M cars - proper design The engineering solution, electric steering, is it a gimmick - or is it really a proper direction for the technology to go? Good question - I suppose you need to work at BMW to have the answer to that one. But, from a consumer point of view, I would prefer that they wouldn't have gone that way. It is REALLY a sad state of affairs when you have to decide to keep a very capable car based on whether or not the steering works the way it should! Yes, I know I could have had an M - in fact, I did buy one. (Also had a 2006 M3 ZXP. What a BOAT compared to the Z4! Sacre' bleu!!!) Anyway, the dealer had a 48 hour return policy and after one day with the car I decided that always having to be in "race" wasn't What I wanted in a car that I drive 50 miles round trip to work every day (searching for the back roads all the way there!). I did trade the 2006 3.0 in for a manual 3.0si, sport, premium. This little jewell gets no less than about 20 mpg, and up to 32 (at 75 with the necessary little runups past 100 and back down for passing). What a really remarkable little engine. So far, the steering in the 2007 has been OK. I do feel a slight difference in reaction off center in lightly loaded turning on 90+ days. I HOPE IT DOESN'T GET WORSE! So, why did the nerds at BMW have to design in the electric steering!? What - maybe 0.25 mpg savings during cruise driving? And ruin a good car, and tarnish a reputation in the process? Small market (Z4) test case for the larger market in the future? That's likely.
