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Race Marque System M-Powered Z3
Motor Trend, Feb 1997 v49 n2 p108(2)
Every BMW fan knows that the Z3 roadster's chassis is derived from current and previous-generation 3 Series sedans. Every BMW fan also knows the Z3 was designed to accommodate a six-cylinder engine (hence, the new Z3 2.8).
Osh Minelian of Race Marque Systems has made the world a teeny bit more bearable by shoving the 3.0-liter/240-horsepower Motorsport six from a '95 M3 into the snout of a Z3 in place of the original 1.9-liter/138-horsepower four before BMW has. (The '96 3.2-liter M3 engine fits, too.) Combine that transplant with matching suspension and brake upgrades, and the result essentially is Race Marque's version of the car BMW won't let us have. Such karmic equity totals about $20,000 beyond the price of the Z3 - about what we'd expect for a BMW-built version.
Inserting the engine involved bracketry improvisations, but was otherwise straight-forward. It's hard to imagine BMW doing things differently than Race Marque has within the engine bay; the big six looks perfectly natural in there, and factory electronics mean this Z3 can be dealer serviced like any M3.
Lowered about 1.25 inches from stock over 17-inch M3 wheels, this Z3's aggressive countenance seems appropriate to the ground-hugging roadster lines. The lowered suspension, incorporating oversize anti-roll bars and Koni shocks, kept the 225/45ZR17 Michelin Pilot tires glued for a 70.7-mph rip through the slalom and 0.93g trip around the skidpad. Of course the lowering means the car is as stiff as a go-kart and scrapes on speed bumps or steep driveways.
The huge (12.4-inch-diameter front) M3 brakes produced 125-foot 60-0-mph stopping distances and resist fade better than hand-washing in Woolite.
Although satisfying, the chassis mods are dwarfed by the engine swap. Backed by Race Marque's stainless steel dual exhaust system and breathing through a larger bore throttle body and Euro-spec airbox, there's likely closer to 280 horses available here than the original 240. With the M3 instrument cluster's tach needle swinging to the 6500-rpm redline in rapid bursts, and a Race Marque shortshifter five-speed putting that power to the wheels, 0-60 mph takes only 5.4 seconds and the quarter mile is wolfed down in 13.9 seconds at 101.6 mph. This acceleration is comparable to Corvettes and light attack helicopters but with, not surprisingly, perfect M3 manners and gorgeous midrange torque.
In the four-cylinder Z3, the waist-high cockpit feels jaunty and fun. In Race Marque's car, the two occupants are exposed to every sensation produced. Jaunt and fun becomes profound and enraptured.
The production Z3 is fine, but Race Marque's M-powered version is what this vehicle ought to be, transforming the roadster into one of the world's great performance cars.
Stock Z3 Race Marque
Systems Z3
Acceleration
0-30 mph 2.3 2.3
0-40 3.8 3.2
0-50 5.5 4.1
0-60 7.9 5.4
0-70 10.6 6.9
0-80 13.9 8.6
0-90 - 11.0
Quarter mile,
sec/mph 16.8/84.6 13.9/101.6
Braking,
60-0, ft 120 125
Slalom,
600-ft, mph 69.5 70.7
Skidpad,
200-ft, lat g 0.93 0.93