gavriil

Meet the car which insiders say will be the finest driving machine ever built by BMW. Caught on camera for the first time ever by Auto Express's spy photographers, the sleek new model is to replace the muscular M Coupé, and will combine styling influences from the new Z3 and X Coupé concept.
As our exclusive picture shows, although the front lights are distinctively individual when compared to those of the current BMW range, the rear lamps are expected to be largely identical to those that were first shown on the X Coupé. The newcomer will not only be aiming to knock machines such as the Porsche 911 from the top spot in its class, but is also designed to counter a growing number of performance cars set for launch in Japan. As well as the forthcoming Nissan GT-R, the Mazda RX-8 and next-generation Honda NSX are in the pipeline, too.

BMW is confident it has the answer to this threat in the radical coupé pictured here. The lightweight two-plus-two will be powered by an advanced 2.2-litre 240bhp engine capable of propelling the car from 0-60mph in less than 5.5 seconds. Top speed is likely to be electronically limited to 155mph, while the gearbox will be an advanced edition of the already impressive SMG semi-automatic currently offered on the new M3. Insiders say pricing will be incredibly competitive for a coupé of this calibre, starting at around £30,000. With only one engine choice initially on offer, flagship editions will cost no more than £35,000.

Codenamed Z5, the newcomer is no overnight sensation at BMW. Board support was first sought for the project in 1999, when managers were weighed down by problems at Rover. At that time, two other ideas were also being presented to bosses, including a V8 coupé aimed at Jaguar's XKR, and a £200,000 spaceframe V10 replacement for the M1. Codenamed Z29, the V8 was deemed too close to the Z8 and forthcoming 6-Series, while the V10 machine, known as M2, was too expensive. As a result, the Z5 is the only project to have made it to prototype stage. It is based on a similar platform to the one on the forthcoming Z3. Made largely of aluminium, and featuring kevlar boot, bonnet and door panels, the car is expected to weigh little more than 1,000kg. Wheel builder BBS is expected to help produce a set of lightweight alloys, further improving the suspension's efficiency.

Although front engined, the model's proportions show that engineers are pursuing a design which will see the motor mounted as far back as possible in the chassis to help improve weight distribution and handling. Obviously the coupé will offer BMW's advanced DSC traction-control system as well as ABS. However, as with the current crop of models, this can be switched off by keen drivers. BMW is also expected to make much of its F1 experience to help sell the new car at its launch late in 2003. It is even possible that the engines will be badged to celebrate the firm's long association with race machine builder Williams.

As the model is developed, BMW is also rumoured to be in the process of developing an all-new V8 edition of the coupé, although this model could be as far away as 2008. If this car goes ahead, it is likely to use the all-new M3 engine destined to appear in the next-generation 3-Series in 2006.

someguy

I want one

2002 3.2 CL

Way to long to waitfor that to come out. WTF though that engine sounds like a 2.2lt 4cylinder version of the S2000. id BMWsteal the engine and squeze the sh't out of it to make it faster and more powerful. Well by then the S2000 will have the Ivtec engine in it making even more power and have more torque. I just wish they would offer the S2000 with a 5 speed automatic to boast sales for people that only buy automatics and for me! .

JRock

Gee how about that... it looks like every other concept car out there.

The only concept car that has become a production vehicle and remained anything like the average concept image is the new Viper.

Look at the overall lines of that BMW thing and then look at the lines of at least half of every other concept car image shown lately - oh wow, they're all almost identical. I swear they have one artist make all the images.

Zapata

6speed automatic is comming next year or the year after that.

proactive

(No flame intended, just an observation)

This doesn't appear to be "caught" on film... unless they caught them in the act of taking some ultra high quality production shots.

That being the case, do you have any more?

Type S

kind of cool .2.2 liter engine heh.new engine heh.it is 4 cylinder,right?.but bmw cars are very costly and bad resale value.if one day i can buy a bmw car. i will want to buy a used.

Red Nj-s

Wow...good job BMW.

Take the Chrysler Crossfire and slap sum propeller emblems on it.
It is nasty.

someguy

here is a spy shot, that is just a computer generated image

proactive

Ahhhhh, that looks familiar. I couldn't find anything through google.

I'm looking forward to this and the new 6-series.