2009 BMW Z4 Preview

Z4 Photos

Like the 2009 NAIAS, the 2009 Z4 is a more a conservative affair than its predecessor. (Photo: American Auto Press)

It's especially conservative from the rear. (Photo: American Auto Press)

It's taillights pulling cues from the 6. (Photo: American Auto Press)

Where'd the cool, albeit controversial "X" go? (Photo: American Auto Press)

Nice, well proportioned hardtop isn't as sexy as current coupe, but offers much greater flexibility. (Photo: American Auto Press)

A much more impressive interior. (Photo: American Auto Press)

This year’s North American International Auto Show was a more sober affair than years passed. Several major European and Japanese automakers chose to sit out the show, and those who did attend toned down the glitz to a fair degree. That didn’t stop BMW, however, from dangling Cirque du Solei-esque acrobats from the rafters to jazz up the unveiling of its new Z4 roadster. But as I observed the theatrics in Detroit’s Cobo Hall, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Bavarian carmaker hadn’t missed an opportunity here.

Twenty years earlier, a pop band called The Bangles topped the charts with “Eternal Flame”. The song stayed in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for a full week, going Gold in the UK and Platinum in the Netherlands. But the band split later that year, not to rejoin again until the turn of the millennium – around the same time that BMW’s own Chris Bangle started making controversy with his “flame surfacing” design theme. As the covers were pulled off Bangle’s latest hit, The Bangles’ track played in my head and I contemplated whether BMW should have brought in the band to perform alongside their namesake’s newest release.

Of course, despite the similarity in name and “claim to flame”, Bangle and The Bangles perform in completely different spheres, where success is measured on entirely different levels. In order for a pop single to make it as big as The Bangles did with “Eternal Flame”, it has to be almost universally loved. Chris Bangle’s designs, however, are definitely not. The BMW design chief and the cars he’s penned are the source of more controversy than any other designer or any other product line in the industry. The “flame surfacing” design language he pioneered involves a contorted mess of convex arcs intersecting each other at sharp angles to create elliptical and trapezoidal contours out of sheet-metal across which, in the right conditions, the light is meant to dance like the flames of a fire. The result has been some of the most unusual shapes seen on BMWs since Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein took part in the company’s “art car” initiative in the 70s. Other designers use the name Bangle as a term for a project gone wrong, and “Bangle-butt” has become a derisive label for cars with awkward, protruding trunks. Yet despite the controversy of his designs, Bangle’s influence has left an indelible mark on his field and on the industry. More than that, however, Bangle’s derided designs have contributed to unprecedented success for his employers: BMW has, for the first time in their century-long histories, surpassed its arch-rival Mercedes-Benz for global domination of the premium automobile segment.

Vindicated by his success, Bangle has since been promoted to overseeing product design for the entire BMW Group – including the company’s British brands MINI and Rolls-Royce – a vantage point from which he is now overseeing the second stage of his long-term design plan. While the first wave called for revolution in design, the second calls for a generation of evolution. Of all the vehicles in the BMW product range – which by now includes sedans, wagons, coupes, convertibles, sportscars, sport-utilities and several new segment crossovers in between – you can see the progression most clearly in the company’s roadsters. The first Z3 that debuted in 1996 was a relatively conservative design that joined a highly competitive segment as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Audi came out with their own compact roadsters shortly after BMW’s. The Z4 that replaced it in 2002 was viewed as the most controversial application of Bangle’s “flame surfacing” theme, succeeding its predecessor’s staid styling with in-your-face edges and creases. The latest Z4 that you see here, scheduled for a mid-summer launch, is a more evolutionary than revolutionary take on its predecessor, with more crowd-pleasing lines and a less provocative form.

Evocative would better characterize the styling of the new Z4. It recalls the spirit of the iconic 50s-era BMW 507 roadster from some angles, but beyond that, the more fluid shape replacing its predecessor’s contorted angles suggests a wafting drive down a smooth coastal road instead of a hammering run around a race track.

That sort of laid-back coastal cruise may very well be reflected in the car’s driving demeanor as well. Because while Bangle’s sharp lines have been softened, so has the car’s purpose. As is often the case with the reinterpretation of compact vehicles – be it an economy sedan like the Honda Civic, a compact sport-ute like the Toyota RAV4 or a nimble sportscar like BMW’s – the new Z4 has re-emerged larger and heavier than its predecessor.

Compared to the previous Z4, the new model has grown only slightly in exterior dimensions. The wheelbase is a minute 0.09 inches longer, but longer overhangs result in a 5.83-inch increase in overall length. The vehicle’s width has increased by 0.35 inches, but most critically, the Z4 has put on more than a few kilos around the middle; between 331 and 518 pounds, to be specific, depending on specification. While the modest increase in overall dimensions contributes somewhat to the weight gain, the bulk of the new Z4’s heft can be attributed to the most significant softening of the formula of all: the addition of a retractable hardtop in place of the previous models’ canvas roof. The switch from fabric to metal for the convertible roof mechanism reflects a change in direction for BMW – which fitted a retractable hardtop to the latest 3 Series convertible and is tipped to do the same on the next-generation 6 Series as well – and a general trend in the industry, fueled by customer demand for the best of both worlds: an open-air driving experience for when the sun is out, and a sheltering, secure solid roof for when it’s not. The unfortunate side-effect is added weight, as the solid roof panels themselves weigh more than the requisite canvas, and the hydraulic mechanism required to deploy and retract the metal and glass contraption needs to be stronger, as well. The added heft also impacts the weight balance of the car, as it all needs to be mounted up high atop the trunk, which also inevitably suffers from either a larger profile or reduced space when the top is down.

Giving the customers what they want instead of what the company thinks they should want sums up the apparent mission statement for the new Z4. The lines have been softened and the roof has been hardened while inside the ergonomics are improved. BMW hasn’t resorted to ditching its perplexing iDrive controller entirely, but its application has been minimized. As on the new 7 Series sedan, which likewise toned down its styling to appeal more to its conservative customer base, BMW has taken some of the controls for the various electronics out of the center console knob that has confounded reviewers and sent owners studying their manuals like grad school text books and moved them to more conventional dedicated buttons on the dashboard.

The most essential part of the new Z4 that hasn’t been changed, however, is the range of engines on offer. The powerplants carry on largely unchanged from the previous model and its stable-mates, but are now burdened with pulling the bigger roadster’s extra weight. While European models will start with the company’s 2.5-liter inline-six producing 204 horsepower, BMW recognizes that the North American market demands more responsive performance, so our base model will start with the 3.0-liter version, corralling a more suitable 258 horses through the rear wheels and six ratios in either manual or automatic transmissions. The top-spec version, however, features a twin-turbo version of the 3.0-liter six pumping out a prodigious 306 hp, mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Although the engines may be the same, BMW has given them new labels. The new Z4 now suffers from a new supplemental naming scheme which Munich is instigating to differentiate between its rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models. Following the latter, which bear the xDrive nameplate, the rear-traction Z4 carries the sDrive moniker, coupled with an engine numeric that doesn’t necessarily correspond to its actual displacement. So if you want the base model here, you’ll need to ask for the BMW Z4 sDrive30i, while the turbo model is saddled with the sDrive35i nameplate even though its engine still displaces three liters.

BMW has positioned itself as an automaker that needs to keep the public on their toes; better it be with a perplexing naming system than with bizarre styling or confounding ergonomics. Both contributed to the “revolutionary” character of the previous Z4 demanding you stand on either the “love it” or “hate it” side of the wide line it drew in the sand. The “evolutionary” new Z4, however, doesn’t make such demands. It’s a crowd-pleaser; one which BMW surely hopes will please the crowds while Chris Bangle’s flame burns on low, because there’s no telling what that flame might spark in the design studios for the next revolution.

Preliminary Specifications (2009 BMW Z4):

Recently Added To Our Network

2003 BMW Z4 3.0i		Torrance, CA	Price: $13,993
2003 BMW Z4 3.0i		Santa Ana, CA	Price: $19,825
2003 BMW Z4 3.0i		Dedham, MA	Price: $14,990
2003 BMW Z4 2.5i		Fremont, CA	Price: $19,981
2004 BMW Z4 3.0i		Houston, TX	Price: $21,594
2004 BMW Z4 3.0i		Irvine, CA	Price: $19,992
2004 BMW Z4 3.0i		Naples, FL	Price: $20,997
2004 BMW Z4 3.0i		Redondo Beach, CA	Price: $18,999
2005 BMW Z4 2.5i		Las Vegas, NV	Price: $20,452
2005 BMW Z4 3.0i		Camarillo, CA	Price: $19,775
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Bellevue, WA	Price: $26,991
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Santa Ana, CA	Price: $27,825
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Houston, TX	Price: $23,992
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Sarasota, FL	Price: $25,490
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Framingham, MA	Price: $23,995
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Glassboro, NJ	Price: $22,999
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Bellevue, WA	Price: $28,884
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Laguna Niguel, CA	Price: $22,888
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Fremont, CA	Price: $26,981
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Henderson, NV	Price: $25,764
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Camarillo, CA	Price: $23,775
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Los Angeles, CA	Price: $23,900
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Los Angeles, CA	Price: $22,900
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Los Angeles, CA	Price: $24,900
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Concord, CA	Price: $28,188
2006 BMW Z4 3.0si		Concord, CA	Price: $29,888
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Concord, CA	Price: $28,288
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Redondo Beach, CA	Price: $22,999
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i		Acworth, GA	Price: $24,945
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Bellevue, WA	Price: $28,991
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Valencia, CA	Price: $28,993
2007 BMW Z4 3.0si		Roseville, CA	Price: $28,991
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Tampa, FL	Price: $27,981
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Honolulu, HI	Price: Contact Seller
2007 BMW Z4 3.0si		San Rafael, CA	Price: $31,800
2007 BMW Z4 3.0si		San Rafael, CA	Price: $26,777
2007 BMW Z4 3.0si		O Fallon, IL	Price: $29,495
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Pinellas Park, FL	Price: $24,995
2007 BMW Z4 3.0si		Houston, TX	Price: $28,994
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		West Springfield, MA	Price: $26,770
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Valencia, CA	Price: $29,993
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		San Jose, CA	Price: $24,683
2007 BMW Z4 3.0si		Henderson, NV	Price: $32,774
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Camarillo, CA	Price: $22,775
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Camarillo, CA	Price: $25,775
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Bayside, NY	Price: $27,998
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Bayside, NY	Price: $27,998
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Beverly Hills, CA	Price: $26,991
2007 BMW Z4 3.0i		Beverly Hills, CA	Price: $25,494
2008 BMW Z4 3.0i		Mountain View, CA	Price: $29,993
2008 BMW Z4 3.0i		Santa Ana, CA	Price: $34,825
2008 BMW Z4 3.0i		San Antonio, TX	Price: $29,378
2008 BMW Z4 3.0i		West Palm Beach, FL	Price: $29,991
2008 BMW Z4 3.0i		Scottsdale, AZ	Price: $30,795
2009 BMW Z4 sDrive30i		Fremont, CA	Price: $49,982