X-Factor Hartge merges fashion with utility
Sports utility vehicles are big business in Europe at the moment, with every manufacturer rushing to grab its slice of a pie that has become part of the U.S. motoring fabric over the past decades.
BMW muscled in on the act with its big X5. Now it has released the slightly smaller, lighter, cheaper X3 with the same 231-bhp 3.0-liter engine which should have been a tuner's dream.
It didn't take long for Hartge to get to work on an engine conversion for the Diesel unit that liberates 41 more horses through the powerplant and fruity new exhaust system that does sound impressive with the throttle fully open.
Using what is in essence a 3 Series front end and travelling to 60 mph in 7.4 sec., the X3 was always an oversized road car and the off-road part of the equation was a near irrelevance.
Compromising the car's abilities on the loose by dropping it a further 30mm was hardly going to offend, therefore. Nor was the loss of ground clearance suffered by the installation of a new front bumper and the suspension travel taken up by the new $6,000 20-in. "Classic" wheels.
The X3 handled more like a broad saloon than a four-wheel drive on our test, skipping off muddy curbs into slides when seriously pushed to the limit. It's a strange sensation getting the tail wagging in a bus this size and leaving it all to the gadgets and gizmos.
Hartge has also done a little cosmetic work with the paint, coding the front spoiler among other things. It all makes a difference to the X3, for a total price of around $7,000 for the wheels and lowering, which is not bad value for those determined to make a fashion statement with their SUV.
Hartge BMW 645Ci Lower and meaner looking
Far removed from the animal-like Z50 and slightly agricultural X3, the gleaming bronze 645Ci conversion oozed class.
Okay, so Chris Bangle may have drawn criticism for departing so radically from recent BMW heritage, but taken on its own merit it's still a beautiful car. It's big, it's sleek and it weighs 3527lb, which for a luxury car with 333 bhp to play with is not too bad.
Hartge is the first to offer a lowering kit for the 6er, lowering it 30mm and fitting huge 20-in. wheels that make this coupe a more muscular prospect.
It certainly felt a little more planted, if still a slightly esoteric driving experience due to the complex technology between the pedals and the wheels - even with the traction control off.
The lowering kit could prove a hit if the revived 6 Series strikes a chord with a younger audience, costing less than $1,000 as it does, and the 20-in. wheels certainly set off the new car's aggressive looks.
And on the Way There...Catching Some Zs
Hartge was just the first stop on a German odyssey that took in three manufacturers, five countries, three manufacturers, 2,000 miles, 15 cars valued at $2 million and the Pyrenees mountain range in 4 1/2 days.
Last minute rearrangements due to snowdrifts also added 300 miles to the trip. This, however, gave us the chance to put the Z4 3.0-liter thoroughly through its paces on the roads it was designed for.
Sections of the British press have slaughtered the Z4 for a crashy ride, but the German autobahn boasts a far better surface than the UK's government-mangled byways and that is where the Z4's suspension was tuned. It's still firm, but then it's a 231-bhp roadster with a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.9 sec. and a top speed of more than 150mph with the roof down, so it needs to be.
Off the lights, or away from the French tollbooths on the way back from our pilgrimage, the car was more than capable of dealing with pretty much anything that didn't form the modified basis of a feature car.
The Z4 was a perfectly competent and coped with high speed and 200-mile stints at once, which is far from bad for a sports machine of this ilk. We even managed a powernap in it in a service station on the 600-mile slog home...
It was not without its faults. A slight lag on the throttle response and a high bite on the clutch conspired to frustrate smooth progress and it was only when running seriously late, and seriously annoyed, that the car suddenly found its groove. It needs to be wrung to be smooth as with a number of sporty roadsters.
More surprisingly, under heavy braking the 2,844-lb car weaved ominously, forcing a dive down the inside of one unsuspecting German as we exited the motorway on to a tight and winding exit road. Thinking he had fallen victim to the most ludicrous manoeuvre since Hitler nipped into Poland, he was not amused.
This was a big fault, and a shame, because the Z4 cornered well, using modern technology to keep the rear in tow. On occasion the bodyroll felt a little too much, but comfort comes in too and having seen BMW take a mauling for producing a sporty car, it's hard to abuse them for going soft.
BMW has produced an entertaining car with the electronics switched off that can handle and thrive on long distance use. It's towards the expensive side, especially when equipped with full leather trim, but then it is a Beemer and niceties like the super-swift electric hood all cost.
As expected of BMW, the shift on the six-speed itself was smooth, the inline six faultless and composed throughout and the interior finish proved impeccable.
Sat-Nav was a blessing for the most part, too, but proved a stark warning about over reliance on technology by getting us lost in Germany. At least one part of Bavaria, BMW's homeland, is not on the marque's own navigation CD, which was a little strange to say the least.
The roadster certainly looks the part, though, and drew a number of appreciative glances on our travels. After the classic and slightly effeminate nuances of the Z3 BMW needed to come up with a much tougher looking roadster this time around and the sculpted Z4 has earned the macho title of Land Shark. Short of the BMW "Six-Pack and Testicle Scratcher," it couldn't have a more manly rep.
It was hard not to be impressed with this machine's all round capabilities after covering 2000 miles and not requiring major surgery. But it's in the same price range as a Porsche Boxster in Europe and also the cheaper Japanese wildcard: the Honda S2000. That's a tough class...
The BMW name still counts for a lot, though, and, with a range of mods available, the Z4 could prove a lasting success. It may require an evolutionary step focused on the suspension and braking, but that is all, most of the blocks are all in place. Driving a number of modified Z4s over several days proved that with a little attention to the suspension, this car heads into a different league.
BMW's landmark roadster for the new millennium may well be the Z5, employing valuable lessons learned on the Z3 and Z4. Or, with a little tinkering, it may be with us already.