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Originally Posted by GuidoK
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Originally Posted by Law
GT category cars are supposed to be based off of a production chassis/engine combo anyway.
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Still the z4 gt3 chassis was vastly different. For example it used front/rear dual wishbone suspension, where the z4 did not. Thats an extreme difference.
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For them to skip the E89 was a missed opportunity.
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They made that decision when they opted for an x3 style rear axle, so that decision was already made very very early in the designprocess of the e89. |
Yea and they also created a fixed hardtop, essentially turning the E89 GT3 into a coupe.
We can list all the differences between GT category cars and their "street" counterparts.
They're not the same, but homologation is homologation.
Every other manufacturer at the time built a street version of what they were racing. Otherwise, Ferrari would just enter racing with their 458 with a V12 engine. That's not really good sportsmanship, but that's kind of what BMW did here.
The X3 elements are new to me. I didn't know that.
But given what we know about BMW M, there's no doubt in my mind that they have the prowess and know-how to transform the "base" E89 chassis into one that meets the performance envelope.
The ancient Z3 M suspension wasn't exactly great either but look at how much they are loved regardless.
Hell, they turn SAVs into M trucks now.
And the F30 chassis that gets called "boring" and "numb" gets massaged by M into the F80, the most agile in its class.
I have no doubt in my mind if BMW AG gave the OK, that M GmbH would've done something great here.
Look, I get what you're saying.
But you're reading too much into this.
It's hard to argue that an S65 Z4 M would've been anything but a star in BMW's lineup.
It would've also made sense marketing-wise since they were also racing a "souped up version" of that theoretical V8 Z4 M.