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BMW Z4 Replacement Will Not Be Called Z5, Company Official Says

BMW is working on a pair of roadsters with its partners at Toyota, and everyone expected the German car to be named the Z5.
BMW Z-series roadster on the Nurburgring 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube video by EMS Nordschleife TV
It made sense for the blue-and-white roundel brand to call its next-generation roadster Z5 because its predecessor was dubbed Z4, which in turn had replaced the Z3.

The latter’s name came after replacing a model labeled Z1. Other rumors considered the Z2 title, but that possibility has not been confirmed by officials of the Bavarian brand.

Instead, the chief of BMW’s American division, Ludwig Willisch, claims that the Z5 name is "not correct." In an interview with Auto Guide, he said that the “Z5” name was “made up by someone,” and that the replacement of the Z4 will use the same letter.

The “Z” (stands for Zukunft - "future" in German) will “probably” be followed by a “4,” but the official declined to officially confirm the name for the upcoming car.

The official went on to suggest that the engine lineup will include inline six-cylinder units, but didn't provide any details on the topic.

It is unclear if BMW will continue to offer manual transmissions in this lineup, but Mr. Willisch explained that the company willd offer a hybrid version of the roadster. However, the Z4's successor will not get all-wheel-drive.

Expect the new roadster to reach the market in late 2017 or early 2018, and it will compete with the Porsche 718, along with the Mercedes-Benz SLC.

Toyota's version might come in either a full-hybrid or a mild-hybrid flavor, but full details on the matter are still under wraps. Either way, it is expected to be named Supra.

Naturally, BMW representatives refrained from commenting on the sports car planned by their partners, so we will have to wait for inside information from the Japanese side of this deal if we want to learn more about it.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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