2009 BMW Z4 announced

BMW has officially released details of the next BMW Z4, due to be shown at Detroit and in UK showrooms in the spring.

The new Z4 looks like a big improvement on the outgoing model. The old Z4 had Marmite looks – you loved it or hated it – but the new BMW Z4 has much more voluptuous lines. It’s far less jarring, and I’m sure it will be seen in a much more favourable light than the outgoing model.

Visually, the most striking aspects are the much improved nose and tail. A big, BMW kidney grill sets the tone, and up the back things have been much improved with wrap-round tail lights and a cleaner, more elegant look. But let’s not forget the new trick roof. Out goes the old canvas top, and in comes a neat folding tin-top, giving the BMW Z4, for the first time, the ability to play at coupe as well as roadster.

2009 BMW Z4 - Complete with trick tin roof

I moaned a while ago about silly long names for cars, and BMW seems to have adopted the X6-style nomenclature for the Z4. Base model at launch is the Z4 sDrive 23i (which is a 2.5 litre straight six with 204bhp). Next up comes the Z4 sDrive 30i (using the much loved 3.0 Six with 258bhp). Top of the tree though is the Z4 sDrive 35i, which features BMW’s twin-turbo 3.0 litre, which has over 300bhp and a 0-60 of around 5 seconds.

The inside has had a good tidy, and looks clean and efficient. Very ‘Roadster-ish’. You get iDrive, but this is the new version that’s supposed to be a big improvement (haven’t tried it yet, but it couldn’t be much worse).

Sterling effort from BMW. The new Z4 looks very promising, and is sure to widen the appeal with its much more impressive styling.

Bring on the Road Test!