SHAKING off an unwanted image is never easy. When BMW launched the Z1 some 21 years ago, it ended a 29-year hiatus of roadster production by the company, and heralded a new strain of two-seater sportscars. The Z1 was technically advanced including the use of drop-down doors, and a new era of BMW roadsters was in prospect. The plastic-bodied Z1 fell away in 1991 to be replaced four years later by the Z3, a car originally aimed at the American college student as a designer runabout. However, it did not take long for the car’s potential to be realised, and in much the same way as the nimble AC Ace metamorphosed into the brutal AC Cobra, so the Z3 went on a body-building course to become, ultimately, the stonking Z3 M. But sadly for BMW, the car’s “have a nice day” origins were not forgotten, and it was always regarded as a bit of a poseur’s cruiser, despite its performance capabilities. So, in 2002, the Z4 appeared to correct the situation. Well, try to…
Alas, the campus image carried over, although the car had all the attributes to be considered in the desired light. The model sold well enough, but it still lacked the brawny persona that existed in BMW’s more successful roadsters of old: the original 315/1 and 319/1of 1934, the magnifi cent 328 of 1936, the elegant 507 of 1955, and the short-lived high-performance Z8 of 2000. Now we have a new Z4, and the signs are that maybe BMW has – at long last – created a roadster truly worthy of the title. And, ironically perhaps, it has taken the feminine touch to achieve it…
The styling is the work of inhouse designer Juliane Blasi. And for the fi rst time in BMW’s 75-year roadster history, the car does not have a soft-top. For new Z4, the company has gone the CC route, the two-piece metal roof folding neatly into the rump within 20 seconds at the touch of a button (but only at standstill), and still leaving some usable (if awkward to get at) luggage space – 176 dm3 with the roof up, 120 with it down, with a load-through hatch to accommodate a golf bag. A benefi t of the retractable roof design is that a larger glass area than that of of the previous ragtop Z4 has improved all-round visibility by 14 per cent. In addition, such an arrangement precludes the need for a coupé version.
Proportionally, the Z4 is deliberately classic roadster with its l-o-n-g bonnet and short tail. Softer curves and stylish swage lines help disguise the fact that the new car is slightly bigger all round than its predecessor, and one tester noted a hint of Z8 in its especially slim but wide kidney grille. It is an imposing shape that, although evolutionary to the casual eye, manages to convey the car’s credentials more convincingly than the previous model.
The expected high-quality interior was designed by Nadya Arnahout, who has managed to successfully combine form with function, with the row of circular switchgear for the dual zone climate control particularly appealing, and the electronic park brake a practical feature. An 8,8-inch colour screen rises out of the facia and displays all the usual sat-nav, audio and (more simplifi ed – again) iDrive settings and functions.
Cabin space is generous, comfortably accommodating even our 1,9-metre tall tester, with seats having a full range of electrical adjustment, heaters, plus a two-position memory, and a chunky steering wheel adjustable for both rake and reach. The scuttle height is high, though, which can present a visibility problem for shorter drivers. However, front and rear parking sensors assist manoeuvring in confi ned places. The seats are located low, just ahead of the rear axle line, helping to achieve a near perfect 50:50 fore/aft weight distribution, and provide the driver with some “seat of the pants” feedback. Combined with an aerodynamically-raked windscreen, the low seating position also helps keep head and shoulders out of potentially buffeting air fl ow when the roof is stowed.
Under the bulbous bonnet and set well back in the engine 30i, and a seven-speed DCT dualclutch transmission in the 35i, as fitted to the test car. This DCT is a “cooking” version of the unit fitted to the M3: the shifts are not as fast-acting, but are quick enough to still be classified as sporting. The slightly fiddly console lever offers shift control options, but the steering-spokemounted paddles are preferable, each capable of up- and downshifting, so hands never have to leave the wheel when tackling challenging topography.
Dynamic Drive is a system with a choice of three settings: Normal, Sport (which sharpensup the powertrain mapping and steering response), and Sport+ (which should be a minus because it deactivates the traction control). For most driving conditions, Normal is fuss-free and sporty enough to provide suitable driving pleasure, but switch to Sport and the senses begin to tingle. The car becomes more alert and responsive without resorting to hooliganism, and playing with the gears elicits a sonorous “whump” from the twin exhausts with each upshift. Doing this with the roof stowed and a wall or tunnel to bounce back the resonance registers high on the grin factor scale. If burning rubber and hangin’ loose are your preferences, then Sport+ is the way to go, but better to save this set-up for track days and the like, because Sport offers sensible freedom to exploit the car’s outstanding dynamics before the DSC’s electronic aids kick-in.
Unlike some fast BMWs, the Z4 35i DCT (we are deliberately ignoring the naff “sDrive” prefixing) does not require a list of engagements to launch itself towards the horizon (and a cooling- off period afterwards). Foot on brake, dial-up the revs and let it go. The test car was fitted with optional 19-inch rims (18-inchers are standard), with 225/35 run-flat tyres on the fronts, and substantial 255/30s on the rears, which gripped and thrust the car to 100 km/h in 5,48 seconds, and on to the kilometre marker in 24,72 seconds at 217 km/h. As usual, top speed is limited to 250 km/h. While on the subject of gearing, kickdown with 60 km/h on the speedo and 120 km/h is reached in less than five seconds, but it is third gear flexibility that really impresses, pulling from little more than running pace to all but 150 km/h with impressive strength. Economy-wise, CAR’s fuel index, ie overall consumption, works out at 11,28 litres/100 km, which is not unreasonable given the performance capability. The 55-litre tank allows a range of close to 500 km.
Having such a willing and robust powerhouse at your disposal makes any challenging route a cause for expectation rather than trepidation, an opportunity to revel in the car’s immense ground-covering ability. The Z4’s electric-assisted steering is weighty, high geared and accurate, the ride firm yet compliant with minimal bump-through on coarser surfaces, and the overall dynamics so sure-footed that any journey is one to be savoured. There is no hint of skittishness, and progress is swift and secure. To heighten the pleasure, adaptive M suspension is available that consists of electronically-controlled dampers and a 10 mm lower ride height. Ventilated discs all round deliver unflappable and consistent retardation – an excellent average stopping time of 2,81 seconds in our 10-stops-from- 100 km test sequence. Overall, the new Z4 delivers a driving experience that is more sophisticated and composed than that of its predecessor – and only slightly less defi nitive than that of the benchmark Porsche Boxster. But the Z4 has now come of age and can look the Stuttgart sportster squarely in the eye in any showdown.
TEST SUMMARY
BMW has a chequered history of roadster production with some models more successful – and convincing – than others. Recent Z cars have somehow failed to capture the total spirit of some of their predecessors, but this latest Z4 – in particular the (oh, all right) sDrive35i – succeeds in delivering the power, performance, style, sophistication and, critically, sheer entertainment value than defi nes a true roadster.
