Well, I bought this BMW Z4 M Roadster with the idea that I could have some great road trips with it. And since you can't spell "roadster", without "Road", I've been trying it out on some of my favorite roads in Northern California.
Here are some notes from two trips I've taken this month...
TRIP One: San Mateo Mountains and Half Moon Bay with my Wife
No matter how much I like any car, in the end it has to pass by the ultimate reviewer, my favorite passenger and co-pilot in life, my wife Jill. So we decided to take a day and go drive a few great roads through the redwoods out to the beach for lunch and... whatever comes our way.
Packed up the BMW Z4 M and managed to fit two large beach chairs, a cooler, and a duffel with sweatshirts, towels, etc in the trunk. Tight fit, but ok.
The car did great, Jill loved it. With her in the car, I was far more aware of the stiff suspension over bad bumps, potholes, cracks and other imperfections. It feels everything. That's the good news and the bad news. Good news if you're a car geek and like to feel that "analog connection to the road". Bad news if you just like to pretend that a few of our Northern California roads aren't in bad shape. It's still wonderful on a curvy road and loves the 40-60 MPH band in 2nd and 3rd gear. Its also cruises smoothly and effortlessly on the freeway (when properly paved!).
It was the perfect day for a roadster. We started out down Highway 35 into Four-Corners and Alice's Restaurant (which was packed with cool cars and bikes), down Hwy 84 toward the coast and onto an epic curvy local road through the forest: Pescadero Road past Memorial Park. I was too busy driving for any good pics, but suffice to say that this route still ranks amongst my favorite drives in the USA!
We then turned south on Highway 1 and had lunch at the Costanoa Resort (excellent Clam Chowder and Calamari) and sat on the beach at Gazos Creek (across from the now-closed Highway 1 Brewing Company, which totally bums me out).
Weather was 65-68 degrees most of the day. Early hours on Highway 35 were misty and cool under the Redwoods and Oaks and then the sun came out gloriously on the coast. Ended the day with an epic lobster roll at Sam's Chowder house.
My wife said as we drove home she loves the car and how it provides a closer connection to the sights and sounds around us. She also said she was sad for anyone who doesn't go out and adventure around this amazing place we call home. I agree! Go adventure!!!
She said that the BMW is nowhere near as comfy as the Porsche GT3 for long drives, but it's a perfect "day car".
Trip Two: 3 Cars, 3 Brothers, 3 days in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
I had my brothers in town for a 3-day rally through the Sierra Nevadas in three cars: The new-to-me BMW Z4 M Roadster, the 2018 Porsche GT3 6-Speed manual, and the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C. We travelled about 500 miles and switched cars every hour or so on most days.
Here is the route we took over three days, in which we would drive cool roads, eat great local cuisine, golf, hike, and fish. If you've never been on these roads, you absolutely owe it to yourself to make some time.
Highway 49 provides the perfect driving experience. A deliciously twisty mountain road alongside a clear emerald green snow-fed river, old towns reminiscent of the 1950s, small and rustic riverside resorts, and an eventual link to Highway 89 toward Tahoe where it drops into the perfect High Sierras ranch valley. You might think you're in Montana or Wyoming. Two hours of driving bliss, it's a true California gem.
Highway 89 alongside the west shore of Lake Tahoe is scenic beyond description. Just south of Rubicon Bay you climb up away from the Lake, hit a peak while driving along a scary-skinny spine of the mountain with lake views all around you, before dropping into a spaghetti-like set of turns to get you back to Lake level near South Tahoe. It's truly magical.
Both my brothers came away with amazing respect for the Z4M. They said that while the GT3 is the car they absolutely love, it was the Z4 that inspired confidence, allowed spirited driving, and was very playful and connected. to the road. In short, it is perfect on the twisty 50-MPH roads along the Yuba River through Nevada City, Downieville, Sierra City, Sierraville, Truckee and on to Tahoe.
The bigger roads like Highway 50 (coming over a beautiful granite mountain pass between South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento) allowed the more powerful and planted GT3 to really shine. In the GT3, coming out of a 60 mph turn and stomping on it to 75 mph is sublime and so fast that you can find your self doing 90 before the next brake point. If you're ready for it, great. But it also means that you are creating more speed differential from turn to turn, hitting the brakes more. It's ultimately faster on mountain roads than the Z4M, but at the cost of being less smooth. It's more dramatic and crazy fun.
In most cases, there was no use case along the route that anyone other than me preferred the McLaren MP4-12C. Why? well, you have to really be in the 4000+ rpm band, getting hard on the accelerator and pushing it hard through and out of a curve to truly feel the magic of the lightweight carbon monocoque shell, the magical suspension balance, and the power of the twin-turbo V-8 screamer sitting behind you. And to do that, you are doing speeds that are downright scary if you don't know the road, the car, or your own capability. Once again, showing that power and speed isn't alluring if you can't wring the car out at its limits. The McLaren MP4-12C was just too "easy going" at lower speeds. No drama, just a solid car cruising along and easily being tossed side to side.
We all agreed that every one of these cars needs to be run between 4K - 7K RPM to really be having fun and really feel the connection to the car and the corners. And the BMW's M3-derived S54 straight-6 engine does that range SO well that it's hard not to reach for the Z4 keys. Both brothers wanted to run the Z4 at the end of the day when the sun was going down and the temps hit 70 degrees in the mountains.
Neither brother could fathom why the Z4M isn't a far more expensive proposition. I agree. It's an amazing used car value for a very special and somewhat rare car.
Can't wait for the next adventure ! (Hint: It's the Porsche GT3 on another great road trip, this time through Mount Lassen National Park).
