It’s a good time to be a fan of BMW sports cars. With the latest 8 Series firmly ensconced atop its range of grand touring cars, the brand is now turning its attention to an all-new Z4 roadster, a long-awaited car BMW developed along with Toyota.
As the roadster label indicates, the Z4 is a two-seater, once again making it a natural competitor to the Porsche 718 Boxster, Jaguar F-Type and the Mercedes-Benz SLC.
The 2020 BMW Z4 follows its predecessor’s lead in offering two distinct variants of the car, each built around its own engine. As the entry-level version, the Z4 sDrive30i uses a 2.0L turbo four-cylinder that makes 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, and the M40i trades up to a 3.0L turbo six-cylinder with 381 hp and 368 lb-ft.
All Z4 models are rear-wheel drive and come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission. You read that right: one of BMW’s ostensibly sportiest cars can’t be had with a stickshift, leaving the 718 Boxster as one of the few upscale roadsters that still offers one.
BMW’s new design smooths out the Z4’s lines to make a roadster we think is prettier than the outgoing model. A resemblance to the slick 8 Series helps, especially considering BMW has held the car’s price to the same $62,450 as last year’s version.
Also notable is the fact that the Z4 comes in at a lower price than Toyota’s version of this car, the GR Supra, whose MSRP nearly touches $65,000.
While BMW rolled the Z4 30i into its dealers first, as of this writing the company had not released a full features list for that entry-level model. Likewise, BMW has not yet published fuel consumption figures for the 2020 Z4.
We do, however, know what you get as standard in the M40i. It comes with 19-inch wheels, black leatherette upholstery, your choice of aluminum or gloss black dash trim, exterior door exit and door handle lights, an M aerodynamics package, auto-dimming rearview mirror, heated power seats with driver memory, heated steering wheel, M leather-trimmed steering wheel, M sport seats, adaptive M suspension, brakes and steering, adaptive LED headlights, forward collision warning, automatic high beams, dual-zone automatic climate control, passive keyless entry, radar cruise control, M sport differential, tire pressure monitoring, universal remote control and Bluetooth.
