2010 BMW Z4 Roadster : First Drive

  • Nov 4, 2009
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BMW India has brought in one of its hottest selling cars to our shores. The successor to the Z3 and a formidable roadster at that, the Z4 is now available to tantalize your senses...


It was James Bond who brought forth BMW's most modern mass-market roadster the Z3 in front of the world. Armed with a self-destruct system, parachute braking and stinger missiles located in the side vents, the Z3 debuted in style. Apart from its starry movie debut , the Z3 also won various accolades for being a great car. Over the years BMW has upped the game for its roadsters and kept churning out one fantastic vehicle after another.

The immediate successor to the Z3 was the Z4. Introduced in 2002, this chunky Bimmer came in both roadster and coupe forms. In fact it was so good that almost immediately after its debut the car grabbed the 'Design of the Year' accolade from a reputed automobile magazine. Cut to the present, BMW just recently launched a redesigned version of its Z4 Roadster. The new model represents the first complete redesign since the inception of the Z4 badge itself. Look at it from any angle and it's difficult to mistake it for any other car.

The shape is an interplay of striking contours and soft mergers which fully captures the character of this vehicle from its characteristic kidney grille to the powerful wheelarches at the rear. However, it's the way this roadster effortlessly negotiates straights and bends that gives it a distinct personality. The side view is dominated by the dynamic flow of the car's shoulder line connecting the front and rear wheel arches and accentuating the stretched, athletic look of the Roadster. Further characteristic design features are the extra-large engine compartment lid extending far over the wheel arches, the black A-pillars, the gill intakes at the side with their integrated LED direction indicators, as well as the slender rear lights with their three-dimensional LED-fed rows of light units.

BMW's radical design revolution hasn't always been aesthetically successful, at least in the eyes of the BMW faithful. But BMW styling now seems to be hitting its stride, recapturing some of its former pleasing proportions. It appears that the steady hand of BMW designer Adrian van Hooydonk is getting the beloved Bimmers back where they need to be. Stepping inside reveals an interior which is as radical as the exterior. It's more visually pleasing, and includes a slew of comfort and usability improvements. Notably, the traditional hand brake is gone in favor of an electronic setup. BMW's latest automatic gearshift is present. The audio system is built around an 8.8-inch LCD screen, featuring a 1280 x 480 pixel resolution, and an 80GB hard drive, with up to 15GB of music storage. A 650-watt 14-speaker sound system rounds out the list of high-tech features.

No BMW is however complete without the renowned iDrive system and the Z4 is the first BMW roadster to feature the same. The system itself is made up of a Controller on the centre console and a folding, high-resolution Control Display on the instrument panel, allowing the driver to intuitively and safely mastermind all available functions through standardized movements of the controller either tipping it in one direction, turning or pressing the controller as required. Seating is extraordinary as well. The seats with integrated headrests come stitched in high quality leather in a choice of three colours. The same colour is used on the lower section of the instrument panel and on the armrest of the door lining as well as the armrest on the centre console.

Giving shelter from the elements of nature is a folding two-piece aluminum roof which takes some inspiration from the BMW Z8's elongated profile. This two-piece roof structure in lightweight aluminium shell technology opens and closes electro-hydraulically at the touch of a button within just 20 seconds. Performance has always been the hallmark of all BMW's and the Z4 being a roadster is endowed more than enough of it.

Given the Z4's designation, sDrive35i, it should be obvious what sits under the hood. The Z4 sDrive35i is powered by a twin turbocharged 3-liter inline six-cylinder engine using BMW's Valvetronic system, for variable valve lift,and double-VANOS system, which changes the angle of the valves to enhance performance. The turbos each force air into a set of three cylinders, raising engine output to 306 horsepower at 5,800rpm and 400 Nm of torque from a lowly 1,300 to 5,000rpm.

According to BMW, this motor is the first inline-six to come with twin turbochargers, high precision injection, and an all-aluminum crankcase. Weighing just about 162 kg, the motor owes its light weight to its composite magnesium/aluminum crankcase, cylinder head cover made of a special synthetic material and lightweight camshafts with aluminum VANOS control unit. To harness all that power, the Z4 sports a seven speed sports automatic with double clutch or DCT (Double clutch transmission). It shifts gears without the slightest interruption of traction while the fast and smooth gear change allows an unusually harmonious acceleration as well as helping to reduce both fuel consumption and emissions.

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All this techno-wizardry also provides the Z4 with some scintillating performance figures. This Bimmer blitzes its way to a 100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds. Keep the smiley pedal nailed and the car seems to hit a wall only at an electronically limited 250 km/h. Power is nothing without control and BMWs for long have been offering the best compromise between both. The Z4 is no less. Rear-wheel drive typical of BMW, virtually perfect distribution of axle load, the long wheelbase and the low centre of gravity on the roadster create ideal conditions for supreme agility at all times. It features a double-joint tiebar front axle made largely of aluminium and further enhanced by spring struts and a centrally guided rear axle.

The car also sports the latest generation of DSC Dynamic Stability Control which not only activates the ABS brakes and ensures stability on slippery surfaces by activating the brakes or reducing engine power but also comprises other functions such as Dry Braking and Brake Standby as well as a Start-Off Assistant. To make the drive its involving best, the Z4 also features the Dynamic Drive Control wherein the driver can vary damper forces on the Adaptive M Sports Suspension. Dynamic Drive Control also influences the progressive effect of the gas pedal, the response of the engine, the power steering control map and the response thresholds of DSC Dynamic Stability Control. And if the car is fitted with automatic transmission, the dynamic gearshift process is controlled also in this mode. By pressing a toggle button, one is furthermore able to choose among the NORMAL, SPORT and SPORT+ modes, thus activating a pre-configured, perfectly balanced set-up.

The all new Z4 is nothing short of a technological tour-de-force. The twin turbo engine and twin clutch transmission deliver a spectacular driving experience, helped by the adjustable suspension. The cabin tech also offers a lot of practicality, with the navigation system, and the full-featured Bluetooth phone and iPod integration. The perfect roadster for Mr. Bond then? You bet!

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