Overview
LOOK hard, and then look harder again, because the E89 Z4 is not quite what it appears.
Sure, the soft top has been turfed out for a (heavier) folding hardtop roof, and the interior now reeks of quality and luxury, so thoughts of a Mercedes-Benz SLK challenger instantly spring to mind.
But the flagship sDrive35i has a formidable ace up its sleeve in the delicious form of BMW’s fabulous twin-turbo 3.0-litre powerplant, and this fact alone raises hopes for a two-seater roadster that can finally dislodge the long-reigning Porsche Boxster as the world’s greatest convertible.
MASSIVELY better than its disappointing Z3 predecessor, the E85 Z4 also espoused one of BMW head designer Chris Bangle’s more ambitious ‘flame surfacing’ styles, for an aggressive and distinctive rear-drive roadster look.
Again following the two-seater soft-top convertible philosophy, the Bavarians based the Z4 on the E46 generation 3 Series, which brought a multi-link rear suspension for sharpened handling compared to the Z3, although the incorporation of electric power steering dulled the steering against the Porsche Boxster that BMW was aiming the Z4 at.
Engine choices for the non-M Roadster Z4 3.0i range topper were the 170kW/300Nm 3.0-litre inline petrol six mated to either a six-speed manual or five-speed Steptronic auto, until the 195kW/315Nm 3.0-litre in the 3.0si stepped in from March 2006’s Series II facelift, bringing with it a six-speed Steptronic automatic option.
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