Miata Mailing List: September 1999, Message #298

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At 17:44 -0400 on 990902, Bill commanded the electrons to create a 
missive titled "RE: BMW MX5?":
|>>Forgive me if this observation has been made before, but if BMW's
|Motorsport division produces a go-fast version of the new X5 SUV, might
|it not incur some interesting naming issues?
|
|Well, the M version of the Z3 is the Z3M or the M coupe, so maybe they'll
|call the SUV the X5M.  Of course, since they call their 2.5 liter sedan the
|323i, and they call the new 2.5 liter Z3 the Z3 2.3, who knows WHAT they'll
|call the SUV?

Nope, the M version of the Z3 is the M Roadster, which we all know as 
a Miata aftermarket vendor. (Badgered into a name change by floods of 
clueless ZZZ owners, as it happens.) The M version of the Z3 Coupe is 
the M Coupe, which was a Mazda show car in what? '93?

While we're on the subject of BMW emulating Mazda, I got a good look 
at one of the aforementioned 2.5l "2.3" Zzz's at the Bimmer dealer 
the other day.

This is getting pretty ridiculous. First, BMW figures out, after 
about 5 years of steady Miata sales, that there's a market for a 
roadster. Poof! An ugly little ragtop with the soul of a 318i 
appears, called the Z3.

Then, they figure out that people expect roadsters to be sports cars, 
so they cram the "little six" 2.8l under the hood, so the Zzz owners 
don't get trounced at stoplight _and_ the twisties.

Mazda comes along with new sheetmetal (among other things) for '99, 
and BMW reacts again. "Oh, Roadsters have 'hips'? OK!" And the '00 
Zzz gets hips.

And did anyone see the "English Roadster" editions in BRG a couple of 
years ago?

I'd love to see the tables turn, though...anyone for an MCoupe beating RX-8?

-Zandr, who's obviously sleep deprived...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Aleksandr Milewski  '90 Crystal White/Sapphire Mica stripes "Starbug"
n6mod@miata.net          '90 Future Italia | '99 Silver/Tan "Pandora"
Ben Lomond, CA                     President, BAMA; Admin, Miatapower