Views and Reviews.

OWNERS

I HAVE READ EVERY REVIEW of the car, and none has captured my feeling-it is the most beautiful sports car currently made. BMW tried to create the spiritual successor to the 507, which wasn't a race car, but a delightful, usable sports car. I think BMW has exceeded all expectations. The sensory experience of driving the car is wonderful. The performance is all I could ever need.

For me, the press criticisms of the car have been ridiculous. They have missed the car's true faults while criticizing things like difficulty of operation of the climate control system (a tester who couldn't be bothered to read the six pages of the manual dedicated to it-it's very intuitive, by the way, and works quite well) and why the sport mode isn't a default setting. The car's only real faults are related to the convertible top-this is the best BMW could do on its showcase? The operation is far below the standards set by Porsche. And the boot is the worst afterthought I have seen in ages. It looks and feels like it was created in someone's basement with their childhood Vac-U-Form set. It doesn't fit and mine pops off at 50 mph. It has an interference fit-against the paintwork. I am ready to give the aftermarket my money on this one. In addition, I wasn't real happy to discover at 50 miles that the pressure plate bolts were only finger tight.

CARTER RISE, Richmond, Va.

THE CAR WAS WORTh BOTH THE LONG wait and the high price. Although I could easily resell the Z8 for a huge profit, this is a car that my cold, dead hands will have to be pried off of. The design and build quality are outstanding and the performance (acceleration, handling and braking) is otherworldly. I speak with experience. I recently traded out of a 2001 Porsche Turbo and have previously owned a BMW M5, numerous other Porsches, a Ferrari 355 Berlinetta, a Jaguar XKR and a Lotus Esprit.

The Z8's engine note is deep, loud and powerful, and the view over its long, curvaceous hood as the scenery zips by is simply fantastic. Until Porsche figures out how to make a Turbo cabriolet, this is the best auto in the world, much more practical and every bit as exotic as the 360 Spyder.

Dislikes: The key comes without a hole, thereby requiring a separate pouch; the sport mode should be factory set as the default mode; the stereo quality is only average; the navigation system screen is so small that only arrows, not maps, can be displayed (Jaguar had the best system I've seen yet); the ``standard'' cell phone is not yet available; and the ``standard'' hardtop is supposed to be delivered at some unknown later date. All in all, it's the best car I have ever had the pleasure of driving, let alone owning.