Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

2014 BMW Z4 sDrive35is

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2014-...photo-5872528/


The BMW Z3/Z4 roadster has never really had a truly widespread following because it has either been too humble and small a roadster (albeit with some fun and very low-volume M editions) or it has been – in this E89 generation – too casual an image leader with no racier aspirations. The current 480-hp Z4 GTEs don't count, since they are as stock a Z4 as today's Pamela Anderson is the same blonde actress we knew as Heidi on Home Improvement. You know, sort of like those ever-so-slightly modified Toyota Camry coupes competing in NASCAR.

The ultimate highpoint for the BMW Z roadster franchise was at the very start of its life in the mid-90s, in the James Bond film GoldenEye with Pierce Brosnan. The Stinger missiles that Q's team installed behind the Z3's headlights were never fired, and BMW never even offered this self-defense package as an option. Yet another case of the ol' bait and switch.

And in all these subsequent years of Z3s and Z4s strutting their long-hooded stuff, the little sporting Bimmer could really have used a live Stinger missile or two to spice things up. The current Z4 exists, it is pretty dang sexy, and BMW seems content to let it linger there. We just drove the new midlife version of the roadster near BMW headquarters in Munich, and it served to reinforce our feelings.

Driving Notes

• We have always harbored a desire to fall in love with this swoopy and well-proportioned roadster, but it still strikes us a bit like the way the over-designed Mercedes SLK now strikes us: a really nice lifestyle/reward car, with not much else going on.
• All BMW had on hand for us was this Z4 sDrive35is with its 335-horsepower, 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo straight-six that also cranks to 332 pound-feet of torque, all spiffed up with the M Sport spa treatment and adaptive dampers. Things could be worse.
• If we were going to take the graying-chest-hair plunge and grab a BMW Z4, it would be this exact car. Otherwise, and despite all the positives of the newer 240-hp four-cylinder sDrive28i model, what's the point? This particular roadster needs its strong six-cylinder to give it some character.
• We would also be happier if this top-trim roadster could be equipped with the six-speed manual transmission that is offered on the aforementioned sDrive28i.
• The optional Valencia Orange Metallic paint does look a bit two-tone precious to us when the black folding hardtop is closed, but it's still a sweetheart to gaze upon.
• Looking at the standard Monroney sticker of $64,800 (the base sDrive28i now starts at $47,950) and then dragging our eyes down the hyper-extended list of optional add-ons until reaching our car's $80k-plus price estimate, one has to pause to take it all in. The Z4 35is is wonderful enough, but, man, it can cost a ton.
• Our 19-inch, $1,200 optional M alloys with Bridgestone Potenza RE 050A run-flat treads, combined with the speed-sensitive electric power steering and Servotronic assistance, made for a usually fine but occasionally woggy feeling under some circumstances. Through series of curves taken at real speed, there was, at times, a vagueness of trajectory, again leaving us with the feeling that BMW wants the Z4 in any trim to be a car of leisure.
• The adaptive M suspension package does help treat this vagueness from behind the wheel somewhat, but overall the various dynamic elements taken together create a slightly confused ride and handling experience for a sexy car that promises so much. Basically, the Z4 ends up feeling every bit of its 3,549 pounds. (For reference, a Porsche Boxster S weighs a tick under 3,000 pounds at its heaviest PDK curb weight and feels like even less than that.)
• Attempting to make up for any black marks on the Z4's resume is this model's sheer power and torque. That final "s" tagged on to the name certainly helps. And while we miss a manual option, the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifters is a sweet setup when its most dynamic mode is selected. However, we understand that BMW has no intention of even offering a self-locking sport limited-slip rear differential. Oh, well.

This freshened 2014 BMW Z4 has been on sale in North America since the end of March. It's a shame the car has become so sexy and interesting, yet so little time has been spent spicing up its chassis dynamics and overall drive feel. The absence of an M edition of the Z4 has been rather conspicuous, but perhaps that's because BMW's engineers know the platform isn't up to the job. This one's for sunny-day happy time cruising only... with style.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/14/2...k-spin-review/

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

It's a nice, clean, sleek and expensive roadster. That said the Z4 hasn't really made waves for BMW like the Z3 did. Still it's important to offer it in their portfolio competing against the SLK, TT, Boxster and now the F-Type. Keep in mind those are just the roadsters, not the plethora of coupes or verts on tap.

Meanwhile in Japan they struggle to offer any luxury coupes/verts/roadsters..

pbm317

$83K?! jeebus

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Might be a mistake.

Base Z4 35is is $53k IIRC. Should be in the low $60ks fully loaded with M Sport goodies...

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Base is $64,800 for Z4 sDrive35is according to their website.

I just built one fully loaded and most I could get it too was $79,143

rdgdawg

A penny over $65K???? Ehhhhh........... no thanks!!!!!

Boxster all day...

LexFather

F type is here too but even pricier! Funny how the SC430 got bashed and this gets a pass

bagwell

+1, they tried to move the Z4 upscale some time ago and it ain't workin.
I see one of these about every six months or so....I see more Chevy Volts/Teslas/ZR1s

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

Z4 sDrive35is is just a horribly jumbled name

TangoRed

To the Z4's defense, it's more sporting than the SC430 and doesn't look like flattened marshmallow. That being said, I like the SC430, especially with aftermarket wheels.

tzu911

Gravitated towards the design element of the car. Test drove one, poor ergonomics, lots of road noise. I understand people are looking for emotional reasons when considering a roadster, it just wasn't for me or my thin wallet.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

To the F-Types credit though, it has way more luxury and an optional V8 whereas the Z4 does not.

Also I personally wouldn't consider the SC430 a roadster. Those you think of as quicker, lighter, more nimble. SC430 is more just a comfortable luxury boulevard cruiser than a roadster which is supposed to eek out more emotion than a standard coupe or vert

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

they're not even remotely similar.

specifically, the z4 actually looks sporty, is fast and handles well.

the sc430 looks kinda frumpy (incl. pie plate rims for first many years), is slow and doesn't handle well.

LexFather

No doubt but it doesn't drive that amazing, it is quite the cruiser as well like the SC 430. Yeah its slightly sportier but it hasn't come close to tackling the Boxster. Again this cruiser gets a big ole pass.

SteVTEC

To say the Z4 isn't quite the driver's car that the Boxster is is fine, but to compare it more to the SC430, I think, is quite absurd. My 4000lb non-Sport E93 is definitely more of a cruiser, but still handles and drives pretty darned good as multiple friends and co-workers can attest to, the times I've "demonstrated it" driving it past 8/10ths, traction control full off with with the rear wheels lit up and the tail out coming out of corners. It also has the great feel of a hydraulic based steering system going for it rather than electric, so that's going to take something away from the Z4 being electric. Don't think the SC430 would drive nearly as good as my E93 does, despite my E93 variant definitely being more on the cruiser side.

BTW, as with most BMWs you can push the "as tested" price needlessly high with many pointless (imho) options and gizmos that you simply don't need. Haven't looked at the base equipment but I'm guessing it's pretty well equipped as it is at the base price. I don't even like driving my car fast anymore. Getting somewhere faster means less time enjoying it with the top down in this beautiful weather. The old 230hp/200tq N52 engine would have been a bit soft at this weight, but the new 240hp/260tq N20 turbo is just fine for a base engine. Very zingy and engaging powertrain perfectly suitable to the Z4 I think, so you don't even need to go for the Inilne-6 unless you really love the character.