Carbon fiber revolution: BMW Z3 (Z4 successor) and more
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<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset"> Toyota will co-develop the next Z4 to be designated Z3 with BMW.
BMW will be more of a sports car. Design influenced by Vision ConnectedDrive Concept car. Design will reflect the technology and advanced aspect of the new car. Technical , and futuristic.
Roadster (BMW) : Coupe (Toyota) at first but their will be an additional Coupe and Roadster for both brands.
Individual design.
Individual characters , both manufacturers will develop their own chassis.
front-engine, rear-drive layout of the current Z4. But a greater approach to weight reduction innovation.
Relatively no high increase in price over the current Z4.
Folding hard top ditched for soft top. Emphasis on weight reduction.
The basic body and chassis design by BMW.
Based upon extensive Carbon fibre innovation shown with the BMW i3 and i8 and the all new generation of 7er.
BMW developed Carbon fibre tub and chassis , key elements such as suspension arms fabricated from CFRP , aluminium A structure and chassis section.
Boot lid and bonnet lid Constructed from Carbon Fibre.
Toyota developed second generation plug-in hybrid technology. More advanced interpretation of the current Toyota Hybrid System II with energy storage capacitor for revolutionary performance eDrive model and Toyota hybrid Drive model.
Engines will be from BMW. Four and Six cylinders.
To be the first car in its segment to offer innovation , performance and efficiency , features expected of a super sports car at half the price.
BMW M. Variants possible. </td></tr></tbody></table>
The timescale works absolutely in favour with the new BMW M3 and BMW M4 Coupe because a gap of two years allows establishment and progress. By this time there will be the Competition Package for the M3 and M4 and there will also be progress for the two cars in an additional specification.
Then you have to think about the next M5 and its leap in technology , lightweight and power increase to just over 600 PS. Granted the M5 won't be on the market at this point but the arrival will be just over twelve months from the G30.
This is where the gap opens for the M2 and there will be ample room for co-existence.
The interesting thing that really shows progress, is that on a presentation briefing between Toyota and BMW on the Z4 Replacement which is the Z3 is the ability to integrate super sports car specifications into that car by extensive use of Carbon Fibre. The Z3 will be the first car, along with its Toyota twin to use a Carbon tub in its price range for a premium manufacturer even undercutting the Alfa Romeo 4C. The bonnet lid and bootlid will also be CFRP and as will areas of the suspension.
It leads to possibly further advances of CFRP on the M2 as the time frame allows for further and extensive application. The four cylinder resonates with the approach to lightweight application over numbers.
The new BMW M3 and M4 begin the Carbon revolution at M. It's not all about the numbers its about precision through weight reduction.
To understand the significance. Look at that Carbon bodied Maybach at around 1 million dollars. Granted the 7er will not be extensive in application but with all the key panels approached to be fabricated from CFRP it will be far , far less than that Maybach , not even a fraction of the cost. That is how important this is.
Later this year as BMW begin the roll out to the first BMW to adopt a significant lightweight approach their will be media Technology days where you will understand the full outline of how innovative and beneficial this will be for BMW.
Start to get excited.
