BMW Z4 Review 2024

October 2022

Updated BMW Z4 priced from £42,305

BMW’s Z4 roadster has been updated to include fresh design accents to the exterior, with enhanced standard equipment and a wider range of options to choose from. The new features not only underscore the sporting character of the BMW Z4 but also build on its success in the Bavarian carmaker’s line-up and its important role in the company’s long history of open-top sports cars.

The BMW Z4 brings the traditional roadster experience to the modern era. With powerful engines, rear-wheel drive and a classical fabric soft-top roof, the BMW Z4 is engineered with a focus on maximum agility, dynamism and steering precision. It features a contemporary high-class interior with a driver-focused cockpit layout. Its external appearance exudes sporting potency, particularly with the M Sport package which is now included as standard for the four-cylinder models.

Customers will benefit from the expanded standard specification and a wide selection of exterior paint finishes, including three new variants, whilst additional M light-19-inch alloy wheels and M lights Shadow Line provide extra scope for customers to put their own individual stamp on their BMW Z4.

*All figures relating to performance, fuel consumption and emissions are provisional. All the stated technical data, fuel consumption and emissions figures relate to the offering in the German market. Dimensions and measurements refer to vehicles with basic configuration in Germany. These may vary depending on the wheel/tyre size and items of optional equipment selected.
**Electronically limited.

The third generation: six-cylinder in-line engine sets it apart.
For 20 years, the BMW Z4 has been an important part of BMW’s open top story. The third generation of went on sale in 2018 and is built by BMW Group production partner Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik in Graz, Austria. The latest model launches in November 2022.

The engine line-up in the UK comprises of a four-cylinder option and a six-cylinder in-line unit that gives the BMW Z4 M40i (fuel consumption combined: 34.9 – 35.8 mpg; CO₂ emissions combined: 184 – 179 g/km in the WLTP cycle) a genuinely unique selling point in its segment. 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.

Over 55,000 units of the third-generation BMW Z4 have been sold worldwide to date. The most important individual market is Germany, where approximately 26 per cent of all cars from the current model generation have been sold. Following Germany is the USA (with 17 per cent), then China, the United Kingdom and Japan.

In a generally diminishing vehicle segment, the BMW Z4 has maintained extraordinarily consistent sales volumes since it went on sale. From day one, it has been by far the highest-selling model in a hotly contested class populated exclusively by German premium brands. And it has consistently increased its market share ever since.

More dynamic than ever: M Sport as standard, BMW kidney grille with a new design.
With muscular proportions, an aesthetic guided by BMW’s current design language and a host of individual details, the exterior design of the BMW Z4 encapsulates the modern interpretation of the classical open-top sports car.

Hallmark features of 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. The latest design modifications shine an even brighter spotlight on the roadster’s width and powerful stance.

Playing a particularly prominent role are the exterior features of the M Sport trim level, which are is now the entry point into the Z4 range. The exterior design includes the three-section air intakes in the front apron familiar from other M models, distinctive side-sill contouring and a rear apron with bold 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.

And detail updates have been made to the design of the BMW kidney grille, which has gained significantly in visual impact. The kidneys now have a horizontal inner structure, reinforcing the impression of a wide front end. The performance-centric character of the BMW 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 clear surfaces of the car’s flanks (with two dynamically flowing character lines bringing structure), the large air breathers rearwards of the front wheel arches, the spoiler integrated into the boot lid, the slim, L-shaped rear lights and the eye-catching diffuser element in the rear apron. 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.

Exclusive 19-inch M light-alloy wheels, three new exterior colours.
New additions to standard equipment include 18-inch 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.

Options now available to customers include M light-alloy wheels in 19-inch format designed exclusively for the BMW Z4. The V-spoke design, Jet Black matt finish and diamond polished rim edges bring an extremely striking and sophisticated aura to the roadster’s side view. The 19-inch M light-alloy wheels are shod with tyres in 255/35 ZR19 format at the front axle and 275/35 ZR19 at the rear.

The range of exterior paint finishes for the BMW Z4 has been carefully revised, with new and boldly expressive variants added. As well as the body colours Thundernight metallic, Portimao Blue metallic and Skyscraper Grey metallic 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 shimmering 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. And they form a neatly judged composition with the M high-gloss Shadowline exterior trim with extended elements.

Classical sports car cockpit with M-specific touches.
The design of the BMW Z4 interior is led by a driver-focused cockpit layout, sport seats with integral head restraints, clear, forward-facing lines and the limiting of decorative surfaces to a small number of areas. The BMW Z4 sDrive20i (fuel consumption combined: 38.2 – 40.9 mpg; CO₂ emissions combined: 166 – 157 g/km in the WLTP cycle) comes as standard with Vernasca leather, which can be specified in Black, Ivory White, Cognac or Magma Red.

Added to which, the classical sports car cockpit is combined with an instrument panel in Sensatec. Seat heating, the wind deflector, extended storage, the through-loading system, Park Distance Control with sensors at the front and rear, the automatically dimming rear-view mirror and two-zone automatic climate control are included as standard in all model variants. The BMW Z4 M40i is also fitted as standard with ambient lighting and M door sill finishers.

High-revving engines, sophisticated chassis technology.
Instantaneous power delivery, an enthusiastic appetite for revs, exemplary efficiency and the smoothness for which BMW is renowned 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 a 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 exceptional status of the BMW Z4 when it comes to powertrain technology is embodied most prominently by the top-of-the-range model, whose six-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology is unmatched by any rival and displays outstanding performance attributes. The 3.0-litre 340 hp unit develops peak torque of 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) and powers the BMW Z4 M40i from 0 to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds. The four-cylinder engine, with a displacement of 2.0 litres and BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, stands out with its lively performance characteristics. With maximum output of 197 hp and peak torque of 320 Nm (236 lb-ft), the BMW Z4 sDrive20i sprints from rest to 62 mph in 6.6 seconds.

Together with its compact proportions, minimised weight, low centre of gravity and almost perfect 50 : 50 weight distribution, the immense rigidity of the body and chassis structure and highly effective aerodynamics of the BMW Z4 provides the ideal platform for sporty handling that will enthuse and delight. Unlocking a compelling blend of agility and ride comfort is chassis technology which brings together a two-joint spring strut front axle and a five-link rear axle. Standard specification for all model variants also includes variable sport steering.

The M Sport suspension, now part of standard equipment, optimises driving dynamics with its firm damper and spring tuning. The BMW Z4 M40i has adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers M Sport brakes with a choice of blue- or red-painted callipers. The range-topping model is also fitted with an M Sport differential at the rear axle.

Cutting-edge driver assistance systems, intelligent connectivity.
The BMW Z4 offers customers a host of state-of-the-art driver assistance systems to enhance levels of both comfort and safety. Standard specification includes Front Collision Warning with brake intervention, Lane Departure Warning including lane return, and the Speed Limit Info function with no-overtaking indicator. Among the items on the options list are the Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go function, Lane Change Warning, rear collision warning, crossing traffic warning, the Parking Assistant and the Reversing Assist Camera. Also available is the BMW Head-Up Display, which projects driving information onto the windscreen.

The BMW Live Cockpit Professional ensures intuitive operation and intelligent connectivity. It brings customisable screens for the fully digital instrument cluster and control display, both of which have a diagonal of 10.25 inches. Its functionality also includes the BMW Maps navigation system, a hard-drive-based multimedia system, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, smartphone integration, a Wi-Fi hotspot and an alarm system.

February 2024

BMW Z4 Handschalter added to line up

BMW introduces the new Handschalter Pack which means the BMW Z4 M40i is available with a six-speed manual gearbox for the first time.

It is exclusively finished with Frozen Deep Green paint and Cognac interior. Priced from £60,675 with first deliveries in spring 2024.

The Handschalter Pack brings retuned chassis technology and mixed-size M light-alloy wheels measuring 19 inches in diameter at the front axle and 20 inches at the rear. Exclusive design features for both the exterior and interior are also included.