BMW

Z4

Open-top motoring really doesn’t get much better than the BMW Z4. The roof can be lowered in a matter of seconds and so the fun begins. It delivers the ride of a lifetime, is packed with classy features and boasts a great safety record too.

The good

Beautifully styled, outstanding driving dynamics and packed with technology

The bad

British weather will drive you to Europe (but who cares!)

Tech Specs

Price from

£44,490

Combined Fuel up to

38.1mpg

0-62 from

4.5 seconds

max speed up to

155mph (limited)

co2 from

157g/km

Test Drive

BMW Z4 M40i – First Drive (2023)

We Brits simply love our open-top, wind-in-the-hair driving and BMW has just added to that allure with the launch of its recently facelifted Z4 roadster.

The two-door, two-seater boasts new styling cues, along with additional interior tech, plus a generous range of optional add-ons to fully personalise the car.

Customers can choose from a 2.0-litre powered model in M Sport trim, or the mighty 3.0-litre, straight-six M40i, which we opted to test.

Costing £56,475 before any optional extras are factored in, this model’s turbocharged petrol engine delivers 340hp and a whopping 500Nm of torque, resulting in a 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.5 seconds and a top speed that is limited to 155mph.

Those performance figures do impact upon the day-to-day running costs though with the Z4 M40i delivering a combined 34.9mpg with carbon emissions of 184g/km.

The latest enhanced third-generation Z4 features the new BMW kidney grille for added road presence with other design cues including a distinctive muscular front end, large air inlets, trapezoidal tailpipe trims for the exhaust system, Cerium Grey mirror caps, a spoiler integrated into the roof, L-shaped rear lights with smoke-effect casings, plus 19-inch alloys with blue brake calipers to complete the dynamic styling.

The interior is equally sporty with bright red leather upholstered door panels, seats and centre console. The seats, with integrated headrests, are powered and can be heated along with the steering wheel, which also has ample manual adjustment to help find the perfect driving position.

Despite its compact cabin, there is plenty of leg, head and elbow space for a couple of adults of the taller variety to sit comfortably. Then it’s just a case of sitting back and exploring all the high-end tech at your fingertips.

The main nerve centre is a 10.25-inch infotainment navigation touchscreen that offers access to the likes of a hard-drive multimedia system, a Harman Kardon sound system, full smartphone connectivity, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a reversing camera, plus a voice-activated assistant that can help with all manner of requests and is ultra-efficient compared to some rivals.

A head-up display and a 10.25-inch driver information screen behind the steering wheel, clearly show all the vital driving data, most importantly the speed.

So, the latest Z4 looks the business with its soft roof that can be raised or lowered in about 10 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph, but does it deliver when put to the test? The answer is a resounding yes.

The acceleration through the eight-speed Steptonic automatic gearbox is sharp and responsive with gearshift paddles for added driver fun. With rear-wheel drive, the vehicle is perfectly balanced with ample grip as it fizzes through twisting hill climbs.

The beautifully weighted steering offers plenty of driver feedback and there are drive modes called Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport that change the driving characteristics of the car. Sport is the most fun and results in extra engine and exhaust sound, along with a change to the tft display. It turns red to accentuate the sportier nature of the vehicle and the dials are also reconfigured with more emphasis on the revs.

Then, switch across to Comfort and everything becomes more refined for clocking up higher mileage. The adaptive suspension system smooths out most unexpected bumps and dips while, with the roof raised, occupants are well protected from outside noise.

Designers have also made clever use of the limited cabin space with lots of compartments and areas to store bits and pieces. There is enough room behind the front seats to accommodate a coat or small bag, along with a locking glovebox, narrow door pockets, a central cubby that has to be opened to discover the cup holders, nets behind the seats and a couple of trays.

The relatively compact boot has a 281-litre capacity which is certainly large enough to swallow a few overnight bags and this compares favourably in size-terms with the Z4’s closest rivals.

And when you factor in all the Z4’s high-end safety kit and driver assistance aids, this is a two-door roadster that is not only great to look at and drive, but also offers plenty of protection to occupants and other road users.

The day is drawing closer when cars such as the high-performance Z4 will no longer be available. After all, Audi has already announced that one of its closest rivals – the  TT – is being withdrawn.

So, if you really want to get an iconic open-top, you will need to act fast. And it would seem there are many like-minded people out there doing just that, as the third-generation car has already sold in excess of 55,000 units globally which is a high figure for a car with such a targeted audience.

Test Drive

BMW Z4

Few cars can turn heads in an instant, but with its beautifully-crafted lines, bold stance and awesome engine roar, the BMW Z4 is one of the chosen few.

It’s the sort of car that brings out the green-eyed monster in the most placid of bystanders as it cruises by with its top down and now thanks to the introduction of a new entry level model, the Z4 could even be the “affordable” roadster.

The Z4 line-up has been given a mid-life facelift with a number of minor and subtle enhancements to freshen up the range. It now boasts improved styling (if that were possible) thanks to its rippled bonnet, bold alloys, smart light clusters, twin tailpipes, kidney grille, hard-top roof and the introduction of additional chrome detailing, improved interior materials and white LED corona rings around the lights. There is also a model available in stunning Valencia Orange with contrasting roof.

But the headline-grabber has to be the new entry-level arrival which is priced from £27,610. The Z4 sDrive 18i delivers 154bhp and according to BMW can achieve an impressive 41.5mpg on a combined run with carbon emissions of 159g/km. It can burst to 62mph from a standing start in just 7.9 seconds and tops out at 137mph.

Standard equipment levels are high with 17-inch alloys, air conditioning, a sport multi-function leather steering wheel, Drive Performance Control, soft-close tailgate, xenon headlights, DAB radio, Bluetooth, USB and plenty more besides.

As is the norm for premium brands there are a whole host of optional extras available and the test model had plenty of them, which resulted in the price-tag rising to £36,415, but without the add-ons the Z4 is certainly richly equipped throughout.

BMW’s Z4 is truly a classic two-seater roadster. Admittedly, it’s not the most practical of cars with limited storage options and the occasional pothole will be experienced to the full, but it certainly puts the wow factor back into driving.

From the second you turn on the ignition, the gentle purring of the engine turning over hints at what you can expect. A little pressure on the accelerator and that purr grows into a growl, pull away at speed and it’s transformed into a roar.

The acceleration through the six-speed manual gearbox is very swift and there is a seemingly limitless amount power at your disposal.

Road-holding is incredible and the Z4 seems to rise to the challenge of sharp hair-pin bends – the more, the merrier!

There is some noise within the cabin, but that actually adds to the Z4’s all-round appeal and with a glimmer of sunshine the roof can be lowered in 20 seconds at speeds up to 20mph.

Storage capacity within the boot is a tad limited and with the roof lowered it is reduced further.

In fact, there’s just about room for a couple of small holdalls and that’s about it. But in fairness, the Z4 sits in the fashion-led market where appearance far outweighs practicality.

I also tested out the powerful Z4 sDrive 35i M Sport with seven-speed automatic transmission priced at £52,400 including almost £10k of extras.

This is the real powerhouse of the Z4 line-up and can race from 0-62mph in just 5.1 seconds with a top speed limited to 155mph.

It’s nowhere near as economical to run as the entry-level model with combined fuel efficiency of just 31.4mpg but the car goes like a rocket.

The harder you push it, the better it responds and it will always deliver an edge-of-the-seat ride that at certain times can take your breath away.

So, the Z4 line-up has got stronger and the introduction of an entry-level model really opens up the opportunity to own a two-seater roadster to a whole new audience.