03-01-2023, 09:06 PM | #1 |
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New Member; S2000 vs Z4 M40i Comparison
Hi All. New member here from Dallas. I've lurked for a while, but I've had my '21 M40i since May of 21.
In a previous life, I owned an '06 S2000. So after two years of owning the Z4, I thought it might be interesting to do a little top-line compare-and-contrast. Bottom line-- both the S and the Z are fantastic cars. Both are proper roadsters. Both put a smile on my face when I'm behind the wheel. But for different reasons. They are philosophically very different cars, and the driving experience of each is very, very different. S2000 Pros:
Z4 Pros:
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03-02-2023, 02:11 AM | #2 |
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S2000 is a legendary car and a very unusual comparison to the current G29.
Glad your enjoying the new car. Pics required
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03-02-2023, 08:52 AM | #3 | |
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03-02-2023, 09:58 AM | #4 |
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I'm 6'2". As you say, the Z4 has plenty of room. But I'd also say the S was perfect-- when I drove barefoot. With shoes on, I could have used more legroom, maybe another inch.
It's interesting though... I have a buddy who's also 6'2", but a bit wider in the ass. He really struggled in the S. I'd say it's not just height that matters, but it's also the way that height is laid out, if that makes sense. |
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03-02-2023, 04:42 PM | #5 | |
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03-03-2023, 09:08 AM | #6 |
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I purchased the first S2000 I could find at MSRP. It was a 2001 and I drove it for 19 years but only in the summer. I agree with your review, it was just amazing and bullet proof. In 19 years I didn't even replace a light bulb.
However, I find my M40i more stable coming out of corners than the s2k. It might be the AP1 which was more twitchy than the later AP2. One of the greatest things about it was that I could wash it, spray wax it, and clean the wheels in the time it takes to clean 2 wheels on my Z4. |
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03-03-2023, 09:59 AM | #7 | |
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03-03-2023, 12:28 PM | #8 |
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Former S2000 AP2 owner here as well. I don't have a G29, but I'm considering one. I did have an E89 and strongly disliked everything other than it's svelte looks.
I think these comparisons are very valid, but I also suspect there is a degree of looking back with rose colored glasses. Some of the points I feel were missed: 1. The S2000 steering feel was pretty lackluster. Coming from an E46 and 350Z, both had considerably sharper steering and more communicative feedback. My understanding is this is one of the reasons they upgraded the steering rack on the final CR cars. 2. With some sticky tires (I was running Bridgestone R-01Rs), cornering stability felt crazy good, but part of the reason for this is that the car just didn't have enough "go" to get weird in corners. From the S2000 I went to an E90 M3 which was a far faster car, but corners were terrifying because a little too much gas was just rip the back end away from you. 3. I did find the S2000 traction control on the 06+ cars to be some of the best traction control I've ever experienced on a car short of a GT Porsche. It was so non-invasive and would let you get that car completely sideways before stepping in to help. Also, I'm 6'5" and I put something like 60,000 miles on my S2000. It wasn't the most roomy car, but it's far from the worst. Cars like the Miata an NSX are completely unusable for me, but the S2000 was OK.
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