BMW Z8: A bendy Bimmer?

Newswheel staff :: 20 January 2006 :: Filed under Roadster, BMW, Europe & UK, Safety, US

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Aluminium chassis fatigued

We’re “incredibly angry.” So say a group of BMW Z8 owners in the US. It seems the shock absorber towers on BMW’s low volume alloy sportscar are prone to distortion, which in turn causes upper body panels to lose alignment. Smithers, prepare the legal team…

The problem was reportedly first found by the members of a Z8 club in Munich. But naturally it’s American owners who are priming their lawyers for an all out assault on BMW HQ. According to Business Week mag, Z8 owners in the US are “much more fearful” than their European counterparts about the prospect that the distortions could weaken or crack the Z8’s chassis.

BMW is currently investigating the problem, but it’s not yet clear whether the bent Z8s which are popping up on web forums on both sides of the Atlantic are the result of “borderline accident” scenarios (such as running over a very large pothole) or normal driving conditions. However, one thing is for sure. Thanks to the exotic all-aluminium construction of the Z8, repairs are likely to be eye-wateringly expensive. For reference, replacing the engine subframe assembly on a Z8 is a circa £20,000 job. Making matters worse, it seems BMW only has three centres in the US, and a similar number in Germany, capable of carrying out this sort of work. Those with bent Z8s could be in for a long wait. And if American owners have anything to do with it, BMW could be facing a very large bill.

Linkage:
Business Week