With the new Z4, BMW is extending the sporty character of the vehicle. The M Sport package will become standard equipment on the announced roadster. The two-seater appears with a sports brake system, variable sports steering and various other sporty properties.
Two versions with a four-cylinder engine and another with an in-line six-cylinder are to be launched. The four-cylinder variants are equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard. However, an 8-speed sports transmission is also available for the entry-level model, which is standard on the other engine variants. This enables shift paddles on the steering wheel and a control function for traction-optimized acceleration from a standing start. The manual transmission is thus reserved for the six-cylinder model M40i.
The top version with a 3-liter displacement has 340 hp and a maximum torque of 500 Newton meters. It should be able to accelerate the Z4 from a standing start to a speed of 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. The less powerful sDrive30i still has 258 hp and the sDrive20i 197 hp.
The two-seater also sets sporty accents visually. The interior of the refreshed Z4 features leather sports seats. The 30i version has M equipment, which includes a leather steering wheel, among other things. The extensive standard equipment of the Z4 also includes 18-inch wheels. 19-inch wheels are also available on request.
On the exterior, BMW advertises “numerous individual details”. For example, the roadster has large air intakes, LED headlights placed far to the outside, a long bonnet and a rear apron with particularly striking recordings. The vehicle width and stature should now be expressed more intensively. In addition, an integrated rear spoiler gives the car a sporty character.
The Z4 is available in seven different paint finishes, with the colors Thundernight metallic, Portimao Blue metallic and Skyscraper Gray metallic being available for the first time. The standard black textile roof can alternatively be ordered in the color anthracite silver effect and can be opened and closed electrically.
In addition, the seat heating, the parking assistance system with sensors at the front and rear, the automatically dimming interior mirror and the automatic climate control are part of the standard equipment. A front collision warning with braking intervention, a lane departure warning with lane return and a no-overtaking display function are also standard. Optional features include active cruise control with stop
With the new Z4, BMW is continuing a popular vehicle series that began in 1987. At that time, the Munich-based company presented the Z1 as an innovative vehicle – a model with a front mid-engine, retractable doors, steel chassis and plastic paneling. Between 1988 and 1991, according to BMW, the Roadster was sold around 8,000 times, and the car has since become a popular collector’s item. The Z3 followed in 1995 and made its debut as James Bond’s company car in the movie “GoldenEye”. Four years later, a pre-series model of the Z8 celebrated its premiere in the James Bond film “The World Is Not Enough”.
In 2002, BMW first unveiled the Z4, which was launched as the successor to the Z3. Four years later, a coupe version was released, which formed the basis for a GT3 racing car. In 2009, BMW launched the second generation of the Z4 with a retractable hardtop. The roadster and the coupé of the previous model were thus replaced.
The current third generation of the Z4 has been on the market since 2020 and, according to BMW, more than 55,000 units have been sold worldwide. The Z4 was “by far the best-selling model in its highly competitive vehicle class, which is exclusively occupied by German premium brands, right from the start”. According to a press release, it has been able to continuously increase its market share since then. This is probably also the reason for the new edition of the roadster that is now being presented, which will have its global market launch from November and will be available for the 2023 model year. The price of the Z4 starts at 48,500 euros. The sDrive30i costs 59,300 euros and the M40i 66,900 euros. The roadster could be the last Z4 ever, because BMW wants to stop its production in October 2025 without a successor.
Sources: BMW, Auto Motor und Sport
