| BMW has just thumbed its corporate nose
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| | the 275/40WR-18 run-flat tires for as
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| at these prophets of doom in the most
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| | long as you wish. In fact, launching the
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| eloquent way possible--by introducing its
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| | Z8 to get the best performance numbers
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| most distinctive, most charismatic, and
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| | demands a delicate touch. But when we got
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| most exclusive car since the 1979 M1
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| | it right, the Z8 hustled to 60 mph in 4.5
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| supercar, or perhaps even the 1957 507
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| | seconds and got through the quarter-mile
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| roadster.
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| | in 13.0 seconds at 111 mph.
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| That this new car, the Z8, is scorchingly
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| | Despite the powerful thrust of this sleek
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| fast comes as no surprise. It employs the
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| | sports car's engine, there's nothing
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| potent 400-hp M5 powertrain, which endows
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| | remotely uncivilized about the power
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| the M5 sedan with the acceleration of a
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| | delivery. You can tool around town in as
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| Corvette. Weighing about 500 pounds less
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| | gentle a mode as a limo-driving-school
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| than the two-ton M5, the Z8's performance
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| | graduate if you wish.
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| is beyond question.
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| | The chassis, however, never disguises its
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| Neither were we surprised by its striking
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| | high-performance orientation. Although we
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| styling. Based on the Z07 concept car
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| | wouldn't characterize the ride as harsh,
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| that BMW revealed to the world at the
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| | even on the smooth roads around Los
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| 1997 Tokyo motor show, the Z8 is intended
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| | Angeles the suspension made few bumps
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| to evoke the famous 507 roadster with
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| | disappear the way they do in BMW's 5- and
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| that car's characteristic twin-nostril
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| | 7-series sedans from which the Z8's
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| grille and uniquely shaped front-fender
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| | suspension is derived.
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| vents. The only question was how closely
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| | The 5-series contributes the strut
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| the production car's styling would hew to
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| | suspension used in the nose of the Z8,
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| the concept. As the photos demonstrate
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| | although overall travel is down about 15
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| here, BMW did not stray far from the
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| | percent. The spring and damping
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| sensuously sculpted shape that stole the
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| | calibrations are also stiffer, and few of
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| Tokyo show almost three years ago. Even
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| | the individual pieces are identical. The
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| the design of the alloy wheels is
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| | Z8 is also the first application of a
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| virtually identical.
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| | rack-and-pinion steering mechanism in a
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| What did surprise us, however, was how
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| | V-8-powered BMW car. The Z8 carries its
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| artfully BMW translated the Z07's retro
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| | engine farther back in the chassis than
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| interior into production -- and how much
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| | in the 5- and 7-series, which left room
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| this added to the excitement of driving
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| | up front for the rack-and-pinion
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| the car.
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| | steering.
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| The dashboard is a painted plastic panel
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| | The rear suspension is more closely
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| (black, blue, or taupe) that runs the
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| | related to that of the 7-series,
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| full width, recalling the steel
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| | borrowing the lower suspension arms from
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| dashboards used in cars almost a
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| | that model as well the steel subframe for
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| half-century ago. The instruments are
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| | its wide track. The upper suspension
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| mounted in the center of this panel,
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| | pieces are unique to the Z8, as are the
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| shaded by a neatly integrated hood and
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| | springs, the shocks, and the anti-roll
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| angled toward the driver but still quite
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| | bars. Moreover, hard rod ends replace
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| legible to the passenger. The steering
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| | many of the rubber bushings used in the
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| wheel has three spokes, each of which
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| | sedans' suspension pivots. The 7-series
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| consists of four thin metal rods, another
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| | also contributes the brake booster and
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| styling gesture recalling a bygone time.
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| | the front calipers and rotors, but the
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| The switches and buttons, the shifter
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| | rear stoppers are unique to the Z8. The
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| knob, and all of the metal trim are
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| | M5 brakes were deemed unnecessary for the
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| fabricated from brushed aluminum. Much of
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| | lighter, and more lightly loaded, Z8.
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| the rest of the trim is polished chrome.
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| | These various bits are mounted to a frame
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| To preserve the clean interior, the
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| | made from fairly large-section extruded
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| climate controls are straightforward and
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| | aluminum tubes. These are MIG-welded by
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| the electronic panel that controls the
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| | hand in careful order so that the entire
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| excellent stereo and uncomplicated
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| | assembly does not require heat treating
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| navigation system is neatly tucked behind
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| | when it is finished. Four major tubes in
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| an aluminum door.
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| | the central tunnel create a strong
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| Despite its homage to interiors of old,
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| | backbone. Aluminum sheets welded and
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| the Z8 layout works remarkably well. We
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| | crimped to the tubes in several areas
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| quickly adjusted to glancing down
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| | provide additional stiffening. Naturally,
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| slightly and to the right to scan the
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| | the bodywork is also formed from
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| instruments. And we appreciated that this
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| | aluminum.
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| instrument placement allowed an
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| | According to BMW engineers, this
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| unobstructed view of the Z8's long hood.
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| | construction reduces tooling costs, which
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| In this roadster, you definitely feel as
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| | is important since only 1500 cars will be
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| though you're driving the car, not the
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| | produced each year. They also claim that
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| dashboard.
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| | it yields the stiffest convertible on the
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| The retro touches are combined with
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| | market. We can't unequivocally confirm
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| excellent switchgear placement and a
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| | that, but the Z8 does feel very rigid and
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| power telescoping steering wheel and
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| | free of quivers with the power-operated
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| power seats, allowing for a modern and
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| | top up or down. We didn't sample the
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| comfortable driving position. There's
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| | removable hardtop that comes with this
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| plenty of room for two adults in the
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| | sports car.
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| sumptuously inviting interior, with
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| | The rigid chassis definitely lends
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| leather covering almost every surface
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| | precision to the way the Z8 carves up
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| that isn't finished in chromed steel or
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| | winding roads. The steering response is
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| brushed aluminum. Even the roll-bar hoops
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| | accurate and linear, and road feel is
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| behind the seats are sheathed in
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| | excellent. At moderate speeds, understeer
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| beautifully stitched cowhides.
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| | dominates the Z8's behavior. But if you
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| In truth, the Z8's visual charisma is so
| |
| | turn off the traction control, you find
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| powerful that just sitting in this car
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| | that there is more than enough power to
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| with the engine off is more fun than
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| | balance the chassis and kick out the
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| driving many other cars. Then when you
| |
| | tail, even at rather fast speeds. Better
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| press the starter button -- set apart,
| |
| | to leave the stability control on unless
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| also a tribute to the past--another
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| | your right foot and your
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| entire level of excitement begins.
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| | seat-of-the-pants oversteer sensor are
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| The 4.9-liter V-8 fires instantly and
| |
| | well calibrated.
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| generates the same muscular exhaust
| |
| | Although the sticker price of the Z8 will
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| burble that we enjoyed on the M5, except
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| | be $135,304, including gas-guzzler and
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| that the volume is higher when you lower
| |
| | luxury tariffs, the 400 Z8s allocated for
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| the convertible top. The progressive
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| | the U.S. this year are already spoken
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| clutch, in combination with the precise
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| | for. In fact, BMW expects the Z8 to
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| gearbox, makes the Z8 a breeze at
| |
| | become a classic and is guaranteeing that
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| takeoff. Acceleration is nothing short of
| |
| | it will supply parts for at least 50
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| effortless, with the M5 engine's power
| |
| | years.
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| multiplied not only by the Z8's
| |
| | That may seem presumptuous, but the Z8
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| relatively light weight but also by a
| |
| | proves that BMW is confident in its
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| differential ratio shorter than the M5
| |
| | future as a modest-sized automaker.
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| sedan's.
| |
| | Besides, name another car that is both
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| Press down firmly on the throttle, and
| |
| | fabulous to drive today and likely to be
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| the Z8 lunges ahead in any of its six
| |
| | found on the 18th green at Pebble Beach
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| forward gears. Switch off the traction
| |
| | in 2025.
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| control, and you can fry the tread off
| |
| |
|
