Analog cars are gone. There really is just no such thing as a purely analog car on the market anymore. Even cars like the BMW M4 GTS and Porsche Cayman GT4 have a ton of electronics working in the background to keep it going straight (or sideways). If you want something pure and analog, you’re going to have to look at cars from at least a decade ago. But if you do, what do you buy? The folks from The Drive and Classic Car Club Manhattan seem to thing that the best 10-year old car to buy is the BMW Z4 M Coupe.

In this new video, Mike Spinelli from The Drive talks with Michael Prichinello and Zac Moseley from The Classic Car Club Manhattan discuss their BMW Z4 M Coupe. Their particular Z4 M is modified but done in such a way to enhance and magnify the car’s natural traits, rather than change the way it drives.

The previous owner of the car actually had it tuned for the track. While no internal changes were made to the S54 3.2 liter I6 engine, it’s been given an ECU tune, lightened flywheel, a short shift kit and it originally had polyurethane engine and transmission mounts. The guys at Classic Car Club Manhattan replaced the poly mounts with hydraulic ones, to eliminate the driveline vibration and make it more livable on the street. They also replaced its original 19″ wheels with 18″ wheels and better road tires. Basically, the guys at CCCM turned it from a track car into a sports car to use everyday on the road.

All three hosts in this video have driven the car and they all love it, with some of them even proclaiming it to be more enjoyable to drive than a new Porsche Cayman GT4. The steering is old-school BMW hydraulic steering, so it’s dripping with feel and feedback, while also being nice and heavy. As in all Z4s, you sit almost on the rear axle, so it gives an impression of rotating around your hips. It’s just such a great driving car. Personally, I think it still looks great, too, especially on the wheels that CCCM has on it.

While pricing is a bit high for a decade-old car, with average prices around $25,000-$30,000, it’s worth it. The BMW Z4 M Coupe will be a classic for a long time and it’s certainly one of the last analog BMWs ever made and it’s the last naturally-aspirated I6-powered BMW M car ever. So values could even increase over time.

So Spinelli and the guys at Class Car Club Manhattan pick the BMW Z4 M Coupe as the best 10-year old car to buy. It’s hard for us to disagree, with maybe only the E46 M3 being the other option (though, the Z4 M Coupe has the same engine and is lighter). What would be your pick?

[Source: The Drive]