BMW Z9 to take on SL?
BMW is testing a car that looks to have Mercedes' SL top-dollar roadster range in its sightsIs BMW planning to take on the top-end-of-town dominance of Mercedes-Benz's SL roadster with a successor to the Z8? The answer's yes if the car caught here in testing on roads around BMW's hometown of Munich is anything to go by…
Built in limited numbers, the left-hand-drive-only Z8 boasted a V8 powertrain sourced from the last generation M5 and semi-retro styling. Though launched to some praise it represented nothing more than a toe in the water for BMW in the big convertible market Benz so dominates.
Our prototype could be an altogether different kessel of fische. Indeed, while originally thought to be the next-generation Z4, the demonstrably larger vehicle features SL-like proportions and details such glass-to-glass windows and a trim two-person cockpit. Check out also the hefty braking hardware and close cropped soft-top.
The dual big-bore exhausts, rather than quad tips, suggest the vehicle is not a designated M car, adding weight to the suggestion the new vehicle will get Z designation. Indeed, unofficially the car's already been dubbed the Z9.
with Carparazzi
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