What's New: The compact roadster first debuted thirteen years ago, as a Z3, with a 4-cylinder engine. Today the vehicle has matured, offering two 6-cylinder engines and a retractable hardtop. In fact, the all-new classic looking exterior design makes this sporty and fun-to-drive two-seater rear-wheel drive German made roadster one smooth riding engineered machine. Unlike most roadsters, the Z4 beams with the roof up or down.
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Must Have Goodies: While the base line Z4 we reviewed, if we can call a $58,000 vehicle that, didn’t come equipped with a number of standard features we take for granted, we recommend putting out the $2,500 required for the premium package, which consist of power memory seats, a universal programmable garage door opener and an automatic dimming rear view mirror.
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Furthermore, if you’re like us, you probably can’t survive without satellite radio. Surprisingly, BMW offers satellite radio as a stand-alone option, as opposed to making it a standard subscription-based package for 1-year like most of its competitors. Moreover, the optional electronic parking assist system and the navigational system are great to help steer the compact Z4 steer clear of any trouble. Although our test vehicle wasn't equipped with BMW’s exclusive and optional iDrive system, which uses one central system to control the nav, the radio and ventilation systems, this is the first time this feature is available on the roadster.
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And, while we were impressed with the standard audio system in our sparsely optioned out Z4, we can only imagine the additional pleasure we would have experienced had our vehicle been equipped with the premium hi-fi system, which consists of a 6-disc DVD changer, an iPod adapter and an USB adapter.
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Fortunately, the Z4 we reviewed was outfitted with the gutsy sounding 3.5-liter 6-cylinder engine, 6-way manually adjustable leather sport seats, a 7-speed double automatic transmission and 19-inch run flat tires, with the sports wheels to compliment the adaptive M-suspension, which allows the driver to choose between two driving settings, and an increased top speed limiter. We found that this $1,900 option package magnified the BMW driving experience, when it came to cornering and truly allowing us to be in command of the open roads. Lastly, we recommend opting for the heated seats, too. Thus, this allows you to drop your top in cold weather, while keeping your buns warm.
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What We Like: Not only did we love the sexy looking BMW roadster with the top down, but with the top up, too. The roadster no longer looks like an upscale Mazda Miata MX-5. It finally makes a bold statement - in true BMW form.
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In fact, the hardtop roadster adds an element of class to the vehicle, with its standard roll-over bars, which distinguished itself from most ragtops or retractable hardtops on the market. Unlike most open top vehicles, the operation of the Z4 retractable hardtop basically works hands free. In our Z4, we didn’t have to unlatch or latch anything. We simply pressed a button, watching the hardtop roof and glass window neatly fold-a-way into the trunk in less than 20 seconds, while still leaving some room for groceries or a small luggage.
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The retractable hardtop could easily be operated, while sitting at a traffic stop, too. And the roadster is quite roomy for large-size adults with the top up, too. With the roadster, you don’t have to worry about the wear and tear on your top from placing it up and down, since it’s a hardtop.
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Finally, the electronic gear shift selector, allowed us to turn off the vehicle first without placing it in park. Once the push button starter is turned off the vehicle automatically places itself in park. Lastly, we like the electronic parking brake. Not only did it save space from the hand held ones and the ones we adjust with our feet, this one worked with a mere push of a button.
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What We Hated: While there isn’t much not to like a BMW, we did manage to find a few things that could only enhance the redesigned and re-engineered Z4. While it took us a moment to find the optimum seating position with the manual height adjustable sport seats, couldn’t BMW have included a power driver seat for a $50,000 plus vehicle? Also maybe in the future, the engineers could consider integrating a rear back-up camera in the Z4. It would make the low-riding Z4, with the long hood, easier to park. Oh yes, what about adding cupholders, which aren’t located inside of the folding armrest and it was a little odd to find the electric door locks switch located in the center of the instrument panel.
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Any Juice: Our Z4 was equipped with the more boastful 300-horsepower 3-liter, 6-cylinder twin-turbo engine, which added an extra $6,000 to the price tag. If you opt for the manual transmission, the vehicle will let you know what gear you should be shifting in, optimizing your driving experience.
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The Verdict: There is no other compact roadster on the road today that offers the thrill and exhilaration from being behind the wheel of the all-new z4. Unlike other compact roadsters we've driven on Atlanta's dangerous highways, this is the first one we truly felt safe in. The long front-end, the 300 horses spewing power out of the dual exhaust pipes, the run-flat 19-inch tires, the standard roll-over bars and the German engineering made us feel as though we able to zip through traffic safely and with ease. Before we got behind the wheel of the classic styled Z4, we felt as though we were risking our lives with other compacts (roadsters) we've attempted to navigate in Atlanta's traffic. Now we've found a vehicle we can drive when cruising through city traffic or on the open country roads.
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While the Z4 is a little pricier than some of the competitors we cited, it's worth every penny. Pricing for a base level Z4, with the 250-horsepower, starts at $47,570 and when fully optioned can rise to $67,245, with the 300-horsepower engine.
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Competitors: Honda S2000, Mazda Miata Mx-5, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Pontiac Solstice (hardtop and ragtop) and Saturn Sky
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To price out a z4 or other new rides, visit our New-Vehicle Car-Buying Guide, which is located in our Toolbox.
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