These are the first official video of the all-new BMW Z4, a car we've been waiting to see for about two years. Not everybody agrees, but we find it's every bit as beautiful and exciting as a Bavarian roadster should be.
The third-generation Z4 was unveiled at Pebble Beach in a bold Frozen Orange Metallic paint finish, the launch color. However, there's now also a frozen grey for those not into showing off.
A few features stand out the most in these videos. The first is the design of the grille, which is very three-dimensional. And instead of the usual vertical bars, they filled the kidneys with these little Y symbols. Unlike virtually every other BMW ever made, the Z4 has its headlight halos stacked vertically, like the exhausts of a Lexus IS F.
The convertible looks especially good from the back, and we honestly don't mind the fact that it now has a folding fabric roof. A lot of elements from the Z4 concept have been kept, including those narrow taillights.
The star of the show is still the Z4 M40i, with its bolder air intakes, rear diffuser, and dual rectangular exhaust ports. This model will rival the Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 and Audi TTS using one of BMW's tried and tested 3-liter turbo engines, sending 340 horsepower to the rear wheels.
Other versions include the Z4 sDrive20i with 197 HP and sDrive 30i with 258 HP. Depending on what you go for, this roadster will offer a 6-speed manual or the latest 8-speed automatic from ZF.
BMW has also done a lot of good work with the interior. In the videos, you'll see a mixture of tanned and black leather, which combined with silver trim gives a Bauhaus-like appearance. The iDrive screen and digital dash are also new. They differ from the other Bimmers but will be shared with the next 3 Series.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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