Preston BMW

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Walk Around

The all-new 2009 Z4 is built on the same wheelbase as its predecessor but adds length, most of it at the rear. The lines are slightly softer on this generation, aiming for the happy medium between the Z3's mild, more feminine curves and the last Z4's more masculine, aggressive flame surfacing and sharp stub of a tail. This latest Z4 is about six inches longer than the previous Z4 due to the retractable hard top mechanism.

Classic roadster proportions give the Z4 a long hood and short decklid, shoulders over the wheel arches and tapers in three axes. The creases begun at the inner edge of the headlight housings roll over the front fenders and lead back to bisect the door handle, while an opposite lower sweep started at the front bumper curves upward to the rear wheels.

In side view it looks like a French curve over each wheel, the forward one twice the length of the rear, and from the driver's perch the hood seems to rise from the windshield base before falling off forward. We think it looks better with the top down but it's still relatively sleek top-up and has a similar closed profile to the big Mercedes SLR. Gills behind the front wheel carry the substantial badge and the side signal repeater is now behind an opaque panel in the gill; the BMW propeller logo is still here, but no longer serves to disguise the signal.

A variety of wheel sizes and finishes are offered, and while the Z4 is light and well-suspended enough that even 19-inch wheels can deliver decent ride quality they might not work well with poor infrastructure (rough roads), and some wheel styles will require more cleaning effort.

From dead-on at either end the top-dropped Z4 has strong resemblance to a scaled-down version of the 6 series and its roadster precursor the Z8. Sections of the taillights look like horizontal light tubes and appear to ramp up like theater lights when the lights are switched on. Adaptive brake lights deliver more red light when you hit the brake pedal hard than when merely slowing mildly. The center brake light is midway between rear window and tail on the trunk lid where it will not interfere with rear vision but will be covered up by an inch of snow. A single side twin-exhaust outlet signals a 30i where the 35i uses a single outlet on each side, a la Z8.

Although front-end shaping is the same, with BMW's trademark corona (programmable) daytime running lights for instant identification, trim varies by model. The 30i has black vanes in its grille and a silver slash across the outer lower grilles, where the 35i has matte silver grille vanes and perimeter frames for the outer grilles. While the Z4 is close to the ground the front overhang is shorter than many and not prone to scraping at every speed bump or mild driveway.

The Z4 is longer than the Audi TT and Mercedes-Benz SLK, shorter than the Boxster, but the difference is a few inches. In height and width, they are much closer so exterior dimensions should not factor in purchase decisions.

The Z4 is now built in Regensburg, Germany. In BMW fashion, many systems on the Z4 have been proven in other recent BMW models, including the higher-output engine, transmissions, and suspension design.

Interior

2009 BMW Z4

The Z4 cabin is immediately familiar to any BMW owner, with many of the Munich builder's hallmarks: simple white-on-black analog instrumentation, sweeping driver-centric lines, functional controls and a high level of fit and finish (apart from the molding seams on the map pockets). In a generally evolutionary upgrade you notice first that, yes, it's definitely a BMW roadster, second, that iDrive has been revamped and the parking brake lever is gone, and lastly, it feels just like the old coupe with the top up.

The Z4 30i comes with leatherette upholstery, but that is available only in black which might not be best in sunny areas where you're likely to park the car open. Order leather (designed for a convertible climate), or get the 35i, and the palette increases to four colors and only one of them is dark; on 35i versions you can even extend the leather coverage for the ultimate in premium feel. The low-gloss brushed aluminum or ash wood trim (which does reflect a bit of glare top-down) of the 35i may be added to the 30i.

There is plenty of space for two people in the Z4, the head and legroom about what you find in a full-size SUV. Standard manual seats and tilt/telescoping steering column provide enough adjustment to suit many driver sizes; slender types will appreciate the side bolsters on the seats and larger bodies will be framed as much by the door and console. While they may not look like thick armchairs the seats offer excellent support over multi-hour drives; the sport seats are a bit more confining for wide girth and superb for a spirited drive. The driver's footwell is large enough for size-13 shoes to comfortably operate three well-positioned pedals and a good dead pedal to rest/brace your left foot on.

Inside storage has long been the bane of roadsters so particular attention was paid to that. The door pocket walls tilt out for access, and in doing so make excellent coin catchers for the change flying out your pants pocket at the first hard bend. A bin ahead of the shifter has good containment properties and there's a cubby atop the dash on cars without navigation. Other storage areas are behind the seats, and there is a pass-through door available for carrying skis or golf clubs. The armrest lid conceals two cupholders and that lid stays up on its own and clears even lanky elbows, and a third cupholder clips in to the right side of the console right about where the passenger's left knee rests. Cupholders are not the priority here, driving is.

The multifunction steering wheel is thick enough to feel good and thin enough to receive all the feedback the suspension delivers. Ahead of it are large speed and engine rev gauges, with smaller fuel and oil temperature (more useful than coolant temperature) in the bottom. Digital displays in the center handle outside temperature, mileage, trip data, and on automatics, gear indication.

Outward visibility is good, and a major improvement with the top up. The windshield curves across the top and the pillars are no impediment, but taller drivers will have to look around the inside mirror on up-and-down winding mountain roads. The three-quarter view right behind the seats is much better because the folding top added two small windows. Even the 8.8-inch stowable navigation display (1280x480p) was easy to read in direct sunlight, polarized sunglasses or not.

Climate control is manual on 30i and automatic dual-zone on 35i with an automatic recirculation mode that senses air contaminants. With the heated seats and steering wheel option the close-the-top temperature goes down 10 degrees or more. Slide the control wheel at the center dash vents from warm to cool and the response is immediate. This happens with most of the controls. There is no need to hold the trip odo button to reset it, and some are designed as multifunctional with one result from a quick tap and another from depressing and holding.

Audio options include HD radio, satellite radio, glovebox-mounted six-disc DVD changer, iPod and USB ports and a hi-fi system with 14 speakers driven by an amplifier capable of delivering 650 watts. On navigation cars much audio control is done through iDrive but common requests can be handled by steering wheel buttons as well. On cars with iDrive there is an 80GB hard-drive that has 15GB allotted to music storage, and it will contain CD contents for you.

The new Z4 gets the next generation of iDrive (with navigation) and it is improved as much as anything on the car. Buttons have been added to the controller to speed access and operation is much more intuitive while maintaining the myriad functions. It might not be the best such system in modern automobiles but should put an end to the criticism of earlier iDrive. Our only complaint is that the controller is located between the shift lever and the armrest and on gear changes we frequently bumped the controller, often executing a command or changing the radio station in the process. Automatics with paddle shifters won't have this problem, nor manual non-navigation cars.

The parking brake is electrically operated by a switch behind the shifter, and it does get hot in sunshine, even underway. Concerns about starting on a hill without a lever to work are addressed by the start-off assistant that keeps the brakes applied momentarily while you engage the clutch and throttle. Switching for the suspension and transmission, where applicable, is to the left of the shifter so you're hands never have to travel far.

On the 35i the optional dual-clutch transmission has a shift lever shared by some other new BMW products that's a bit unconventional and looks like a cross between a video-game controller and a beer tap. Neutral is the default position and park a pushbutton; push the lever forward to go backward and vice-versa, and in manual mode, it shifts like a racecar with downshifts forward and upshifts back, allowing g-forces to assist the driver with shifting.

The top opens and closes in 20 seconds without any fear it will bump you on the head and once up felt just like a coupe in terms of noise; the headliner is off-white to enhance spaciousness. Raising all four windows (use the master on the driver's door) allows conversation at 75 mph top down, and most window-down wind noise comes from the area around the seatbelts. There is no wind-blocker panel for between the headrests specified in early option sheets though we have seen photos and it may become available through your dealer.

Cargo room is about average for the class, but better with the top up (10.9 cubic feet versus 6.4 using the DIN standard). On cars with Comfort Access you can, through the key fob, lift the stowed roof out of the way for easier loading and unloading.

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