EVEN Michaelangelo had off days.

So it's not unthinkable that BMW, the master sculptor of automotive handling and performance, could haplessly chip off the nose -- or, more precisely, a toe -- while trying to perfect its two-seat David, the Z3 Roadster.

The engineers responsible for the M Roadster, a high-performance variant of James Bond's shark-gilled convertible, are also the one's who engineered the M3 coupe. The M3 is widely regarded among the string-back glove set as the world's best-handling four-seater.

Much of the M3's bone and sinew was transplanted into the smaller, lighter M Roadster, including the company's 3.2-liter in-line six-cylinder engine with 240 horsepower and 236 foot-pounds of torque, disk brakes more than 12 inches in diameter, and beautiful 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped with ultra-low-profile Michelin tires.

All of which seems like a recipe for turning the Z3 roadster -- a glib and lively touring car -- into a masterpiece of a road-spanking sports car.