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1996 - 1999 BMW Z3 How to Oil Change.
A Potent 189hp Six Turns This Pretty-Boy Into A Performer Power. It's what separates the winners from the wannabes. And while BMW's luscious Z3 is an indisputable sales and image-building success, those among us who like to burn rubber, thwart Porsches, and hit 90 mph by the top of the freeway onramp were left having to make a few excuses for the underpowered James Bond-mobile. That all changes as of today.
With their new concoction called the Z3 2.8, BMW engineers have taken the Carroll Shelby approach to roadster design: Stuff in a high-performance powerplant, plaster on some beefy rubber, and let the action begin.
The motive force comes from the same 2.8-liter DOHC inline-six used in BMW's 3 and 5 Series, pumping out 189 horses at 5300 rpm and a bawdy 203 pound-feet of torque at 3950 rpm (down slightly from the other cars' output due to exhaust-system differences). That lets you feel the thrill of 51 more horsepower and 70 additional pound-feet of torque as compared with the 1.9-liter four-cylinder-equipped Z3-a move that increases the car's fun-factor exponentially.
Run 'em off side by side, and the 2.8 mauls its little brother like a starving alligator, blasting 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds (versus 7.9) and extending the charge all the way to a top speed of 135 mph, while the four-banger runs out of pep at about 120 mph. The power increase will be immediately felt by anyone with more driving brio than an expired jar of Velveeta, as the six's broad torque band moves you rapidly away from a stop, up craggy hills, and into fast-moving traffic without the tach needle pointing any higher than about 3000 rpm. So, while the base Z3 owner must gnash his/her teeth all the way to redline to keep ahead of the madding crowd, all you have to do is dip into the 2.8's deep pool of delicious torque (80 percent of which is available from 1500 rpm)
Because the all-aluminum six extends far rearward in the engine compartment and weighs just 348 pounds, the Z3's front/rear weight distribution actually improves from 52/48 percent to the optimum 50/50 balance. Combined with a 2.6-inch-wider rear track, optional 17-inch wheels and tires, and standard ASC+T (Automatic Stability Control and Traction) with a 25 percent locking rear differential, the Z3's handling acumen is taken to a higher, more controllable level.
Glued to the road by its available 225/45ZR17 (front) and 245/40ZR17 (rear) Michelin Pilot HX radials, the car we drove with glee up, down, and across the volcanic Atlantic island of Madeira left us with new-found religion. It combines all the inherent goodness of a standard Z3 with a bonus pack of extra abilities you didn't know were missing. With the extra power comes the opportunity to take better advantage of the suspension's grip in uphill charges, dice and squirt your way through traffic, and flash that sadistic grin after blowing off some smart-ass who tried to cheat past you in the gutter lane before the line of parked cars begins. And that's just part of the fun. You'll revel in the superb chassis balance, the heroic brakes, and world-conquering feel of the power rack-and-pinion steering. All of this proves the Z3 2.8 is not just one of the world's most efficient playtoys, it's a damn fine personal transportation module as well
BMW's designers resisted the temptation to festoon their pumped and cut new model with the boastful badgework of a World Wrestling Federation champion. Not even a demure chrome "2.8" emblem stands on the rear deck to subtly tell the tale. But look more closely and you'll see different fender arches framing the widened rear stance, a slightly more aggressive front fascia, enlarged kidney grilles, and dual exhaust tips. Inside, the well-finished two-seater differs from its less-opulent sibling by delivering standard leather upholstery and power windows, and offering chrome trim around the gauges, door handles, and such. As an extra benefit, an available flip-up windblocker screen resides behind the seats and does a yeoman's job of quelling untoward tonsorial muss with the top down, even at highway speeds.
Like every one of the 35,000 Z3s already delivered to worldwide buyers, the 2.8 version is built in Spartanburg, South Carolina. And at a base price of $35,900 (just $6475 more than the base four-cylinder version), the hottest BMW roadster is a standout value, ready to duke it out with Porsche's Boxster for sportster supremacy. Aah, but there's even better news for the future: We can almost taste the lusty thrill that 1998's 240-horsepower M Roadster will deliver.
That Bond sissy won't know what hit him.