I completely agree with your sentiments, although I am much less concerned about the sound of the car than I am the actual performance. If it performs well, sound is much less important.
SCOTT's comments suggest to me that this car will come with an F-Type sized price tag - about $60k staring price. But if BMW tries to hang a $60k sticker on the four cylinder model - even if it has over 300hp, let's say - I suspect the marketplace is not going to react in a very positive way. I realize there is the Boxster and Cayman in this space with four cylinder power and a similar MSRP, but to me those are different cars than an F-Type. So where does that leave the Z5? We'll have to wait and see where it falls, but it seems to me they have a challenging road ahead. Hypothetically, if the base F-Type had an I4 engine and also didn't offer a V8, it would not have received nearly the positive market reception it did. Similarly, if you take a Boxster/Cayman, make it bigger (and probably heavier), move the engine forward and generally make it more like an F-Type, that kills that car's appeal too. So, there is more than one winning formula out there for sure, and more no-doubt exist. I hope BMW has theirs figured out.
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Originally Posted by Law
If this is really going against the F-Type Jag as mentioned by Scott, then its got some big shoes to fill.
The V6 and V8 engines in the F-Type are among the greatest sounding engines produced today and the exterior design is almost an instant classic.
In other words, the F-Type ignites a certain passion and has a theatrical feel about it.
If BMW has learned anything as of late, its that it needs to reintroduce some of that passion and theatre. The most efficient MPG and all the carbon fibre in the world doesn't mean jack if the cars lack soul and are artificial in feel/sound, particularly in this segment of 2-seater coupes and roadsters.
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