It’s a BMW – looks, substance, quality, driving dynamics
2.0-litre needs some revs to extract its best; you’ll need to shrink your luggage requirements
Well we got the top pulled down and the radio on…sadly no babe at the wheel. But for sure the superb BMW Z4 cruising down a beach-side road is exactly the sort of car one needs to emulate the images captured in the lyrics of Don Henley’s iconic hit song ‘Boys Of Summer’.
But even in cold winter months, with the top closed and air-con cranked into the red, the Z4 is the sort of glamour ride which helps keep those summer dreams alive.
Sports Car or Café Racer? That’s a moot point with the BMW Z4 and others like it - the answer often depends on the variant…and does it matter anyway?
So we’ll leave that debate to the Road Warriors and Sport Car Fanatics and we’ll very happily take our BMW Z4 and head for the beach thanks very much.
BMW Z4 Overview
Car Showroom has enjoyed many trips to Germany and we know the winters in that beautiful country can be long and cold. But in our experience, the German know how to maximize summer enjoyment like no-one else.
Sort of explains why German hard-top convertibles are so damn good.
The latest BMW Z4 range tips its lid (so to speak) to modern times by replacing the six-cylinder engine with more fuel-efficient turbocharged four-cylinder units (in most models). But BMW being BMW, the driving dynamics are still top-shelf – in fact after a week in the entry-level BMW Z4 sDrive 20i, we must say the lighter operation and balance of the powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged engine in many ways makes for a more alluring all-round package for performance drivers.
And while the engine has changed, the rest of the BMW Z4 package remains as high quality, technically impressive and feature-packed as ever.
In short, a very engaging two-seater at home in summer or winter, Germany or Australia.
BMW Z4 Engine
In the quest for reduced fuel consumption, volume-selling BMW Z4 models have dispensed with the in-line six-cylinder engine and gone with turbocharged four-cylinders - except for the range-topping sDrive 35i (turbocharged six-cylinder) and sDrive 35is (twin-turbocharged six-cylinder).
Heading the four-cylinder turbo team is the BMW Z4 sDrive 28i (priced from $89,400) with 180kW/350Nm on-tap.
Car Showroom tested the entry-level BMW Z4 sDrive 20i (priced from $76,900) which provides 135kW/270Nm. That’s 20Nm of extra torque compared to the previous sDrive23i model - but fuel consumption is down to 6.7l/100kms.
BMW Z4 The Interior
Some fools dare to criticize some BMW models, claiming the interiors are a little conservative and lacking in imagination. Obviously they haven’t parked themselves inside the latest BMW Z4.
For starters the centre console housing controls for the audio and climate control is a sharp new look. Then there is the new steering wheel – again very contemporary in its looks – while the classic BMW instrumentation (with sporty nuances for the Z4) remains one of the industry’s very best.
An immediate sports car feel envelopes you immediately you slide behind the wheel of the BMW Z4 – height/reach adjustment for the steering wheel, multiple seat adjustments (in the case of our Z4 test car, the optional M Sport package delivered sports seats) and just the right feel for the pedals. That combo tells you this isn’t a BMW 3 Series.
And there is the outstanding BMW quality in all the tactile surfaces, plus clever storage bins to keeps loose items secure when cornering hard – it’s called smart design.
Likewise in the luggage area – certainly restricted by folding roof paraphernalia, but still providing nooks into which you can throw some small items and overnight bags.
BMW Z4 Exterior & Styling
The classic BMW ‘Z’ proportions – long nose, short tail, curved roof – stamp the latest Z4 as a standout looker. For sure our test car benefitted from the $4,900 M Sport package - includes the sporty stance of M Sport suspension, M aerodynamics package and M Sport 18-inch alloy wheels – but all Z4s feature that serious-looking front end with the long bonnet and piercing headlights.
Of course the side profile changes with the roof folded or open, but we must say even with the roof closed, the latest BMW Z4 scores styling points for its nicely curved lid. And we still love the complex electronic operations of today’s folding hard-tops – BMW Z4 is right up there with the best, its various components rising, folding and lowering and made even more complex by the solid glass rear window.
From the rear, the BMW Z4 maintains its purposeful on-road stance thanks to its short tail, wide flanks and modern BMW-style rear lights.
Without doubt the glorious look of the BMW Z4, from any angle, would make you feel good about your $76,900 investment every time you walk towards your car.
BMW Z4 On The Road
Sports cars demand to be driven, so as soon as we grabbed BMW Z4’s keys we headed straight to our mountain roads test route – with the top down on a (rare) Melbourne summer day. And roads like these, in cars like this make our job very, very pleasant…
While the previous naturally-aspirated six-cylinder Z4 captivated with its raucous growl when working hard, the new turbocharged four-cylinder matches with a purposeful exhaust note north of 4000rpm. And the six-speed manual shifter was all German precision as we swapped cogs up and down the mountain.
Of course if you aspire to be a serious player in this league, you’d best come with your best chassis and BMW has done that with the Z4. Our sDrive20i went one step further with the optional M Sport package bringing larger 18-inch light alloy wheels and firmer suspension.
Over the mountain, Dynamic Driving Control (DDC) set to Sport+ (including revised stability and traction control calibration), our Z4 proved its worth with sporty precision, outstanding grip and balance. A special mention for BMW’s new Electric Power Steering system – one of the best we’ve experienced.
Our week of commuter driving (with the roof closed) was equally enjoyable as the BMW Z4 proved to be a refined daily drive with high levels of noise isolation keeping us cosseted from the chaos outside (not a claim some rival hard-tops can make – they’re a tad noisy in traffic). CBD car park maneuvering was relatively straight forward, but you do need to use judgment with the Z4’s long nose.
BMW Z4 Challenges
Living up to the previous six-cylinder BMW ‘Z’ was always going to be a tough ask. Remember too the same chassis is used for the high-performance Z4 sDrive 35is.
Good as the BMW Z4 sDrive20i is – and it’s very good – the twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0-litre is tad flat in the mid-range.
BMW Z4 Verdict
The latest BMW Z4 gets a big thumbs-up from the Car Showroom team. We love the classy looks and the chassis dynamics highlight why BMW is at the top of the game at the moment.
Inside too, BMW’s stylists have delivered with a modern look which maintains the hallmark BMW style.
Wrap all that into a $76,900 sticker and the BMW Z4 SDrive20i adds up to best-in-class value too.
BMW Z4 The Competition
‘Road Rocket’ or ‘Café Racer’ that’s the question in this segment. In the BMW Z4 range, the sDrive 20i we tested (sticker $76,900) definitely falls into the latter category, while the range-topping sDrive 35is is filed on the ‘Road Rocket’ shelf.
We would walk over hot coals to score another drive in the Mercedes-Benz SLK. Like the BMW Z4, the SLK offers ‘Road Rocket’ in the SLK 350 (particularly the AMG version) and Café Racer in the SLK 200. Like the BMW, the ‘Benz SLK 200 delivers 135kW/270Nm (from a turbocharged 1.8-litre engine) but isn’t the segment’s budget-beater at $82,900.
Audi’s TT offers a Roadster version, but with its turbocharged 2.0-litre delivering only 146kW/280Nm, TT’s starting price of $80,814 makes the BMW Z4 s Drive 20i look value.
If you’re after a bit more brawn for no more bucks, may we introduce you to Nissan’s 370Z Roadster. $75,790 (manual) or $78,790 (seven-speed auto) buys you 245kW/363Nm of V6 mumbo and a beaut chassis from the same engineers who bring us the GT-R.
And of course there’s the Mazda MX-5, this generation’s Lotus Elan. Priced between $42,460 and $51,930, there is not a sweeter two-seat chassis on the planet…but Z4 buyers might find the Mazda a tad too ‘Sports Car Pure’ in terms of interior space (it’s tight).
