[templarklimek]

Thank you Gents, awesome insights. A few replies though:

I've never drove a Z4M, and i'm buying this car out of state site unseen. I wanted to at least drive the 370Z as it can be had LOADED with touring/sport/nav for 37K new. Pretty good bang for the buck. New has a cache all its own. BUT... After drving the 370Z and reading your responses you have confirmed what I was hoping. The Z4M will give me the visceral, raw, seat of the pants fun I'm looking for. I have now a 11' M3 ZCP and a Mini coupe JCW. The M3 is planted, very powerful and the S65 motor is unmatched. However its a heavier more stable car lessoning the connected driving experience to a degree. The mini is a crazy, little pocket rocket. It's tuned to 250HP and its a tossable little big car killer. I'd like to think the Z4M will be the same but more powerful with all the abilities and performance of an BMW M car. The 370Z just didn't offer the power of the M3 or the lighter, quicker experience of the JCW mini. I must have been crazy though, the 370Z has 330 HP, my tuned mini 250 HP. After the test drive, I got back in my mini and I swear it was faster... My documents came in the mail today from Kansas, I'll sent them off signed today. Done Deal!

I fear this Z4M will become a passion, consuming my bank account! I'll post pics of the M3 and the Z4M together when it arrives.

BTW, the one real beef I had with the 370Z was the VQ engine becoming a vibrating, coarse engine above 5K. I had read about it but it really was the only severe disappointment.
Of course I'm spoiled by the S65 engine.