Manufacturer BMW Predecessor BMW Z3 | Production 2002–2016 Successor BMW Z5 | |
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Class Compact luxury sports car (S) | ||
The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the German car maker BMW. It follows a line of past BMW roadsters such as the BMW Z1, BMW 507, BMW Z8, and the BMW Z3. The Z4 replaces the Z3. First generation production started in 2002 at a plant in Greer, South Carolina, of BMW US, with both roadster and coupe versions of the car. When launched, it won Automobile Magazine "Design of the Year Award". Starting with the 2009 model year, the second-generation Z4 is built at BMW's Regensburg, Germany plant as a retractable hardtop roadster. In 2009, the BMW Z4 II won the Red Dot Design Award.
Contents
First generation (E85; 2003–2009)
The first-generation BMW Z4 was designated the E85 in roadster form and E86 in coupé form. It was designed by Danish BMW-designer Anders Warming.
From 2003 the Z4 Roadster is available as a 3.0i (3.0 L I6 with 231 hp), a 3.0si available with the new generation 3.0 L I6 with 265 hp (198 kW), a 2.5si with a 2.5 I6 with 218 bhp (163 kW; 221 PS), a 2.2i with a straight-6 170 bhp (127 kW; 172 PS) engine, or a 2.0i with a 150 bhp (112 kW; 152 PS) 2.0 L I4. The Z4 coupé is available only in the high-performance 3.0si trim powered by the 3.0 L 255 hp (190 kW) I6. The Z4 (E85 Roadster/E86 Coupe) was built at the Greer plant.
2004
Little was new for the 2004 model year.
2005
2006
More powerful engines, freshened styling, and midyear introduction of a hatchback coupe mark 2006 for BMW's two-seaters.
Z4 M Roadster / Coupe
The Z4 M is powered by a 3.2-litre straight-six engine (S54B32). Performance figures are: 3,246 cc displacement, 343 horsepower (256 kW) at 7,900 rpm, 269 lb·ft (365 N·m) of torque at 4,900 rpm, 8,000 rpm redline. Output per litre is 107 bhp (80 kW; 108 PS), and power-to-weight ratio is 9.9 lb/bhp. Acceleration to 60 mph (96 km/h) comes in 4.8 seconds. (0–62 mph / 100 km/h is 5.0) and top speed is limited electronically to 156 mph (251 km/h).
Second generation (E89; 2009–2016)
The vehicle was originally announced on 13 December 2008. The vehicle was unveiled in 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Credited as "the first BMW designed by two females," the E89 body was styled by Juliane Blasi, with Nadya Arnaout designing the interior. This time a coupé-convertible with folding hardtop, the Z4 (E89) was built in Regensburg alongside the (E93) 3-Series Cabrio, likely due to the U.S. plant needing more room for SUV production.
The Z4 moved upmarket, dropping the small four-cylinder base engine. In late 2011 BMW reintroduced a 2.0 litre, 4-cylinder powerplant with twin-scroll turbo (N20 engine variant).
Z4 production ended in June 2016.
Speculation abounds regarding a Toyota-BMW joint venture to create a replacement for the Z4 and a new standard bearer for the long absent Toyota Supra. Rumors include a "Z5" moniker for the BMW sibling, a hybrid drivetrain, and a cloth convertible top.