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2019 BMW Z4 M Not Happening, Z4 M40i Competition Package Will Have To Suffice

Unveiled as a concept at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance, the next-generation Z4 is a hard-hitting sports car that will go official sometime in 2018 for the 2019 model year. Sharing its underpinnings with the all-new Toyota Supra (J29), the G29 Z4 won’t be offered in all-out Z4 M specification.
BMW Concept Z4 (preview for 2019 BMW G29 Z4) 26 photos
Photo: BMW
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Turning the soft-top sports car into an M car would imply lots of mechanical tinkering and the obligatory visual treatment, two elements that wouldn’t justify a small gain in performance compared to the Z4 M40i. The range-topping model, which was leaked through internal BMW documents, employs the B58 turbocharged straight-6 that develops 360 PS (265 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque from 1,520 to 4,800 rpm in the G01 X3 M40i.

All but confirmed with both a six-speed manual transmission and the ZF 8HP automatic, the Z4 M40i will be joined by an even more performance-oriented model in the guise of the Z4 M40i with Competition Package. According to BMW Blog, more suck-squeeze-bang-blow is in the offing from the B58.

In the case of the Z4 M40i, the culprit is the B58M1. The Competition Package employs the B5801, which is expected to develop 385 PS, translating to 380 horsepower. Torque is also likely to go up from the B58M1, but even if BMW doesn’t work its magic on this derivative, 500 Nm still is plenty enough.

Lower down the range, the sDrive20i and sDrive30i will go on sale with a 2.0-liter turbo inline-4 under the hood. Based on a set of spy photos of a prototype with the specifications printed on a sheet of paper, the lesser of the two variants is rated at 145 kW (197 PS; 194 hp) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque.

Underpinned by the CLAR platform, the G29 Z4 is expected to be an idea lighter than the E89 Z4 (1,395 kgs; 3,075 lbs). Not only is the platform lighter, but the changeover from retractable hardtop to a canvas roof also plays dividend in this department.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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