BMW does it again with the Z4 coupe?
BMW has been getting it rough recently,
with its styling directions being at best ‘controversial’,
and yet BMW keep going in the same direction, despite public
outcry. This is a great shame, as BMW does make some fine
motor cars.
The
new Z4 coupe to be released in 2006, is a last ditch attempt
to revive interest in the Z4, which in its roadster format has
certainly not set the world alight, with its “flame
surface” styling. The numbers speak for themselves, with
production having been cut back from 56,589 to 35,136 in 2004,
and in the first five months of 2005, production was cut by
another 28 percent.
Sources close to BMW say that if the coupe
version for 2006 is well received, the next generation Z4 will
probably be released with a fixed top. It will also come out
with toned down styling (throwing some cold water on the
controversial “flame” styling)! This new Z4 is scheduled
for 2009, so it’s going to be a long wait. The new model
will also have active steering, adjustable dampers, and the
new twin-clutch transmission that is due to replace the
sequential M gearbox.
A very brief internet search turned up the
following comments:
“It looks like a Datsun 240Z. It will be
interesting to see if BMW stays with all those creases that
made the Z4 such a hit or incorporates injections of botox to
ease the eye strain.”
“Das
Fuhrer would be proud! After all these years the Fatherland
has finally produced a Bangle-ized copy of the Datsun 240Z.”
(Referring to BMW chief designer Chris Bangle.)
“I’m surprised that I like the design.
It reminds me of those old sports cars from the days of yore
with that fast back look. At least it doesn’t look like the
other Z3 M coupe.”
“Sorry... the overall shape and
proportions are fine, but I just can’t get over all the
strange creases. I just want to take a belt sander to it.”
With public comments such as those, and
dwindling sales, you would imagine that BMW would wake up.
Perhaps they have, but they are certainly moving too slowly to
stay abreast of world taste.
For me, the hard-top looks as if it were
made by Fred Flange’s Friendly Fiberglass shop and grafted
on. It certainly does look old fashioned, and the Kamm tail is
reminiscent of the Aston Martin DB4/DB5 series. At least it
does look better than the Z3 coupe, which was a disaster.
Is the Tweel
“weely” the way to the future?
In the list of the top 10 significant
inventions in 2005, there was one automotive product. The
“Tweel” made by Michelin.
A few weeks ago I looked at the ‘run
flat’ tyre technology systems on a test vehicle, and hoped
this was not the way we were heading.
Tweel
The ‘run flat’ system were tyres that
basically had a pliable rubber band inside them and that meant
the tyre never deflated totally and would always get you home.
However, the tyre principle as we currently know it was
preserved. The tyre carcass held air to allow for flexibility,
the sidewalls were also important in giving directional
stability, while the tread met all the imperfections in the
road surface and the rolling resistance was the sum of all
three factors.
All of the above really now comes out as a
very interim step in tyre technology, as Michelin revealed at
the Paris Motor Show. This new and exciting concept is the
Michelin Tweel. This is, by nature of its airless
construction, another puncture-proof tyre. The name
“Tweel”’ is an amalgamation of “tyre” and
“wheel”. It is a non-pneumatic (or airless) wheel, made up
of a rubber tread bonded to the hub through flexible spokes.
Rather than a wheel plus a demountable tyre, we now have a
single combined product called the Tweel. Mounting and removal
operations will thus be simpler says Michelin.
As the Tweel is extremely strong, they are
also working on a range of other applications including
smaller earthmovers and military vehicles.
However, it was not till the North American
International Auto Show (NAIAS) that Michelin’s
trend-setting technology caught the imagination of the media.
“Major revolutions in mobility may come along only once in a
hundred years,” said Terry Gettys, president of Michelin
America’s Research and Development Center. “But a new
century has dawned and Tweel has proven its potential to
transform mobility. Tweel enables us to reach levels of
performance that quite simply aren’t possible with today’s
conventional pneumatic technology.” All this is conveniently
forgetting that radial technology is only 50 years old, but
never mind!
Michelin’s Tweel is in production and the
bulk market is in passenger vehicles, and Michelin are far
enough down the road (sorry about the pun) to show the
application of Tweels on an Audi A4. “The Tweel automotive
application, as demonstrated on the Audi, is definitely a
concept, a stretch application with strong future
potential,” said Gettys. “Our concentration is to enter
the market with lower-speed, lower-weight Tweel applications.
What we learn from our early successes will be applied to
Tweel fitments for passenger cars and beyond.”
Going back to the basic construction of the
Tweel, the spokes which are flexible, mimic the action of the
compressed air and sidewalls in delivering the ride comfort.
The flexible wheel deforms to absorb road shocks from surface
irregularities. Without any air needed by conventional tyres,
Tweel has the weight-carrying capacity, ride comfort, and the
ability to ride over road hazards.
Michelin has also found that it can tune
Tweel performances independently of each other, which is a
significant change from conventional tyres. This means that
vertical stiffness (which primarily affects ride comfort) and
lateral stiffness (which affects handling and cornering) can
both be optimized, pushing the performance factor for these
applications and has the potential for superior performance
not possible for current air inflation tyres. Michelin claim
it has increased the lateral stiffness by a factor of five,
making the prototype very responsive in its handling.
According to factory information, the Tweel prototype tested
on the Audi A4, is within five percent of the rolling
resistance and mass levels of the standard tyre fitment.
For Michelin, Tweel is a long-term vision
that represents the next step in a long path of
industry-changing innovations. Fifty years ago, Michelin
invented the radial tyre and Michelin believes that radial
tyre technology will continue as the standard; however,
Michelin is continuing with its Tweel research. I believe that
research will see the radial technology replaced within the
next decade.
Didier Miraton, head of Michelin R&D
says, “Michelin’s research mission is to constantly bring
about ‘technological leaps’ in the tyre industry. Day
after day, we strive to halve breaking distance, rolling
resistance, noise, and also to improve grip or extend tyre
life. All this means experimenting with new structures,
materials and so on. And day after day, we break new
performance records, pushing back the limits of tyre
technology.”
Grunwell does well in world
Rotax championships
James Grunwell had a great week at the
Rotax Go-Kart world championships in Malaysia and after the
qualifying rounds was placed 4th on the grid in the final, in
a field including the best drivers in the world at that level.
There were more than 60 countries represented. Unfortunately
in the final he was disadvantaged by his set-up on the drying
track and had to settle for 9th place overall. This is the
best a Thai based driver has ever achieved. Most of the
drivers he was competing against had been driving for 10 years
compared with only three years for James.
James
Grunwell #22, far left
It is hoped that this year he might be awarded one of the
BMW scholarships to run in the Formula BMW Asia in 2006.
James, his parents and I have our fingers crossed. This is a
young man with obvious talent.
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I mentioned that the first
roadside petrol pump was installed in the UK in 1913, but
another country had installed them long before. The question
was which country, and when? It was the USA in 1906.
So to this week. Which candle manufacturer
also built motor cars? Clue: Agnelli!
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be
the first correct answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
Natter Nosh and Noggin
The monthly car enthusiasts meeting will be
at Jameson’s Irish Pub on Soi AR next to the Nova Park
development. The car (and bike) enthusiasts meet on the second
Monday of the month, so this time it is Monday (December 12)
at Jameson’s at 7 p.m. This is a totally informal meeting of
like minded souls to discuss their pet motoring (and
motorcycling) loves and hates. Just ask any of the lovely
Jameson’s girls where the group is and they will point us
out and give you a push.
