BMW Z4

Source: Examiner.Co.Uk (Lyndon Bell )


The stunning good looks of the 2009 Z4 are attributable to a bit of BMW lore. For the first time in the history of the company, a car's interior and exterior designers are both female. Now, whether the car is better looking because Juliane Blasi drew it is a subjective question. However, there is no doubt the car drives better as well. In fact, the only thing I'll miss about the first-generation Z4 is the pugnacious coupe. Now that a retractable hardtop is part of the BMW Z4’s portfolio of attributes the fastback fixed-roof two-seaters are no more.

Given the new BMW goes from hardtop to roadster in 20 seconds at the touch of a button, I suppose this is understandable, but nothing else on the road looked like those coupes. They are, and will remain, infinitely covetable. If you can find a new one left over at a BMW dealer, jump on it. You’ll be buying a future collectable – no question about it.

Now this is not to say you shouldn’t consider the new car, in fact quite the opposite is true. The 2009 Z4 is more powerful, more luxurious, more efficient, more beautiful, and more comfortable than the 2008 model. Installing the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six, introduced with the current generation 3-Series model, endows the new Z4 with 300 horsepower and a nearly infinite well of torque. Delivering maximum horsepower at 5800 rpm, the turbocharged engine also makes 300 foot-pounds of torque at a mere 1400 rpm.

Regardless of the gear you find yourself in when you squeeze the throttle, instant acceleration results. There is no turbo lag whatsoever. In fact, if you weren't informed, you'd never suspect turbochargers are fitted. The engine just loves to pull. A big nod must be given to the smoothness exuded by the BMW's engine as well. It has long been acknowledged that an inline six-cylinder engine provides unparalleled balance. BMW is to be roundly commended for sticking with the configuration, even as all of its competitors abandoned it in favor of the packaging efficiencies that can be achieved with a V6.

A very big part of what makes this car so desirable, the simple fact of the matter is nothing else winds with the freedom, polish and sophistication of a six-cylinder BMW engine. And now that they've added turbocharging to the mix – wow!

BMW offers the new Z4 with two 3.0-liter engine choices and two transmission choices. Designated sDrive35i, the turbo gets the traditional six-speed manual, and a new dual-clutch semi-automatic seven-speed transmission. Executing shifts faster than a human being can accomplish, BMW says the seven-speed gets the car to 60 miles per hour in five seconds flat, one tenth of a second faster than the six-speed manual.

Having sampled both transmissions, we can honestly say there is no bad choice.

By the way, if you’re wondering about the new sDrive nomenclature, BMW uses it to indicate engine type and displacement as well as to differentiate the rear-drive from the all-wheel drive products in its lineup. All-wheel drive vehicles are referred to as xDrive. Diesel engines get a "d" suffix instead of an "i".

While the dual-clutch seven-speed offers the best of both worlds – manual operation when you want it and automatic operation when you need it – the six-speed manual delivers outstanding smoothness. Clutch take-up is perfectly progressive, engaging exactly where you anticipate it will, enabling perfectly smooth launches every time. Even if you’re a novice with manual transmissions, you won’t pull away jerking and bucking in the six-speed manual BMW Z4. The oft-lurching first to second shift is as smooth as glass too. Of course, having 300 foot-pounds of torque available just off idle will alleviate a lot of the stress of setting a manual transmission equipped car into motion.

Labeled sDrive30i, the other engine choice available is a normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline six, producing 255 horsepower at 6600 rpm and 220 foot-pounds of torque at 2600 rpm. When considering those numbers, it is also important to consider the curb weight of the Z4 is right around 3200 pounds. That said, the atmospheric Z4 is still quite energetic when compared to most other cars. It is only when lined up beside its turbocharged sibling that it feels a bit soft acceleration-wise. Said simply, compared to the 35i, the 30i is fast – but not exactly quick.

Two transmissions are also offered with the normally aspirated engine, a six-speed manual and a conventional six-speed automatic with a manual mode.

Regardless of your engine choice, you’ll find Munich has blessed the 2009 Z4 with near 50/50 weight distribution. This may come as a surprise to those who judge the car by its looks. With that massive inline six out front, Blasi had no choice but to give it a long hood and perch the driver just ahead of the rear axle. However, when all was said and done, just as much of the Z4’s weight rests on its rear wheels as its front. This, along with outstanding suspension tuning gives the car an amazing degree of grip and a joyful willingness to change directions.

Bottom line, the car absolutely devours winding roads – once you come to grips (no pun intended) with the fact that long nose is going to lead you into corners. Handling is nicely balanced, braking is amazingly accurate and progressive, steering feel is telepathic, and turn-in is so sweet, you might wind up depleting your body’s insulin supply if you indulge in it too frequently. The only way you can get this car out of shape is by doing something absolutely idiotic.

For all the prowess displayed when the roads throw down a challenge, in day-to-day around town, the 2009 BMW Z4 is perfectly at ease. Yes, the folding hardtop does eat into trunk space, but the opening that remains when the top is down will easily accommodate a trip to the grocery store – or even the spoils of an insane shopping outing. If long distance travel is your thing, the trunk will readily hold either two soft weekend bags or one good-sized carry-on – with the top down.

The 2009 Z4 is also one of a very few convertibles that look just as good (if not better) with the top raised.

With the 2009 BMW Z4, one truly gets the best of all worlds – outstanding performance, an open roadster, a closed coupe, cutting edge design, tantalizing good looks, and free maintenance for the first five years of ownership.

It’s almost too good to be true.

And yes, in fact, there is a flaw.

While there is no question the new iDrive system introduced earlier this year with the redesigned 7-Series car is much easier to use, the placement of the controller in the Z4, right behind the transmission’s shift lever, means you will occasionally find yourself unintentionally engaging it with your forearm. Every now and then we found ourselves inadvertently restarting songs and hanging up on phone conversations by coming into contact with the controller during a shift. Of course, this is the first application of iDrive to a Z4, so maybe they’ll find a better spot for it next time.

Hey, nothing’s perfect – but this new BMW Z4 is pretty darn close. 2009 BMW Z4 pricing (including destination) starts at $46,575 for the 30i and $52,475 for the 35i.