M3s OUT OF ALMS!

[MrClean335i]

Some of you guys are whack. Neither the M3 or the Z4 are sports cars

BMW doesn't make sports cars. The M3 is a sporty coupe but not a sports car. The current z4 isn't one either. Sure you can make a track car out of a M3 but its not a sports car in its stock form.

[1MOREMOD]

i would argue that the z4 is a sports car, not necessarily a good one. ive always thought of sports cars as smaller 2 seat impractical low weight cars that have not much utility.

[RingMeister01]

If the haters would actually pay attention to the racing, they would realize that the Z4 GTE is doing well and is competitive against Porsche, Ferrari and Corvette. I am upset that the M3 is out but being that we are at the end of production, BMW needs a temp replacement till the M4 debuts and is developed for racing. Not ideal but I do like how the Z4 looks and performs.

[RingMeister01]

Originally Posted by RussRamz

The Z4 GT car is much more competitive compared to the outgoing M3 GT car. If it wasn't for the drive shaft issues, Schübert Motorsport would have taken the 1-2 spots in last years 24h race at the Nürburgring. I suspect the Z4 will do quite well.

Oh, it uses the V8 out of the M3

+1000

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by MrClean335i

Some of you guys are whack. Neither the M3 or the Z4 are sports cars

BMW doesn't make sports cars. The M3 is a sporty coupe but not a sports car. The current z4 isn't one either. Sure you can make a track car out of a M3 but its not a sports car in its stock form.

Most of anything in full race trim can be a sports car.

What would you say when you look at a Chevy Cruze...this?



Cars now-a-days are not sports car. They are for people who want a 400+HP car and drive it to the grocery store.

Proper suspension and the correct nut behind the wheel they can be fast cars.

[alms21]

Originally Posted by RingMeister01

If the haters would actually pay attention to the racing, they would realize that the Z4 GTE is doing well and is competitive against Porsche, Ferrari and Corvette. I am upset that the M3 is out but being that we are at the end of production, BMW needs a temp replacement till the M4 debuts and is developed for racing. Not ideal but I do like how the Z4 looks and performs.

+1 ..precisely. The ALMS M3 looked so damn good. The Z4 looks fantastic as well. Hell, it's a BMW and I will watch and pull for it.

[vasmir]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

i would argue that the z4 is a sports car, not necessarily a good one. ive always thought of sports cars as smaller 2 seat impractical low weight cars that have not much utility.

I think my Z is incredibly practical!

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by vasmir

I think my Z is incredibly practical!

i think my m3 with no rear interior and quite a bit of camber is still practical but it gets less so every year!

[shivaswrath]

it's almost the same engine as the M3GT, just smaller and wider...I think this is awesome. Who cares it doesn't wear the hallowed M badge...

[phrozen06]

I'm late to this thread. Will they homologate this Z4? If not then BMW ///M is cheating again. And I don't mean stickin a few examples in a freakin museum just to say you made a few.

[Silver E90]

Originally Posted by phrozen06

I'm late to this thread. Will they homologate this Z4? If not then BMW ///M is cheating again. And I don't mean stickin a few examples in a freakin museum just to say you made a few.

It's in the process of getting homologated by the ACO, but it will have waivers for the V8 and transaxle, among other things.

[phrozen06]

Originally Posted by Silver E90

It's in the process of getting homologated by the ACO, but it will have waivers for the V8 and transaxle, among other things.

You've got to be kidding me. What's the point of homologating if you're gonna have waivers on the engine?

[Silver E90]

Originally Posted by phrozen06

You've got to be kidding me. What's the point of homologating if you're gonna have waivers on the engine?

One theory is that right now the manufacturers and the ACO are in talks about a unified GT category. So the regs will change and the ACO homologating this car could be the first sign of what that new GT category will look like.

Also with the ACO/IMSA facing a possibility that BMW wouldn't be back in the ALMS unless they let them run the V8 in the Z4, the ACO/IMSA caved so they could keep another manufacturer backed team on the grid.

But that is the million dollar question.

[WarrantyTracker]

Originally Posted by Kgolf31

How many Z4s have you driven, let alone on the track?

Sorry. I said "supposedly"! I'm sure you in yours handles great.

[Greenkirby21]

P1 and P2 in longbeach today

[bimmerjph]

Originally Posted by Greenkirby21

P1 and P2 in longbeach today

Yup. LOL.

Some people in this thread just got bitch slapped by reality.

[z4z4z4]

^1

[WarrantyTracker]

Originally Posted by bimmerjph

Yup. LOL.

Some people in this thread just got bitch slapped by reality.

Hey, I didn't say anything about reality. I just said I was sorry.

[mfanatic325]

lol the ignorance is strong here. The Z4 chassis (both E85/86 and E89) are quite competent for racing purposes. Equal to or better than the E9X M3 chassis. In fact, the E86 chassis has highest torsional rigidity @ 32,000 Nm.

Those that enjoy comparing stock production cars may continue to do so
But just know that stock performance does not do each chassis justice, especially since the race versions are so drastically different than the production road-going versions.

[hellrotm]

Still complete BS IMSA allowed them to run this car. Every team should protest each and every race result by the Z4 GTE's. Either that...all teams should start pissing over the homologation rules.

I don't want BMW out of ALMS, I just want them to play by the spirit of the rules. Or change the f*cking rules for everyone.

[Marioalex24]

Yes n no. Because the Z looks freaking sick. Makes me want to do my car the sane.

[Silver E90]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

Still complete BS IMSA allowed them to run this car. Every team should protest each and every race result by the Z4 GTE's. Either that...all teams should start pissing over the homologation rules.

I don't want BMW out of ALMS, I just want them to play by the spirit of the rules. Or change the f*cking rules for everyone.

That may very well be the case in a year or two. The governing bodies and the manufacturers are in talks to create a singe GT platform by combining GTE and GT3. BMW might not have wanted to create a new car to GTE spec knowing the rules will change in the short term. So the ACO/IMSA allowed the Z4 with a V8 in order not to lose BMW for a few years, knowing the changes to the rules by 2016.