The new BMW Z4 sDrive23i
by Tim Barnes-Clay, the man behind the wheel.
Date: 16 July 2010
THE BMW Z4 has been around for a little while now and there is no mistaking it for anything but a powerful sports car. It has an aggressive long nose, a straight-six grunt to die for and an archetypal soft folding canvas roof.
2009 has kept all of these assets, apart from one - the roof. Today’s customers seem to want more comfort, security, safety and convenience so their feedback to BMW was, make the next Z4 a folding roof hardtop coupe-convertible instead of offering it in individual Roadster and Coupe forms.
This makes the new Z4 ideal for autumn and winter motoring.
Prices range from £28,650 to £37,065 and there are three, six cylinder engine options, 23i 204bhp, 30i 258bhp and the 35i 306bhp. Six-speed manual gearboxes are standard but there are sports automatic transmissions, which include paddleshift gear change levers, for all three engine units.
The use of the term ‘sDrive’ is something BMW have introduced on Roadster models to give emphasis to the outright sporting character of the cars. The new Z4 also has BMW’s award winning EfficientDynamics technology built in. This special power saving equipment includes brake energy regeneration, electric power steering, lightweight construction and an optimum gearchange indicator for manual gearbox models.
Changes to the Z4 have meant the 2.0-litre engine option is no more and the standard handbrake has disappeared. The sports car now has an electronically operated braking system instead. The new handbrake saves space on the centre console and provides a clever and easy hill start function. Some things remain unchanged though. For instance BMW has kept run-flat tyres on the latest Z4 incarnation. These are ideal on a sports car where a spare wheel would take up unnecessary space and weight.
The rejuvenated Z4’s main sales enemies will be the Audi TT and Mercedes-Benz SLK in both the convertible and coupe market sectors. But the Z4 has increased slightly in size so it has the advantage of more interior length, width and headroom. In the boot with the roof up there is 300-litres of space, more than the TT and SLK, but lower the hood (it only takes about 20 seconds), and the boot space reduces to just 180-litres, the smallest compared to the Audi and Mercedes.
new roof
The electronic operation of the new roof is simple. It opens and tucks itself neatly into the boot and effortlessly raises and clicks back into place at the touch of a button. The folding hard roof also means visibility has improved from the Z4’s rag-top days, although vision to the rear quarters is still slightly restricted due to the essential rollover bars and the passenger seat head restraint.
Getting in and out of the car with the roof up is not as easy as you might think though. It is an acquired technique which I didn’t fully pull off and with such wide opening doors actually finding a parking space to open them to their widest position to ease access was difficult.
No one can deny that the new Z4 looks utterly striking, hood up or down. It has picture perfect proportions for a classic sports car and is a genuine head-turner. The interior is sophisticated and the layout is just right with the controls and dials all focussed on where the driver needs them.
My actual test car, kindly lent to me by Listers BMW Boston, www.listersbostonbmw.co.uk, was the Z4 sDrive 23i, the best selling model, priced at £28,560 on-the-road. Listers’ BMW Z4 demo car did have extra cost options – leather upholstery, automatic gears, parking sensors, heated seats and a through load facility into the boot, to name but a few. That meant the price did increase by at least a couple of grand.
However, items of standard equipment for this ‘starter’ version of the new Z4 are wide ranging enough not to have to splash out on optional extras. Kit includes stability control, anti-lock braking, cornering and dynamic braking controls, traction control, hill-start assist, roll-over protection, tyre puncture warning, electric windows and door mirrors, automatic air conditioning, sports multi-function steering wheel, and an on-board computer. For the price it is a comprehensive package from the German car maker.
The 23i has a 2.5-litre, straight-six cylinder, petrol engine. This gives a blistering zero to 62mph time of 6.6 seconds (7.3 with the auto box) and a top speed of 151mph.
Although this engine produces it best performance relatively high up the rev range, the straight-six layout means it is flexible at low engine speeds and it is beautifully responsive, throwing out an addictive raspy scream when you shift down or put the pedal to the metal.
The only slight disappointment with the new Z4 is the overly firm ride. Even in the ‘normal’ suspension setting, rather than Sport or Sport+, the ride can be jittery and rattles start up in the cabin on poorer roads. But the Z4’s excellent traction and road holding feedback to the driver more than make up for it.
All in all the new Z4 is a true beast. It is a total pleasure to drive, look at and listen to and will appeal to business users who do not want to be stung for the benefit in kind tax which is becoming more and more of a Dick Turpin issue. Ok, BMW might have conformed a little bit to what the market prescribes, but the Z4 hasn’t lost any of its menacing, masculine, powerful attributes. In fact the retractable hard top might even persuade female users to buy it. You never know!
PROS ‘N’ CONS
PROS
- Raw power
- Classic rear wheel drive
- Agility
- Easy to drive engine
- Classy build and spec
CONS
- Small boot with roof folded
- Fidgety ride
- Restricted rear quarter visibility
FAST FACTS
- Max speed: 151mph
- 0-62mph: 6.6 seconds (7.3 Auto)
- Combined MPG: 33.2 (34.4 Auto)
- Power: 204bhp
- Torque: 184lb ft
- CO2 199g/km/VED Band J (192g/km Auto)
- Price: £28,650 (On the road)
