors 2
Seats 2
Colours 13