Topless 2009 BMW Z4 spied and rendered
October 16, 2008 by George Skentzos
As these spy shots reveal, BMW has lifted the lid off its next generation Z4 Roadster with a folding metal roof for the first time.
It appears engineers have taken a leaf from the 3-Series convertible and engineered a retractable hard top with the Mercedes SLK squarely in its sights.
BMW is also seeking to outgun the Porsche Boxster on the performance front, with the new range likely to include the award-winning twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six-cylinder unit.
Diesel power will also be available in the Z4 line-up for the first time, with speculation the M model could receive the new 4.0-litre V8 engine from the M3.
A broad line-up of four-cylinder and normally aspirated six-cylinder petrol powerplants will continue to be offered throughout the Z4 range as expected.
These similarities with the new 3-Series are hardly surprising considering they both share the same platform.
Insider sources also speculate production is likely to shift from South Carolina in the US to BMW’s plant at Regensburg, Germany with sales to start late in late 2009.
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Oh that will be spectacular with the twin turbo 6
Id buy one in a second. I think the BMW “Flame Surfacing” always looks best by far on sports cars and I hope they put the the 335d engine in it because its fantastic. I think the folding hardtop thing is a passing craze but it is good for town – I used to have an Audi 80 convbertible that got slashed a few times in london.
I’m a big fan of the folding hard top, in the end that way you get the best of both worlds
I’ve never really been into convertibles, with or without folding roofs, but if I was going to get one then that would definitely not be one I’d get. Its really quite ugly, have never liked the look of the Z4, and thats taken another backwards step in the looks department in my opinion. The Mercedes SLK just pulls off the whole aggressive convertible look so much better.
“A broad line-up of four-cylinder and normally aspirated six-cylinder petrol powerplants will continue to be offered throughout the Z4 range as expected.”
Z4 has never been available with a 4 cylinder engine…..
Such a great car though, and the new one should be a real weapon with the Turbo version and bravo on the folding hard top.
Always liked the contraversial looks of the Z4 now even more attractive now esp. with a diesel donk. The 3.0twinturbo is supercool.
Your wrong Sam. They may not sell the 2.0 4 cylinder in Australia but they do in Europe and it makes for a fantastic, chuckable and even quite good value little roadster. Also, in my eye, this is one of the few roadsters that men can drive without looking like a hairdresser.
It looks ok, but I would still take my Astra Convertible anyday. I have added a few extras under the hood to beef it up. Another GREAT product out of the GM stable!!
2 seat convertible = gay, unfortunately, maybe unless a supercar. Before denying it, think of how it would look if you were driving around in it, top down, with (say) a mate from work. Butt brothers?
Pious I absolutely agree!.
It does look suspect driving around with the top down and a male passenger.
I was in the market for a 2nd hand S2000 but that ghey imaginery kept on popping up in my head :)
Why would you be driving arouond with a male companion anyway? Sounds like Pious and Hondacar have been driving around together a little too much…..
I resent that implication, and so does my boyfriend!
that was a joke, by the way…
Are gay Holden SS Ute drivers concerned about image? I’d say not. They’re driving what they want to drive. Why don’t you?
I suspect that they (the gays) are not driving the SS out of choice, but rather because the Z4, boxter, and mx5 have no load carrying capacity
sorry, that was probably in poor taste…i’ll stop now before I get in real trouble…
What if you saw two hot girls driving an Mx5 se for example? Would you think they were gay? Hmmm be careful, what you say about other can reflect on yourself, HMMMMM.
People are not the car’s they drive..
According to the great Tyler Durst..
I just broke the first rule of fight club!
two hot girls in sports car PLUS they are gay? I think I might have seen that movie on the web
Look, agreed. Just having a bit of fun….I dont need re-education, I promise!
Never available in oz with 4 pot tho right? BMW put nearly every engine in everything overseas, im really only concerned with what i can buy here. This is Australian Car advice after all.
Yes, I must agree that driving around with the top down and a guy sitting next to you can look a little suspect. Shame really because it really shouldn’t. It really only works with supercars. Jaguar XKR, two guys and the roof down? Fine, I think. Mazda MX5, two guys and the roof down? Hmm…
You could always shout some abuse at them to prove your manliness.
Wouldn’t do the trick Golfschwein, shouting abuse at another man – youd just look like the “woman”.
pious Says:
October 17th, 2008 at 10:13 am
My girlfriend likes blasting through the hills in the Lotus, guess she’ll be upset when she reads that I’m supposed to be Gay :-(