Not what you think, this car. I think you are looking at it and thinking "What did they do to the BMW Z8?" But everything is not as it seems here. This is not so much the BMW Z8 coupe, as it is a big hit in the BMW parts box. It is called Smit Oletha, and it is the idea of two engineering brothers Willem and Kaess Smit from California. Both have a background in mechanical engineering, one in aerospace and advanced composite materials, and the other in the automotive industry, having worked in Tesla and Singer.
Yes, although it is not a Porsche, both brothers are disciples of BMW (if your old man drives an E39 M5, you will too). And, like many of us, they are not satisfied with the recent development direction of the automotive industry, especially BMW. So they decided to build the BMW of their dreams.
You are right, despite having very different stated goals. Two weeks ago, I reviewed the BMW E30 M3 enhanced and evolved by Redux. An extensive and sympathetic update to the existing E30, it just wants to be the best E30 M3.
This is completely the other end of Libra. It reproduces a car that has never been seen before. Every good restomod needs to tell a story. Smit does not make his own spin on anything that BMW has done before, but imagines a world where BMW decides to compete with the 996 generation Porsche 911 GT3.
Oletha adopted the chassis, basic suspension design and steering of the E86 BMW Z4 coupe produced in 2006-2008. When the expected end point costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, it sounds like a peculiar starting point, but there is a way in this madness. For starters, the Z4 coupe has a very rigid chassis (first a sports car, then a roof). At 32,000Nm per degree, its hardness is actually three times that of the BMW Z8. But they have almost the same body size and proportions. Now, although the Z8 is great, it has never been a competitor to GT3. This is a muscle car, all the exhaust pipes are buzzing, and the torque output is great. It will not be the ideal starting point for creating a brilliant and straightforward driver's car.
No. This is what Smit is discussing for subsequent versions, but this version uses more customized content. It was originally a 4.0-liter V8 from the E92 M3, but was subsequently heavily modified to make it more similar to the S65B44 4.4-liter V8 installed on the legendary M3 GTS. Just like it uses a longer stroke to get extra capacity, but almost all moving parts are new: crankshafts, pistons, connecting rods, cams, valve springs, etc.
The key figures are: 450bhp, 340lb ft and 8,500rpm. All of these are individually transmitted to the rear wheels via the ZF six-speed manual taken from the E92 M3. There is a mechanical LSD, two-way adjustable KW suspension, AP Racing brakes and forged integral wheels-all of these are the raw materials necessary to develop GT3 competitors.
Brothers themselves. Not bad for a pair of engineers, right? I especially like the needle-pointed lines that extend from the top of the front wheel to the door handle. Not sure about the silver ones, but that is a matter of specifications. All body panels are carbon fiber (such as wheels, from a British supplier). The fit and finish of the panel, the tightness of the gap, and the apparent quality around the car are all excellent.
Smit not only drew inspiration from the Z8, but also from the 507 in 1956. The beard grill is the most well-known feature, but for better or worse, it does soften the front end. I think GT3 competitors need a more confident nose. But I am not sure that GT3 comparo is completely correct in the first place. It will be described in detail later.
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But there are smart things here. This is a geek spot, but one of the most expensive things developed for cars is its greenhouse. No large glass manufacturer is willing to make custom glass for dozens of cars. Final result? Glass costs a lot of money. So here is directly inherited from Z4 coupe. You will never think of it. I have been by the car all day, and I never put two and two together. It is perfectly integrated.
It depends on your familiarity with Z4. You and I may recognize it immediately, but the paddle-shaped aluminum panels that form the dashboard are actually a lovely cabin building. Slightly disappointing are the black plastic hi-fi speakers and vent panels.
The same is true in other places. Although the cockpit has a clean aesthetic and no interference, it is not gorgeous enough, does not have enough surprises and pleasant functions, and does not have the rich texture and decoration that it should be. There is also a strange juxtaposition between the time-inspired bodywork and the more modern cabin. But I will not call it conflict, but a slightly different rhythm.
But: the driving position is good, the seats are wrapped in beautiful leather, there are three pedals in the footwell, and before you start, Oletha (pronounced O-lee-tha) feels compact and tight.
Me too. I admire the work that I obviously put into it, and am impressed with the skills and abilities my brothers put in, but I'm not sure what the end result will be.
Then I started the engine. In my mind, it will be one of those exciting, high-idling, frenetic V8 engines. No. It is alive with low American throbbing. Not seeking attention, just purposeful. I will slot first. The clutch is not the monster I fear, and that stubby gear shift is so precise and aggressive. It likes to be fed into the gear all the time, rather than being negligent. But this is correct-it is suitable for cars.
Once you are in third place, you can ignore it. Third, there is enough influence and motivation to accomplish everything. You touch the throttle when it's ticking, it closes, collects revs greedily, and dashes forward. If you let it go on, the noise will become harder, sharper, and stronger. It doesn't feel or behave like a lazy V8 now, it feels like the excess slack inside has loosened, and it makes motorsports serious. A lot of speed, and even more drama, are gradually increasing. So you predict the limiter and start to reach out and let the gear lever upshift. When you do this, you glance at the tachometer. And its speed only reaches 6,000 rpm.
Yes, you can still use 2,500rpm. Hey-hey! The last part is so special and so strong. What matters is not the speed it obtains, but the sensation it brings to you, through the vibration of your chest, the sensation of the hardly untamed beast hitting violently in front of you. What a great power transmission system, so many aspects and beneficial. Responsive, charming, confident in himself, and courteous. Finding opportunities to use it is the trickiest point.
Smit has not measured them, and since it is a manual, they will not be written home according to modern standards. About 4.0 seconds to 60 miles per hour, I guess. But this is related to broader performance. Think about art instead of mathematics. Because this is a fascinating way of traveling: the vision of the long hood that unfolds when you exit a curve, the intensity and immediacy of the engine response and power transmission, the chassis just responds to the feeling of the V8 engine trying to explode. The hood (see Look at the engine compartment and you will see how close this is to the truth).
It is not a big car, weighs only 1,401 kg, and has a power-to-weight ratio of 320 horsepower/ton. Roughly the same as the current M5. Yes, that kind of speed, but deep inside is a world. It provides power on straights and throws forward in a ruthless crescendo, which can only be done by a large-capacity naturally aspirated engine in a small frame. Make a sound to summon the gods and awaken the entire hillside. That's why it reminds me not of 911 GT3, but of GT racers in the 60s. This is an atmosphere, not a specific car, but if you drive it around Goodwood or Le Mans, I think E-Types, Cobras and DB4 GTs will come to mind.
This is where we can make GT3 work again. Let's start here: it doesn't have the steering clarity and detail of the early GT3, nor the toughness and aggressiveness-although a large part of it is because you are sitting on the back of the chassis. But its job today is what BMW did not do at the time. It is obviously not a GT. It does not wander around lazily, but interacts with you and urges you to move forward. It is most like the Aston Vantage, which has this crispness and is still a front engine. It dived eagerly into the corner, grasping hard, never letting go. It is also very balanced.
The adjustable suspension means that the owner can adjust the settings at will. I drove it on "fast roads", which gave me full confidence in the front end. Although the roll is small, it is enough to let you know that the car is working. Only through the rugged corners did I feel a bit of a diagonal porpoise, because the front and back were temporarily close to each other. The mechanical differential manages traction well, so you have worked hard enough before ESP intervenes.
The engine sound disappeared, and the car really lost its tension and felt calm. Remember, you will not go too far between replenishment. The V8 is a thirsty beast, and the Z4’s 55-liter fuel tank is not huge.
The Smit brothers actually designed their own pop-up spoiler to help high-speed stability. Manually activated by a switch, the model shows that it reduces the rear end lift from 90 kg to less than 30 kg at 124 mph. What is the most impressive thing? That Smit knows the numbers and has completed calculations and calculations. This is a thoroughly designed and well thought out car.
Yes, there is a simple route here, which makes it difficult for Smit to read: This is a BMW Z4 worth 450,000 US dollars (335,000 pounds). There are some mismatched elements in it.
But there are some elements you will never see that have been amazingly taken care of. Let me give you an example. V8 is not easy. The exhaust manifold is not suitable for the Z4 engine compartment and interferes with the chassis rails and steering column. This is not just a matter of designing the new manifold, but the entire packaging of the engine compartment. They have gone through 25 iterations. They eventually had to pass the steering device through the exhaust manifold. The tolerance is only 5 mm, which means Smit must design and design new engine mounts and 3D print them in stainless steel. But these work with the original engine mount, so you won't be exposed to excessive vibration. They have designed it, so if there is a demand, they can make a right-handed car. This is the so-called redoubled efforts. It can be seen everywhere on Oletha. Therefore, the Z4, which regards this car as an overpriced and slightly unstable cabin, regards it as a short sale.
They have a clear goal of building no more than 100 vehicles, but realize that this is a long way to go. So dozens. But beyond that, brothers should build reputation. If they can turn the Z4 into a compelling replica of the Z8 inspired by GT3, we can't wait to see what they will do next.
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