Thursday, June 3, 2010

AC Schnitzer BMW Z4


Take  the first ascent of the 8,848 metre high Mount Everest, the expeditions  to the poles or the dive into the 11 km deep canyon of the Mariana  Trench. There have always been individuals and extreme characters who  have pushed our boundaries and discovered new terrain. An extreme region  for automotive tuners, where only a few venture, has always been the  BMW M-series cars, in particular the uncompromising Z4 M-Coupé, a  thoroughbred driving machine.

But the fact that the limits of  this extraordinary car are far from reached is evident from the new  concept vehicle by AC Schnitzer - the PROFILE - even at first glance.  Classic engine tuning hauls the power of the high-revving six-cylinder  in-line plant to a robust 350 HP. Not only is a special "active  breathing" airbox used, but the engine control unit has been remapped.  But power alone isn't enough to get the maximum from an athletic heart.  So the modified rear axle ratio of 3.91:1 provides better sprint  capacity, while the perfectly smooth transmission with the AC Schnitzer  Short Shift ensures crisp changes by the driver.

And as you  listen to the sonorous baritone note of the left/right sports exhaust  system with the trapezoid tailpipes, you could be deceived into thinking  that the driver is not changing gears, but playing some kind of a  musical instrument. A feast for all the senses: Visually the stunning  colour combination of white-orange casts its spell and perfectly  enhances the exquisite contours of the AC Schnitzer bodykit. From the  front skirt with its suggestive cup-wings via the widened wheelarches  and flanks with the gill-like vents - as already used on the legendary  BMW 507- the dynamic line is drawn over the bulging side skirts to the  rear skirt with carbon diffuser.

The whole is crowned by a rear  spoiler and a fascinatingly styled roof wing. The forged alloy Type V  wheels from the standard AC Schnitzer collection are a work of art in  themselves. Filigree design yet with an air of solidity, in size 9.0J x  20" at the front and 10.0J x 20" at the rear, these wheels are the  perfect adornment combined with tyres size 235/30 ZR 20 front and 295/25  ZR 20 rear.

But traction alone isn't everything, and the  dynamics are supported by the AC Schnitzer suspension with its racing  heritage, set up in the Green Hell of the Nürburgring. An aluminium  strut brace in "Racing" style not only catches the eye but limits the  torsion of the front body. Thanks to the AC Schnitzer racing seats, the  driver always holds position. And the carbon interior trim and pedal  set, with decor elements of aluminium, radiate pure racing flair. Could  there be a better place to experience the limits of potential?

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