By Cam Tait \/ Monday, 11 September 2023 \/ Loading comments<\/p>\n
Whether you love or loathe acid jazz, you\u2019ve got to admire Jay Kay\u2019s approach to car collecting. It feels like a fair chunk of the Jamiroquai frontman\u2019s collection has graced the PH classifieds over the years, but when you dig through the multitude of articles and videos covering his vast automotive habit it becomes clear that the stuff we see represents a mere footnote in an exceptionally well-curated garage.<\/p>\n
There appears to be a one-in, one-out policy judging by the steady stream of cars for sale, and there doesn\u2019t seem to be a particular theme he\u2019s going off either. For instance, a Porsche 918 Spyder once owned by the Space Cowboy was up for sale here back in 2021, followed by an Aston Martin V8 Vantage X-Pack a year later. But just as you begin to piece together a thread that joins them all together \u2013 most wouldn\u2019t look out of place outside the trackside caf\u00e9 at Goodwood, for instance \u2013 a curveball is thrown your way in the form of a BMW Z4M Coupe.<\/p>\n
Obviously, the Z4M isn\u2019t exactly a common sight, which on its own always helps collectibility. And it has plenty more going for it. There hasn\u2019t been a M version of a Z car since the E86 you see here, giving it end-of-an-era kudos, and of course it\u2019s powered by one of the all-time great six-cylinder engines: the S54 originally found in the E46 M3. It\u2019s largely the same spec as the one you\u2019ll find in the M3, meaning 343hp on tap and a six-speed manual transmission to manage it. Parts sharing with the E46 also extended to the limited-slip differential, rear subframe and anti-roll bar mounts, and parts of the brake assembly. Factor in a faster steering rack, bespoke damper settings and a 100kg weight advantage over the E46 and the Z4M starts to look like the ultimate M car recipe.<\/p>\n
However, it didn\u2019t quite work out that way. It\u2019s widely accepted that the M3 was sweeter to drive than the Z4M Coupe, with some finding the latter a bit too spikey on the limit. Granted, that may be appealing to some, although, if it isn\u2019t, specialists must have figured out how to dial down some of the car\u2019s lunacy for a more M-like experience. Couple that with a design that didn\u2019t go down particularly well at launch (sound familiar?) and it becomes clear why the Z4M never quite reached the heady heights of its 3 Series sibling.<\/p>\n
Mind you, step forward to the present day and the Z4M begins to look like an appealing collector proposition. First of all, they sold in considerably lower numbers compared to other M models, so that\u2019s a firm tick in the rarity box. And while the looks proved divisive at launch, time \u2013 and the arguable decline of BMW styling over the past few years \u2013 have done wonders for M\u2019s two-seater. Now it looks great.<\/p>\n
It’s no ordinary Z4M, either. It\u2019s painted in a BMW Individual Ruby Black Metallic, which is paired up with Imola Red Nappa leather seats. If it looks like they\u2019ve barely been sat in, it\u2019s because they haven\u2019t. The car has only covered 4,100 miles, half of which appears to have been covered by Mr Kay himself. So it\u2019s a box fresh example, finished in a special colour and once owned by a music megastar. Just bear that in mind when considering the \u00a341,995 asking price.<\/p>\n