BMW Z4 2.0i
At First We Were A Little Worried About A 2.0-Litre
BMW Z4, But In Reality, It Retains Plenty Of Desirability. Andy Enright Reports
BMW is an organisation capable of learning from its mistakes. Take the old Z3 sports car. By the time it reached the end of its life, it had developed into a very competent roadster, powered by a range of very good engines and offering reasonable value for money. The problem was, nobody really took it very seriously.
Its image was hurt by the fact that for quite some time after its introduction, all you could buy was a weedy 1.9-litre car. The hairdresser tag stuck and the Z3 was doomed as a serious sporting choice. BMW reversed that launch schedule with the Z4, the early 2.
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5 and 3.0-litre models giving it a macho reputation. Theyve quietly slid a 2.2-litre model in and now comes a 2.
0-litre entry level car. Is this worth your while or will it be another case of Curl Up And Dye ?
First impressions look promising. This £22,755 Z4 may only have a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit beneath that priapic bonnet, but its good for 150bhp. Compare that with the weedy 118bhp the Z3 fronted up with and theres cause for significant optimism.
Built at Hams Hall in Warwickshire, this engine features Valvetronic technology and VANOS valve control. The VANOS system decides when the engines valves are opened while Valvetronic determines by how much they open. The end result is improved engine performance in terms of power, economy and responsiveness. The Valvetronic 2.
0-litre is in fact one of BMWs more impressive units and the generous spread of torque means that it drives a whole lot bigger than its modest capacity would at first suggest. Plumbed into the front of a Z4, this engine will propel the car from zero to 60mph in eight seconds flat and will run on to a top speed of 136mph. Do you really need a car that will travel significantly quicker than this? The answer is probably no. Yes, more power is always nice to have but, as sales of the 2.
2-litre Z4 have shown, the vast majority of customers dont seem to view outright horsepower as a key selling point. This bodes well for the success of the Z4 2.0-litre. Few customers taking one for a test drive will feel that the 200Nm of torque is in any way inadequate.
"Dont worry. The Z4 2.0-litre has enough power to entertain"
The pounds, shilling and pence will probably be the icing on the cake for Z4 2.0 buyers but the feel good factor will be what attracts them to their local gleaming
BMW dealership and the Z4 delivers that in spades. The shape still takes quite some getting used to, especially if youre over a certain age. Its an unusual car, but spend a little time with it and youll see the genius in its styling.
This is a car that really does grow on you, challenging the eye with its so-called flame-surfaced flanks and its unorthodox detailing and proportions. Of course, there are those quite happy with unchallenged eyeballs and no amount of waxing lyrical about the styling will convince those that find the Z4 beyond the pale. Their loss. If the exterior design generates a little controversy, the same cant be said of the cabin styling.
Its typically low-key but classy, BMW at their best. Theres a broad centre console and clear dials. Space in the footwell is especially generous and its possible to hunker down into a low driving position and feel really ensconced in rather than on the car. Standard equipment for the Z4 2.
0-litre includes 16-inch alloy wheels, Dynamic Stability Control and automatic air conditioning. Opt instead for the £23,465 SE version and you get the fully automatic roof, front foglights, heated door mirrors and windscreen washer jets as well as an on board computer. Tipping the scales at less than 1,260 kg does wonders for the power to weight ratio, BMW having sought lightweight componentry wherever possible. An example is the suspension system.
Whereas the Z3 used the ancient semi-trailing arm suspension of a 1985 vintage 3-series, the Z4 is bang up to date, using a proper alloy multi link arrangement. Yes, the chassis may be based on the 3-series but its been radically revised. Not only is the wheelbase significantly shorter, but the Z4 sits more foursquare on the road due to wider track at the front and rear. It becomes the first BMW to use electric power steering and is also hugely torsionally stiffer than the somewhat wobbly Z3.
The commitment to appearing a proper drivers car can be seen in certain key areas. The traction and stability control systems can both be disabled at the touch of a button, something you wont be able to do in a Mercedes SLK for instance. Although it does require you to hold the button in for what seems like an eternity when the control systems are disabled, when it does shut down, track day fiends will find a car thats as benign as a
Mazda MX-5. As long as you can afford the tyre bills, youll find it makes a great car to learn the finer points of oversteer and understeer control.
The hood fitted to the SE variant is a superb fully automatic affair with no manual intervention required whatsoever. Simply prang a button on the dashboard and the whole thing retreats quickly with no clips, latches, poppers or stress. BMW claim the hood will retract in less than ten seconds making it the fastest electric hood in the world. Early publicity material claimed it was the fastest hood full stop before Mazda demonstrated that the manual hood of their MX-5 could be thrown back in about three seconds flat! The BMW Z4 2.
0-litre poses some interesting questions. Its quick but not seriously rapid and would appear to be the best value of all the Z4 variants. Manufacturers pitch their models so that buyers are tempted by a cheap model but subsequently buy a more expensive version. Although BMW have learned from the Z3 launch, they may have rather perversely shot themselves in the foot this time round by pitching a base model that, if anything, is a little too desirable for its own good.
Upgrading to the 2.2-litre car as impressive as it is suddenly seems wilfully ostentatious.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: BMW Z4 2.0
PRICE: £22,755-£23,465 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 15 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 181g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 136mph/ 0-60mph 8s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Combined) 38mpg [est]
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS with EBD, DSC WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE? Length/Width/Height(mm) 4091/1781/1299
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