The best qualifier in MotoGP this season will drive off in a BMW Z4, a car the manufacturer says “was created to excite every sense”. Just how hard would you work for a Z4?
The best qualifier in MotoGP this season will drive off in a BMW Z4, a car the manufacturer says “was created to excite every sense”.
The qualifying times for each race are added up and the rider with the quickest aggregate at the end of season wins the the Z4. Only riders who have competed in all 17 races will qualify.
And no prizes for guessing that after three rounds world champion Valentino Rossi is leading. However, with Sete Gibernau surprising Rossi at Phakisa last month, there is a possibility that another rider could go home with a new sports car.
Rossi has an accumulated time of 5 min 24,532 sec. Max Biaggi is 0,272 seconds behind, with Tohru Ukawa a further 0,567 seconds adrift in third place. Loris Capirossi, who won the bonus prize of a BMW 330 Cd for setting the fastest lap in a special test session at Catalunya, is sixth, 1,835 seconds behind Rossi.
The Z4 is another design from Chris Bangle. It has a high bootlid and squared-off rear, while the front features angular headlamps and a low-cut grille.
It is available with two six-cylinder power units, the Z4 3,0i (producing 170 kW with a claimed top speed of 250 km/h) and the Z4 2,5i (141 kW and 235 km/h).
The flagship Z4 is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox and the 2,5i a standard five-speed transmission. Both models feature the Dynamic Drive Control (DDC) system and a five-speed automatic transmission will be available as an option.
The next round takes place at Jerez this weekend. The Z4 is due in South Africa this year.