BMW Z4 M Roadster vs. Porsche Boxster S Competitive Reference Guide

Z4 M Roadster

Porsche Boxster S Overview
MSRP: $55,495 Specifications:
3.2-liter flat 6-cylinder Engine output: 280 hp/236 lb-ft. 6-speed manual or 5-speed Tiptronic Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive Wheelbase (in.): 95.1 Headroom (in.): 37.0 Legroom (in.): 42.5 Cargo Volume (cu ft.): 9.5 (total front and rear) Mileage (city/highway): 18/27 (auto) 19/27 (manual)

Comparison

Porsche Boxster S
What the automotive press says:
Criticizing the Porsche Boxster S we wonder if the new Boxster is different enough to stand out to anyone other than current Boxster owners. Automobile, November 2004 one tester in the cars logbook. Its better than it once was, but the little door covering the ashtray in the center console feels cheap, the inside door handles are noisy and the insubstantial feel of the doors themselves leaves a poor impression. Inside Lines, May 11, 2005 Theres a tinny, hollow sound to the doors when pushed closed that doesnt send a premium message. Motor Trend, August 2004
When I cross-shopped the Boxster S, this is what they told me: The car feels a little downmarket, wrote
The Boxsters classic lines provide a distinctive link to Porsches past, wrapped around a fully modern, high-performance sports car. This is the quintessential mid-engine roadster; when people think about German sports cars a Porsche is what comes to mind. Last years redesigned front and rear provide a fresh look for the Boxster, but one thats in keeping with Porsches mid-engine heritage. The revised headlight treatment gives the Boxster a more distinctive appearance at the front, while the taillights enhance visibility. The new retractable rear spoiler reduces lift.
These cars are still short-coupled and narrow, and efforts to carve out a bit more The Boxster has won more comparison tests, room for the drivers have been only and received more accolades than any other modestly successful. Automobile, February 2005 test of a Porsche car in its class. Its made Car and Drivers Boxster and Mercedes-Benz SLK350 10Best list six years in a row.
BMW Z4 M Roadster versus Porsche Boxster S 04.07.06
The new interior includes an even higher level of material as standard, with Porsches traditionally superlative fit and finish. As youd expect, it befits a car of this stature. The Boxster S puts out an incredible 280 horsepower. Equipped with the standard 6-speed manual transmission, this the quickest, fastest Boxster Porsches ever built: 0-60 in 5.2 seconds.
the sound system is a sea of small, tightly packed buttons, and the gear selection readout on the gauge cluster is so small it borders on useless when youre running hard. Inside Lines, May 11, 2005 Of course the Tiptronic makes traffic jams more tolerable, but the tradeoff is a Porsche with a laid-back disposition. Its like the Porsche that swallowed a Xanax. Inside Lines, May 11, 2005 Where the Boxster S falters is price. The Boxster Ss base sticker of $53,100 will keep it from entering many peoples driveway. Road & Track, December 2004

BMW Group University

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Praising the Z4 M Roadster "On the racetrack in Jerez, Spain, the M roadster showed itself to be a willing partner. Should you choose to switch off the stability control, the chassis will never suprise or commit any embarrassing faux pas." Car and Driver, May 2006 "But this is not just another big-engine-in-alittle-car story. In addition to the powerplant, BMW engineers took anything and everything off the M3 that would make it go faster, turn quicker and stop better, and bolted it all into the Z4." AutoWeek, March 20, 2006
Porsche would cost more than $3,700, and wouldnt include the storage package or telematics. BMWs standard M sport seats offer more aggressive side bolstering and adjustable thigh support. Matching these in the Boxster S would cost $3,055. BMWs Dynamic Stability Control now includes such features as Brake Fade Compensation, Brake Standby, Brake Drying and Start-off Assistant. Porsches Stability Management system includes none of these features. Typical of Porsche, the Boxster offers a dizzying array of options, colors and textures, all of them premium priced. For instance, metallic paint is an $850 option on the Boxster S, unless its one of Porsches special colors then the costs jumps to $3,070. BMWs Nappa Extended Leather adds upgraded leather to virtually any surface you touch in the M car. This includes seats, upper door panels, kneepad area, center armrest, windshield frame and sun visors. Matching this treatment in the Boxster would cost between $3,400 and $4,900. BMW includes a choice of aluminum or genuine wood interior trim at no extra cost. Porsche charges as much as $2,150 for wood trim. The Roadsters standard equipment includes staggered, 18-inch wheels and tires, sport suspension and M Variable Differential Lock. Porsches wheel upgrades alone start at $2,700. The Z4 M Roadsters 4 year/50,000 mile Free Full Maintenance Program provides additional peace of mind, and additional savings. Edmunds.com estimates maintenance costs for the first three years to be $1286. Thats an additional cost of $32 per month for the Boxster S.

What do we say?

Porsche touts the Boxsters styling as a midengine sports car, but the BMWs long-hood and short rear deck better fit the classic proportions of a roadster. As a high-performance two-seater, the Z4 M Roadster boasts far more impressive credentials than the Boxster S, beginning with its 330-hp, 3.2-liter inline-6. Thats an astonishing 50 horsepower more than the Porsche from the same displacement. The Z4 M Roadsters torque output, 262 ft-lb., also dwarfs the Boxsters. With only 236 lb-ft. of torque, the Boxster S has also garnered complaints in some road tests about its difficulty to launch. Those power advantages show in the cars 0-60 mph times, as well. Porsche claims 5.2 seconds for the 6-speed manual Boxster S, 0.3 second behind the M Roadsters 4.9 second performance. Although the availability of Porsches $3,210 automatic might seem an advantage, its only a 5-speed and detracts noticeably from the cars performance (see Inside Lines quote). The Boxster S lacks numerous items that are standard on the Z4 M Roadster. These include full Nappa Leather, automatic climate control, aluminum trim, and rain-sensing wipers. Adding these items alone would boost the Porsches price almost $6,000.
Whats not available on the Porsche Boxster S:
Passenger lumbar adjustment Telematics (BMW Assist)
For use within the BMW organization only. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Active Knee Protection The Roadsters $2,500 Premium Package Passenger airbag disable switch adds auto-dimming mirrors, power seats with Adaptive Brake Lights drivers memory, cruise control, Premium HiFi Package, storage package and BMW Free Full Maintenance Program Assist. Adding the same equipment on the

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Satellite Radio Installation Instructions for BMW Z4 Roadster 03+ with Analog DSP (E85)
Before you begin the installation process, it is IMPERATIVE that you read and understand the following information. We also recommend disconnecting your negative battery terminal. You will need the Satellite Radio ID number to activate the radio. This number is always located on a decal somewhere on the satellite radio module. Write this down before installation begins, as it can be covered up by Velcro once you install the module.
Tools Required for Installation: Panel Removal Tool Torx T20 (Ashtray Assembly Removal) Wire Cutters/Crimpers Metric Allen Key Set Brain
Accessing Factory CD Changer Wiring The wiring well be working with should be very easily located. However, we have encountered a few Z4s with the wiring buried deep within the center console which required complete removal of the factory center console. If you do not find the wiring within a few minutes, you may want to have your dealer access the CD changer wiring for you. There will likely be a cost associated with this, and Bavarian Soundwerks will NOT be responsible for these costs.
1) The wires were looking for are located behind the carpeted panel on the rear wall of the trunk, closest to the cabin. To remove the carpeted panel, remove the trunk floor mat first by lifting it out of the vehicle. Well only be prying the carpeted panel up just enough to give us access to the area where the CD Changer connections reside. Once youve removed the floor panel, the battery will also be revealed. Go ahead and disconnect your negative battery terminal. Now, well need to remove the plastic fasteners that secure the upper layer of carpeting along the floor. There are two of them, one on either side of the carpeted panel. Now, we can fold the carpeted panel along the rear wall back, and well be looking for the rectangular pass-through into the cabin. Its about 6 up from the bottom of the floor, and directly in the middle of the rear firewall. We will be looking for two wires, one 3 pin connector, and one coaxial connection. Both the 3 pin and Digital Coaxial connector will be found tucked into the rectangular entrance into the cabin shown below. They can be tucked quite tightly in here, so you may have to fish around a bit to release them. They may be found together or the coaxial cable may
1 of 6 Any reproduction, distribution, modification, or dissemination of these instructions without written permission from Bavarian Soundwerks is expressly forbidden and a violation of international copyright law. Any violation will result in prosecution to the full extent available under the law! 2006 Bavarian Soundwerks, LLC. 2195 Defoor Hills Rd., Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30318 P: 404.963.8857 | www.bavsound.com
be hanging along the bottom edge of the wiring harness. We typically dont use the coaxial connection, as it isnt always routed back to the factory amplifier. See the steps below and if your Z4 has the coaxial connection plugged into the factory amplifier already, you can use it in lieu of the supplied coaxial cable.

Making the Appropriate Connections for your Satellite Radio
1. Having located the BMW CD Changer 3 pin connector, lets begin making our connections for the DSP adapter. Do not plug the 3 pin connector in at this point. The 3 pin plug on the BMW side of the connection will have a brown wire on one of the outside pins. If the brown wire is located in the center pin, you have the wrong 3 pin connector.

DSP Adapter Connections:

To make our DSP adapter connections, well need to first locate our factory amplifier, where we will make our power and audio connections for the DSP adapter. We will need to remove the factory amplifier as well by removing the 4mm bolt that secures it to the floor.
2 of 6 Any reproduction, distribution, modification, or dissemination of these instructions without written permission from Bavarian Soundwerks is expressly forbidden and a violation of international copyright law. Any violation will result in prosecution to the full extent available under the law! 2006 Bavarian Soundwerks, LLC. 2195 Defoor Hills Rd., Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30318 P: 404.963.8857 | www.bavsound.com
The amplifier is located in one of two places. It is likely found directly behind the battery, as shown on the next page. It may also be located along the back wall of the trunk. If you dont see your amplifier in the location shown below, your amplifier is on the back wall. That will actually make the install easier, as the connections can all take place behind the carpeted panel.
Now, to remove the factory amplifier from its location, you have to pry upward, somewhat aggressively. We need to gain access to the coaxial connection on the side of the amplifier.
Now, we need to plug the coaxial cable from the DSP adapter to the factory amplifier. Make sure the coaxial connections snaps tightly into both the DSP adapter and the factory amplifier! Now, we need to power the DSP adapter. As you can see, the adapter has a power connection with a Black wire running alongside a Black/White wire. We need to connect these to the appropriate wires in the factory amplifier harness. Black Wire = Negative (Ground) connects to the large brown wire in the amplifier harness, or you can ground the unit directly to your battery. Black/White Wire = Positive (Power) connects to the large Red Wire running alongside the top of

3 of 6 Any reproduction, distribution, modification, or dissemination of these instructions without written permission from Bavarian Soundwerks is expressly forbidden and a violation of international copyright law. Any violation will result in prosecution to the full extent available under the law! 2006 Bavarian Soundwerks, LLC. 2195 Defoor Hills Rd., Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30318 P: 404.963.8857 | www.bavsound.com

the amplifier harness.

Please note that the photos below may not represent what you have in front of you. All Satellite Radio pieces will install in the same manner, only the physical dimensions may vary.
6. To make the connections, you can use the included T-Taps or feel free to solder your connections. The T-Taps are easiest, but sometimes can be tricky to install correctly. To use the T-Taps, strip back a small area of the insulation all the way around the wire. Using a pair of pliers, tightly crimp the connector onto the wire. You can then attach the included red male spade terminals to the Black and Black/White wires and slide them onto the yellow T-Taps.
4 of 6 Any reproduction, distribution, modification, or dissemination of these instructions without written permission from Bavarian Soundwerks is expressly forbidden and a violation of international copyright law. Any violation will result in prosecution to the full extent available under the law! 2006 Bavarian Soundwerks, LLC. 2195 Defoor Hills Rd., Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30318 P: 404.963.8857 | www.bavsound.com
Trunk Lid Antenna Mounting
This is the way we most commonly mount the antennas. Reception is not compromised in any way, as the antenna has a full view of the sky. Since the antenna is magnetic, simply position it on the center of the trunk lid towards the front edge:
Well now need to tuck the antenna wire along the underside of the carpeted panel that is attached to the trunk lid:
Route the antenna wire towards the drivers side of the trunk lid. Well need to get the antenna down into the car. Following the trunk lid hinges, attach the antenna using the supplied wire ties. BE CAREFUL to mount the antenna so it wont get pinched.
5 of 6 Any reproduction, distribution, modification, or dissemination of these instructions without written permission from Bavarian Soundwerks is expressly forbidden and a violation of international copyright law. Any violation will result in prosecution to the full extent available under the law! 2006 Bavarian Soundwerks, LLC. 2195 Defoor Hills Rd., Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30318 P: 404.963.8857 | www.bavsound.com

Now, lift the rubber gasket that lines the trunk seal upward and tuck the antenna wire underneath it. Once under the gasket, simply put the gasket back down on the lip using your fist. Now, plug the 3 pin connector into the Satellite Radio Module. Secure all wiring and modules and enjoy your Satellite Radio.
Mounting of the module(s):
The Satellite Radio and/or DSP adapter modules can be mounted in the battery area, or behind the carpeted panel along the rear wall. Weve provided Velcro and wire ties for you to secure the various components. Be creative here. Its what makes it fun!
6 of 6 Any reproduction, distribution, modification, or dissemination of these instructions without written permission from Bavarian Soundwerks is expressly forbidden and a violation of international copyright law. Any violation will result in prosecution to the full extent available under the law! 2006 Bavarian Soundwerks, LLC. 2195 Defoor Hills Rd., Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30318 P: 404.963.8857 | www.bavsound.com