M-Roadster: A satisfying experience in the right hands

By Russel Williamson

The looks of BMW's chart-topping Z3, the M-Roadster promise an exhilarating driving experience.

The stubby, wide-flared rear end with its four tail pipes squats low to the tarmac behind the bubble two-seater cockpit with the bulbous nose seemingly stretching forever forward.

But we have been fooled before with the first two installments, the four-cylinder 1.9 and straight-six 2.8 leaving the appetite for an exciting and surefooted drive unsatisfied.

None of the three Z3 models are likely to find their way onto general sales lists here but you just never know.

The smaller engined car -- with just 103kW and 180Nm -- just doesn't match the expectations of the aggressive sporty drop-top looks while the bigger engine may offer the power but with only a mildly reworked suspension, can almost become a lethal weapon in the wrong hands.

So it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that we approached the M Roadster to determine whether BMW had sorted out this mysterious beast and fulfilled the potential spelled out in its visual appearance.

The specifications and heritage look right for a serious soft- top sports car.

The donor 3.2-liter six comes straight out of the tasty M3 coupe and delivers 236kW at 7400rpm and 350Nm at 3250rpm driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual box.

The base chassis may still be standard Z3 but the suspension has been further tightened to deal with the engine force and the big 17-inch 225/45 front and 245/40 rear rubber helps keep the car on the ground.

BMW claims 0-100km/h in just 5.4 seconds before reaching a limited 250kmh -- all very impressive on paper.

Thankfully, the on-road performance also comes up trumps.

Turn over the ignition and the engine fires with a low throaty growl as you slot the shift into first.

Acceleration is as you like it -- mash the pedal and the car screams away drawing power all the way to the 7,500rpm red-line or squeeze gently and a smooth surge of power sets the car off the line with poise and restraint.

Both responses are immediate, giving the driver a sense of being well placed to control the power.

This precise control is further enhanced by the short throw five-speed shifter.

The gate is well defined and the gear lever clicks smoothly into each gear.

Out on the open road, the flexibility of the engine becomes evident with a smooth delivery of power across the rev band. The engine is just as happy to cruise at 60kmh in fifth hovering around 1,500rpm as it is to reach 120kmh in second approaching 7,500rpm.

Along the freeway, the squat appearance of the car and wide rubber translates into a rock solid and stable straight line allowing the concentration to wander.

But come across a tight corner and the car needs to be handled with a delicate touch. Turn in too fast and too hard and the rear end lets go too easily, while too much power will have the car understeering through the corner as the 20mm wider rear rubber forces the car forward.

Add a rough surface to the cornering equation and the concentration needs to go up a gear as -- although the M is nowhere near as skittish as the 2.8 Z3 -- the firm suspension means the car tends to buck slightly through the rough stuff.

But the feel through the steering wheel is communicative enough to at least let you know.

As a sports car, the ride is hard -- but still has enough suppleness to be able to live with on a daily basis on the rough- cut suburban roads.

The ride factor is further helped by the superb leather seats that offer plenty of comfort and support -- for a wide range of body sizes.

While side and rear visibility are good -- even with the roof up -- the large, low set rear vision mirror can be distracting.

The placement of the left foot rest tends to intrude into the floor space and can catch your foot as you depress the clutch.

The M-Roadster is not the tight-as-a-drum, supremely surefooted sports car of its namesake M3. But it is a serious drop-top sportster which -- in the right hands -- can offer a satisfying driving experience.