Filed under: Aftermarket, Car Buying, SEMA, Tuners, Convertibles, BMW
Add a little carbon fiber to your Z4's diet
TC Kline Racing debuted its Carbon Roadster at last year's SEMA, but we thought it was worth revisiting since we ourselves had never visited it before. The Ohio based tuner has taken a BMW Z4 M roadster and faithfully reskinned it entirely in carbon fiber, effectively shaving 500 lbs. off of the car's weight in one very expensive fell swoop. It still looks like a Z4, but with much larger fender flares to accommodate giant 19-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires.
A host of other alterations have been made to the $95,000 Carbon Roadster, of which only 100 will be produced. Power is spiked to 346 horsepower, up from 330 thanks to a lighter aluminum flywheel and freer flowing exhaust. So, you've got a car lighter than an S2000 and as powerful as a 911. Sounds like a winning combination, especially with the optional "Track Attack" racing package.
[Source: Inside Line]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Corey 4:39PM (6/21/2006)
Looks fun to go canyon carving, but the combination of such power, weight, and short wheelbase might bite your head off.
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Q-Tip 5:32PM (6/21/2006)
The changes to the area between the front fender and door look kit car like. I never thought I'd say it, but they lose what little is interesting about the Bangle design. The side marker is gone and the positive curvature in the middle of the exhaust vent (I'm assuming that's what that is) makes it look like a cheap fiberglass front end that someone from the pimp my ride crowd made in high school shop class. For the cost of a F430 or 911 Turbo ($95,000 + cost of the donor car) I'd expect a fit and finish approximating those manufacturers.
Yes the power to weight ratio is exciting, but again anyone in the pimp my ride crowd can strap an oversized turbo on a used Supra for 650bhp and be have the same power to weight ratio for a third of the price.
Then again, in my dreams when I win the lottery and can afford to start my own tuning shop. I'd concentrate on weight reduction over absolute power increases, so the modifications are appealing in that sense. I hope demand for this service is strong enough to lead to a new kind of tuner shop as opposed to the "I can install a larger turbo than you can" set.
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RacetrackOwner 5:39PM (6/21/2006)
At $95,000 you could find a lot more interesting ways to get your head bitten off than a medium-horsepower Z4.
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naggs 11:24PM (6/21/2006)
people in the know are saying that the m coupe and convertible are disappointing on the track, they are great entertaing rides but just dont put down the numbers you might expect especially compared to a cayman or corvette.
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J 6:12AM (6/22/2006)
im no expert, but 500 lbs sounds a little high for just replacing the sheet metal with carbon fiber.
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Tom Design 8:03PM (6/22/2006)
What a beautiful roadster.
Audi needs to take some lessons in front grill design from BMW. Nothing cheap and plasticky looking about this black, plastic grill. It can be done.
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Tf 10:40PM (6/22/2006)
Who was right in the end?, this car aged well.
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Grand Canyon 7:25PM (11/01/2006)
Since there are no bridges over the Colorado River anywhere near the Grand Canyon, the shortest distance by road between the South Rim and the North Rim is 215 miles. The hike down one side of the Grand Canyon and up the other takes two days and a vast amount of effort. The temperature on the rim is often in the 90's in mid summer and increases quite considerably as you descend from the rim. Therefore the two rims must be considered as effectively forming two separate areas, although they are within sight of each other. The statistics of the Grand Canyon are staggering: LENGTH: 217 miles (not all of which lies within the Grand Canyon National Park). DEPTH: One mile. The world's tallest skyscrapers would fit inside the inner gorge of the canyon. WIDTH: Varies from 4 miles to 18 miles. The Grand Canyon is so vast and so complex that it is often difficult for the mind to comprehend what the eyes are seeing. Unless you are prepared to undertake an extremely strenuous hike or take an expensive mule trip or plane ride then your views will be limited to those from the rims, but these are magnificent in their own right. At sunset or sunrise, you can't tell where the earth begins and the heavens end. Everyone should visit the Grand Canyon National Park. ARIZONA the GRAND-CANYON-STATE
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