2018 BMW Z5 Spied Drifting In The Snow, It's Tail-Happy And Sounds Great

Our spy photographers managed to get close enough to a secluded compound where BMW was testing multiple prototypes. As you can observe in the video, the engineers got to enjoy themselves with the Z5, which was repeatedly drifted in the snow. Evidently, there’s a reason for this, and the employee you can see in the video was not just having silly fun.

Instead, the test driver was evaluating how the Z5 was behaving under hard acceleration in low-grip conditions. With a secluded track that is not open to the public, it is safe to experiment with the limits of an automobile, and this is how almost every sporty model is tested before being released on the market.

Remember Adam Savage’s motto on this topic: “the difference between a scientific experiment and screwing around is writing things down.”

The upcoming Z5’s prototype has a nice sound to it, in spite of the fact that it will come with a turbocharged engine, which is a category of power units that do not always have the loudest exhausts from the factory. Do not expect a V8-sounding aural delight, but its inline-six engine delivers a pleasant exhaust note even in this video, which was recorded in 4K quality, mind you.

Like the Z3 that came two decades before it, BMW’s next roadster will have a soft-top as standard. An optional hard top roof might be available at a later date, but no prototypes have been spotted with such an item.

The shift from a metal roof to a soft-top allows engineers to use a different inclination of the windshield, along with distinctive A-pillars, which help the driver experience a mode engaging drive and “Cabrio feeling.”