BMW Z4

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 BMW USA's Greer, South Carolina plant, with production of both roadster and coupe forms. When debuted, 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 won the Red Dot Design Award.

First generation (E85)

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.

BMW Z4 (E89)

The BMW E89 Z4 is the chassis code of the current second generation BMW Z4. Unlike its predecessor, the BMW E89 Z4 features an automatic retractable hardtop convertible roof like the Mercedes SLK, and can be raised and lowered in under 19 seconds. Since the BMW E89 Z4 had a retractable hardtop, there are no longer separate roadster and coupé versions of the car. The BMW E89 Z4 is the first BMW to be designed by two female designers - Juliane Blasi (exterior) and Nadya Arnaout (interior) in 2006.

A total of €130 million was spent from 2007-2009 in expanding the plant for production of the BMW E89 Z4. Unlike its predecessor (the BMW E85 Z4), the BMW E89 Z4 is produced in the Regensburg plant, and not in Greer, South Carolina. The BMW X3 took its place, which made the Spartanburg plant the main production centre for the BMW X family. Production of the BMW E85 Z4 was discontinued in mid-2008, and the BMW E89 Z4 was produced from February, 2009 onwards.

The BMW E89 Z4 was officially announced on 13 December 2008 and was unveiled in the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit alongside the MINI Convertible. The BMW E89 Z4 was then launched in markets on May 2009. The Life Cycle Impulse for the BMW E89 Z4 was implemented on all models on March 2013.

BMW Z4 (E85)

The first generation of the BMW Z4 was designed by Danish BMW-designer Anders Warming from mid-1998 to March 1, 2000. The Z4 was introduced at the Paris Auto Show in 2002, and went on sale in November of the same year for the 2003 model year. It is a physically larger, completely redesigned successor to the Z3. Initially, it was only available as a roadster with the 2.5L or 3.0L inline six-cylinder engines. Warming's design was controversial, as were many BMW designs of the time produced under the watchful eyes of BMW chief designer Chris Bangle.

The Z4's design addressed many criticisms of the preceding Z3; the Z4 is larger, and has a significantly stiffer chassis. The Z4 features a strut type front suspension like its predecessor. The rear suspension, however is considerably different from that of the Z3, which was based on that of the E30 BMW 3 Series. Instead of a semi-trailing arm suspension, the Z4 uses a more advanced multi-link suspension.

Features

The Z4 used lightweight materials to offset the increased weight over the smaller Z3, such as aluminum hood and suspension components, magnesium roof frame. Run flat tires removed the need for a spare tire, which in addition to saving weight, allowed for a larger boot.