BMW Z4 Coupe (2006 – 2008) Review
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BMW Z4 Coupe (2006 – 2008) At A Glance
Stunning, gorgeous looks. Z4M is very quick in a straight line. Classic shape and scarcity means that by 2014 values were on the rise.
Marred by awful (2 star) steering. Needs more weight and feedback from the steering at speed. Z4M is tricky to drive smoothly.
It's a good looking car. Hunched on its back wheels like a cat about to pounce, there's a bit of competition E-Type, Ferrari GTO, Cobra Daytona and BMW 507 in it. Somehow, all the bells Bangles and beads come together. And before you ask there's plenty of room for golf clubs in the boot (of the 3.0i, anyway).
Reviews for BMW Z4 Coupe (2006 – 2008)'s top 3 rivals
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BMW Z4 Coupe (2006 – 2008) handling and engines
- Engines range from 3.0 Si to M Coupe
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 20–35 mpg
Get into the Z4M and the first assault on your senses is the steering wheel. The rim is so thick, some people simply won't be able to touch fingertips around it. So it's a man's car, then?
Too right it is. The car has so much power it's actually quite difficult to change gear smoothly. You think that's the price of lightening quick gearchanges when accelerating hard. Yet, perversely, it's also difficult to make quick gearchanges. And the quicker you go, the lighter the steering becomes, making the car tricky to aim accurately through fast corners.
With that light steering, neither of us felt inclined to switch off the ESP. The trick variable diff digs in hard at the back. Yet still, as a driver, you're conscious of just not being able to pilot the car smoothly. And as a passenger you feel like the co-driver in a rally car. It's also very noisy, but instead of listening to an orchestra your ears get assaulted and battered by a hard rock band. So yes, it's quick. I've no doubt it does do 0-60 in 4.7 seconds and 0 to 1,000 metres in 23.7 seconds. Comfortably ahead of the 300bhp Nissan 350Z, for example. But I for one did not feel anything like as confident as I did driving Nissan's squashed toad. I can only guess it's something to do with the BMW's aerodynamics allowing too much lift at the front.
The £10,000 cheaper 3.0iSE is much easier to drive. Whereas in the Z4M the ‘Sport' button merely razor sharpens the already hair-trigger throttle response, on the 3.0i it strops both throttle and electric power steering. But the clutch is more comfortable for your passenger, it is easier to line up through a series of corners, and it had no trouble pulling over 140mph. Yet, despite a normal rim steering wheel, the helm still becomes a bit too light at serious speed. Completely the opposite of a Porsche, or a Nissan 350Z, for that matter. Yet at parking speeds in ‘Sport' mode the steering can feel like it has no assistance at all. So the problem must be an aerodynamic one.
And I have a problem. If I'm going to drive illegally quickly I want to feel fully in control. I did in the 350Z. I did in the Porsche Cayman S. I felt totally safe in the Audi RS4. But I didn't in the Z4M Coupe. And was no happier in the Z4 3.0i Coupe than I had been in the SLK280.
Maybe BMW will do something to the Z4 Coupe to increase its appeal to guys suffering from male meno-porsche. They must be able to because the M3 and M5 both steer much better. I'd like to come back to the car and find that they had.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 Si | 33 mpg | 5.7 s | 207 g/km |
| M Coupe | 23 mpg | 5.0 s | 292 g/km |
Real MPG average for the BMW Z4 Coupe (2006 – 2008)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
96%
Real MPG
20–35 mpg
MPGs submitted
34
BMW Z4 Coupe (2006 – 2008) models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4091–4113 mm |
| Width | 1781 mm |
| Height | 1268 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2495–2497 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 1395–1495 kg |
| Boot Space | 245–340 L |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Servicing | - |
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £32,110–£42,350 |
| Insurance Groups | - |
| Road Tax Bands | K–M |
| Official MPG | 23.3–32.5 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | 4 |
| Child | - |
| Pedestrian | 2 |
| Overall | - |
| Coupe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 3.0si SE | £32,110 | 32.5 mpg | 5.7 s |
| 3.0si SE Auto | £32,110 | - | - |
| 3.0si Sport | £33,635 | 32.5 mpg | 5.7 s |
| 3.0si Sport Auto | £33,635 | - | - |
| M Coupe | £42,350 | 23.3 mpg | 5.0 s |
Model History
January 0001
Great styling. Better looking than roadster. Offered as 3.0i Sport or SE at £23,900 or £31,375 and Z4M at £41,240. 3.0 has 256bhp and 325Nm torque. 0-60 5.7, top speed 155 limited and 31.7mpg combined. Z4M has 343bhp and 365NM torque. 0-60 in 5.0, top speed 155 limited, 23.3mpg combined.
3 year UNLIMITED MILEAGE warranty.
What to watch out for
When Runflats fitted, TPMS valves prone to failure due to corrosion battery effect between metal valve caps and the valve stems. This is easily prevented by fitting plastic instead of metal valve caps.
If the car has Bluetooth and the owner has their Mobile phone synched to the car then if the car is not locked / all electrics shut down the car will keep trying to search for the phone and drain the battery.
31-05-2015:86k mile 2007 BMW Z4 coupe (3.0 litre N52 engine) developed low power and pinking last year. Local dealer diagnosed faulty Vanos solenoids and Valvetronic motor and replaced them. For a while, the car ran beautifully again but the same problem has now returned. The dealer says BMW diagnostics are not showing any codes and so, supposedly, there is no fault with the vehicle. The car has a full BMW history and is under extended warranty. Injector cleaner through the engine had no effect.
