The new Z4 is drop dead GORGEOUS. NOTHING in the BMW line touches its styling, not even the almighty M cars.
It would have been nice with a V8 however the twin turbo 6 is really nice to drive in this car and plenty fast. My wife fell in love with it so we got it. It is a very hot looking car!
More pics! NOOOOOWWW!!! It's too bad that they only come in hardtops now. If there was a coupe, I'd wait a couple years to be able to afford one and then get that so I could flog it at DE's. They don't allow roadsters or convertibles unfortunately.
The first time I saw a photo of the new Z4, I was not terribly excited. Then I had a chance to get up close and personal with one in a dealer showroom, and it grew on me... more and more, in fact. Cues taken from the gorgeous Z8 add a whole new aggressiveness to the front and side views while at the same time smoothing out the sharp creases of the E85/E86. The rear end carries over very little of the polarizing Bangle designs, with pleasing curves and proportions everywhere. Sitting in the car, it feels a lot roomier than the previous generation. Leg room is more than ample for six-footers, and the interior design is very clean and sparse. I've always been dead-set against owning a convertible, but this one may just change my mind. Pending a test drive, it'll be a tough decision in a couple of years when my 2007 3.0si coupe is running out of warranty.
I know what you mean about convertibles. I never really cared for them in fact I rarely use the sunroof on any car I have owned. This is different as it's a hard top and to my eyes looks stunning with the top up or down. I put the top down evey chance I get. I now use more grocery bags so I can even put the top down with the groceries! We fell in love with it when we drove it at Orange County BMW (Harriman NY). The rest as one says is history
2009 Z4 Sdrive 35i buyers beware After taking delivery of my new Z4 opn 8/15/2009, it appears that the dealer is buying back my car and ordering me a new one. Nav has been bad: Takes me in cirles. Sends me down a one way street the wrong way. Street names flash on and off. Can drive for miles with only a map (no street names). i went back to the dealer and was told eveything coded correctly and was told to call Teleatlas. I called Teleatlas (the data supplier) and he told me their maps (which were on the website) were correct. On the street it told me to make a left was clearly marked right only. I then called up BMWNA and was told by a case manager that BMW is not resposible for the Nav. He said the Tires are not covered by BMW. I then asked him where is the little booklet (like one gets for the tires) and where in the owner's manual does it state this. He could not answer and said I got him! I called the dealer and they agreed everything was botched and please return the vehicle and they would reprogram the computer. I agrreed and was going to bring it up on a Monday. Saturday the car went into limp home mode. The car was towed to the dealer. I did research and told my wife it was the HPFP and this is a known problem with twin turbos. Monday (the totally useless service advisor) called confirmed what I thought - HPFP and in addition the computer was being reprogrammed. Tuesday I got a call from the dealer that the computer crashed and a new computer had to be ordered from Germany. They expained that the computer is coded to each auto depending upon options. It woud take 5-7 business days. I then get a call from telling me that production had stopped and they did not know if that meant my computer was built and production halted after that. The dealer emailed BMW fo find out what was going on but i was told not to expect the car back. BMWNA was totally useless. I was annoyed to say the least. I have been in touch with the GM of the dealership and he said he has never seen a car with these problems after 1,500 miles. He is really bending over backwards to please me. I told him I wanted a new car equiped like my original Z4. It will have to be built. He is getting back to me. This has not been the best experience for me. I realize that this could happen,however I am exploring an SLK 350 or the AMG SLK in case I can get out of the lease totally. I now that ther are pluses and minuses regarding the MB (be it styling, proformance, etc).
Gotta say the dealer and BMWNA have come through. They have ordered me a 2010 Z4 and re taking back the 2009!
epbrown01: i have the car about 4 weeks now. It's the exact same car (and the same nav problems - voice says go left but map is clearly marked turn right - not all the time but it's very annoying) but so be it. Other than that the car is a blast! The dealership really was very proactive and even though its about 60 - 70 miles from my house (there are 3 dealerships within 15 miles from my home) I will only buy my BMW's from them. To every one HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! Marty
I agree with Zondek To hear flame surfacing explained by Bangle or his acolytes is like trying to understand an overly complicated joke that only two or three people out of a 100 would get. I didn't mind the rest of the car. I agree though, the Z3 is a beautiful car, and the new Z4 puts some much appreciated styling distance from the previous car. Check out all that space they added between the front wheels and the driver!
They are just too pretty for my taste. I prefer the more classic, rough around the edges styling of the Z3 series. Of course I'm just a little biased.
Good news if you can afford it Somebody said: Apparently, the Motorsport boys are doing just that: stuffing M3 V8s in the new Z4 as a racer-for-sale. . . . Got $400,000 lying around?
I always thought the Z3 looked like a big toe. I think the Z4 was a much better looking car. Bangle's changes to BMW's styling was long overdue. The previous sedans, for the most part, were merely boxes on wheels. The one big exception in my mind was the original 6 series. The Z4 looks so much more aggressive than the Z3. It is a much better design aesthetically. The new Z4 is a natural refinement of that design and very well done.
I disagree The 1st gen Z4 was a mess, designwise, IMHO. There are two ways to see a Z4 done right. One is to look at TC Kline's version. The other is to look at the new version of it -- which I call a Z4 AFTER recovering from a flame surfacing hangover.
Too each his own. Design is about making a statement. I like the E85 and the E89. The Z4 is a vast improvement in styling over the Z3. The Bangle Butt 7 & 5 were far better looking than what came before them, IMHO.