BMW open-top sports car has updated design

THOSE motorists enamoured by the original BMW Z4 will be pleased to know that the roadster has been updated.

The Z4 was the first BMW to be completely designed by two female designers and was officially announced in December 2008. The car was unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

In 2022, the fresh design features of the new, updated Z4, says BMW, encapsulate “the modern interpretation of the classical open-top sports car”.

And this, of course, will be the attraction of a reworked sports car such as the Z4. It will represent individualism among a unrelenting wave of new electric vehicles.

For 20 years, the Z4 has been an important part of BMW’s open-top car story. The third generation went on sale in 2018. The latest model is launched next month.

The engine line-up in the UK comprises of a four-cylinder option and a six-cylinder in-line unit.

A big selling point, says the German carmaker is that, for example, the BMW Z4 M40i achieves fuel consumption on the combined cycle of 34.9 to 35.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 184 to 179g/km.

The BMW M model has accounted for more than 30 per cent of worldwide sales of the roadster in recent times; in Germany, the BMW Z4 M40i has posted a figure as high as 48 per cent.

New Z4 features at the front end include the large air intakes, the LED headlights with vertically arranged light sources positioned to the outer edges, and the long bonnet, which stretches over the wheel arches.

On the M Sport trim level (entry level for the Z4 range), the exterior design includes the three-section air intakes in the front apron familiar from other M models, side-sill contouring and a rear apron with edging at either side.

The side air intakes — which guide the onrushing air to the air curtains, reducing turbulence in the wheel arches — have been remodelled.

On the BMW kidney grille, the kidneys now have a horizontal inner structure, reinforcing the impression of a wide front end.

The performance-centric character, says BMW, of the Z4 M40i is “underscored by features including exterior mirror caps in Cerium Grey and trapezoidal tailpipe trims for the exhaust system”. Also contributing to the sporting authenticity of the BMW Z4’s exterior appearance are the large air breathers rearwards of the front wheel arches. The spoiler is integrated into the boot lid, and there are slim, L-shaped rear lights.

The roadster’s classical fabric soft-top is electrically operated and can also be opened or closed — within the space of 10 seconds — at the touch of a button while the car is moving at speeds of up to 31 mph.

New additions to standard equipment include 18in M light-alloy wheels in double-spoke design. These bi-colour wheels are fitted with mixed-size tyres: 225/45 R18 at the front axle and 255/40 R18 at the rear.

The range of exterior paint finishes for the BMW Z4 has been carefully revised, with new and boldly expressive variants added.

Body colours Thundernight metallic, Portimao Blue metallic and Skyscraper Grey metallic are available for the roadster for the first time.

The selection also includes four other variants spanning a broad spectrum between white, black, red and grey — including the matt BMW Individual paint finish Frozen Grey metallic.

The fabric soft-top of the BMW Z4 will continue to be offered in Anthracite Silver effect as an alternative to the standard black.

Also new to the options list are the M lights Shadow Line, which can be ordered in conjunction with the likewise optional Adaptive LED Headlights.

The headlights’ dark inserts help imbue the front end of the car with a “discreetly sporting aura”.

BMW says that “instantaneous power delivery, an enthusiastic appetite for revs, efficiency and smoothness are the signature characteristics of the three petrol engines also available for the new edition of the BMW Z4”.

The four-cylinder engine powering the BMW Z4 sDrive20i teams up as standard with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission.

The Steptronic Sport transmission comes with shift paddles on the steering wheel and a Launch Control function for traction-optimised acceleration off the line.

The top-of-the-range model’s six-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology displays outstanding performance attributes.

The 3.0-litre 340 hp unit powers the BMW Z4 M40i from 0 to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds.

The BMW Z4 sDrive20i sprints from rest to 62 mph in 6.6 seconds.