Roundel October 2007



October 2007

Odin's Warhorse

One Z8 owner in a wide-open state wanted a little more oomph in his roadster, so he sent it to California for a transplant. Boy howdy!

Mini Meets Mazda

In the “hot hatch” competition, BMW’s British charmer may be ceding the advantage to a very competitionminded competitor.

Cover

James Bond drove a Z8—but his didn’t have a Dinan Daytona Prototype engine!
PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREW MACPHERSON

In This Issue

  • Sporting Goods - by David Haueter
    The new 550i Sport fills a performance niche between the twin-turbo 535i and the legendary M5—which it closely resembles.
  • Subtle Makeover - by Chuck Vossler
    The X3 didn’t get many changes for 2007, but as Spencer Tracy might put it, “What there is, is cherce.”
  • Odin's Warhorse - Andrew Macpherson
    One Z8 owner in a wide-open state wanted a little more oomph in his roadster, so he sent it to California for a transplant. Boy howdy!
  • Rite Of Passage - by Leigh Dorrington
    The Indianapolis 500 provides a bonding focus for generations—but as usual, it’s the journey that’s important, not the destination.
  • Onward, Into The Past - by Mike Self
    When you go to your high-school reunion, you really need a cool set of wheels to impress your fellow members of the Class Of Long Ago.
  • OBX CruZ - by Richard Broughton
    Tarheel members may have a penchant for unusual abbreviations, but they also have many great destinations for a BMW tour.
  • Fraught With Passion - by Paul Gajda
    Once you spot the BMW you want, buying it might seem like an easy choice — unless you consider it logically.
  • Minis On Top! - by Pete Brasiliere
    It started as an innocent Internet question: Anybody want to drive up Mount Washington to watch the sun go down?
  • Mini Meets Mazda - by David Haueter
    In the “hot hatch” competition, BMW’s British charmer may be ceding the advantage to a very competitionminded competitor.
  • Gimme a T! - by Kurt Gibson
    The editor would have tested BMW’s latest dirt bikes himself, but he would have been embarrassed when he fell off.
  • Kickin' Boots - by Leonard Mueller
    Sure, the tire companies may ply you with food and beverages and make sure you have a really good time when they launch a new tire—but in the end, it comes down to driving on it.
  • Formula Fast - by Brian S. Morgan
    In a few brief seasons, Formula BMW has proven itself an important driverdevelopment series—but it’s also great racing in its own right.
  • Mini Car, Grand Effort - by Lawrence Sanata
    What do you do when your business is renting huge RVs? You go Grand-Am racing in little Mini Coopers.