{"id":24287,"date":"2019-10-17T14:52:06","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T18:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=24287"},"modified":"2019-10-17T15:02:47","modified_gmt":"2019-10-17T19:02:47","slug":"payne-bmw-z4-is-drop-top-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2019\/10\/payne-bmw-z4-is-drop-top-fun","title":{"rendered":"Payne: BMW Z4 is drop-top fun"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/17\/PDTN\/8af8faa5-d66c-4f61-b795-dd32ee97ddf1-bmw_fr-bush.jpg?width=520&amp;height=390&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2020 BMW Z4 is the third evolution of BMW's fun Roadster - though for this generation, BMW shared costs with the Toyota Supra to justify its low-volume production.\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">You had me at Roadster.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">From the nimble Mazda Miata to the Porsche Boxster, convertible coupes are some of the most enjoyable toys on the road today. Drop the top, stomp the gas, and drink in the visceral thrill of sound, wind, and landscape rushing by.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The ground-hugging Boxster is the undisputed athlete of the segment, but the BMW Z4 Roadster has shadowed it for a decade, bringing Bimmer\u2019s uniquely sculpted bod and high-tech interior to the playground.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SLZEKPTtcl0\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/cf77433e-6c6d-45ff-b70f-35b87ca53835-bmw_pier.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2020 BMW Z4 competes against the Porsche Boxster and starts at just over $50,000. Nimble like a cheaper Mazda Miata, the BMW has a lot more grunt.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/cf77433e-6c6d-45ff-b70f-35b87ca53835-bmw_pier.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/cf77433e-6c6d-45ff-b70f-35b87ca53835-bmw_pier.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/>The 2020 BMW Z4 competes against the Porsche Boxster and starts at just over $50,000. Nimble like a cheaper Mazda Miata, the BMW has a lot more grunt.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Most importantly, BMW has retained its signature, inline six-cylinder engine even as Porsche has abandoned its signature flat-six\u00a0(but for the hard-core, $100,000\u00a0Spyder variant). A Boxster without flat-six\u00a0wail is like a tiger without a roar, and the compromised Porsche \u2014 no matter the impressive performance numbers of its turbocharged flat-four\u00a0\u2014 has undoubtedly lost some of its appeal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Boxster-owning pals with flat-sixes have delayed purchase of the new car (just as some Ford F-150 Raptor customers have held on to their V-8-powered pickups rather than upgrade to the newer-but-less-satisfying twin-turbo V-6). Could this be an opening for Bimmer as well with its all-new, $64,000, 382-horse, inline 6-powered Z4? Surely.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-64\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible\" data-ad-placement=\"native-article_link\" data-ad-sizes=\"[&quot;fluid&quot;,[3,3], [2,6]]\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3,2,6\">But first BMW has introduced a base, 255-horse, turbo-4 cylinder to go head-to-head against the 265-horse Boxster. Apples to apples. Fours to fours. The Z4, like the Boxster, suffers mightily without its six-holer, but for Roadster fans with deeper pockets, my sky-blue, loaded Z4 M30i tester is a welcome Miata MX5 on steroids \u2014 more tech, more room, more zoom zoom.<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">On a trip up north this summer, the Z4 was a rolling tourist attraction. Longer, wider, and bluer than its predecessor, it was a magnet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><em>Cool! How fast does it go? Is that a BMW?<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">This third-gen roadster is a worthy successor to the first-gen, 2005 Z4 that still turns my head. Its ad campaign cutline was \u201cland shark\u201d \u2014 and it looked the part. Long nose. Wicked body stampings. Headlights slit like a predator\u2019s eyes. The swept windshield a fin cutting through traffic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The new car has more conservative styling, but the shark DNA remains. Angular headlights, wide, toothy kidneys \u2014 even big gills on either side of the front fenders. And it ruthlessly prowls country roads.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SLZEKPSdMqU\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/30a0192c-36ac-4229-912a-4ebda4ad60a4-bmw_rr-above.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The soft top on the 2020 BMW Z4 can be retracted at up to 31 mph in about 10 seconds.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/30a0192c-36ac-4229-912a-4ebda4ad60a4-bmw_rr-above.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/30a0192c-36ac-4229-912a-4ebda4ad60a4-bmw_rr-above.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/>The soft top on the 2020 BMW Z4 can be retracted at up to 31 mph in about 10 seconds.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Exiting Interstate 75 for Michigan-31 north of Gaylord, I slowly rolled into a stoplight while easing back the black canvas top with the push of a button. The operation pauses only if I exceed 31 mph.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Through the wooded countryside, the rear-wheel-driver rotated effortlessly through esses and switchbacks. This is no mid-engine Porsche, but you have to really push hard to notice the difference. The suspension is tight, the body-roll minimal and understeer imperceptible despite that long bow. Credit the M Sport package on my tester that added electronic rear differential and adaptive dampers.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-67\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible\" data-ad-placement=\"native-article_link\" data-ad-sizes=\"[&quot;fluid&quot;,[3,3], [2,6]]\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3,2,6\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-opinion-8\" class=\"ad-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CK-QgPn6o-UCFZDHwAod9eMAEA\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_1__container__\">\n<div class=\"tlod\">\n<div class=\"tl-unit-mid-article\">\n<div class=\"plr-rr__content\">\n<div class=\"plr-rr__above_title\">Squeezing the gas, the eight-speed transmission\u00a0downshifts smoothly, but oh &#8230; that four-cylinder.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Momentary turbo lag gave way to satisfying, 295 pound-feet of torque over 3,000 RPM, but the music is more Miata than luxury sports car. Even Porsche is aware of its visceral shortcomings and tries to lend some menace to its four-cylinder, VW Bug-like drone. At least downshifts in Bimmer\u2019s SPORT and SPORT PLUS modes are accompanied by racy rev-matching.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">While the Porsche reigns supreme on handling, the BMW makes its mark when you\u2019ve tired of apex carving.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Hats off to the interior designers (ahem, except for the cup holder which is curiously located in the armrest console, forcing the console lid vertical when the holder is occupied).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">A sculpted sheet of glass dominates the center console, pulling the 10-inch infotainment screen high above the dash for maximum driver attention \u2014 and opening up tray storage below \u2014 an ergonomic nicety conspicuously missing from Porsches and Audis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Cruising up I-75 (top up, natch), the big, fat console knob makes for easy screen navigations, as does the voice command. But Apple CarPlay-based Google Maps is still the nav program of choice (though BMW will charge $80 a year for it and not offer Android Auto. Yeesh, these persnickety luxe makers).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">A drop-top two-seater this may be, but BMW has carved out helpful closet space behind the front seats for an umbrella \u2014 or bottle, purse, small briefcase storage in rear panel-mounted fish net. The trunk space is also surprisingly generous \u2014 a 50% increase over the prior gen \u2014 and a welcome convenience for long trips compared to a much smaller Miata.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">BMW has learned fast from Tesla, and the Z4 is a digital tour de force \u2014 including recognizing my presence without my having to remove the key from my pocket. Z4 unlocked when I approached\u00a0and\u00a0locked when I walked away, mirrors folding tight. Alas, unlike Tesla, this is not a standard feature, but part of the $13,000\u00a0of add-ons (the $2,950 M package) on my $63,545\u00a0tester.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Like Miata, the fourth-generation Z4 would not be possible were it not for a partner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Development costs have soared in these regulation-heavy days, forcing small-volume products into partnerships. Mazda found a mate in Fiat which makes its 124 on the same platform as the MX-5 Miata. And BMW paired with Toyota, which makes the Supra coupe off the same architecture.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I couldn\u2019t stop thinking of the Supra as I caned the Z4\u2019s four across Michigan.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SLZEKPSdvns\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/301874d2-e67a-4206-bb48-59cc861822c1-bmw_int.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Loaded with digital wonders like keyless entry and sporting useful cargo room behind the seats, the 2020 BMW Z4 makes for a great getaway car for the summer\/fall seasons.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/301874d2-e67a-4206-bb48-59cc861822c1-bmw_int.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/10\/15\/PDTN\/301874d2-e67a-4206-bb48-59cc861822c1-bmw_int.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/>Loaded with digital wonders like keyless entry and sporting useful cargo room behind the seats, the 2020 BMW Z4 makes for a great getaway car for the summer\/fall seasons.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I\u2019ve driven the Supra\u2019s BMW-made inline-6, pumping out a generous 350 horsepower, complete with crackling soundtrack. The Z4\u2019s digital sophistication is apparent over the Supra, and Toyota and BMW shoppers will rarely cross paths. But put a Supra and a Z4 next to each other at a Woodward stoplight and the Japanese sports car will smoke it \u2014 4.1 vs. 5.1 seconds, zero-60 \u2014- even with BMW\u2019s easy-to-use launch control.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Happily, the 382-horse Z4 inline-6 is available \u2014 with, er, a 14 grand premium over the base 4.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Here, it&#8217;s worth noting that the stunning, convertible, mid-engine Corvette V-8 \u2014 with nearly 500 ponies \u2014 coming next year at a similar sticker.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Add in convertible Camaro and Mustang V-8s and the American customer has a nice menu of choice for drop-top fun. With its sophisticated looks and digital tech, the Z4 remains a sophisticated\u00a0choice that will offer hours of open-air fun without sacrificing roomy comfort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That comfort may give the Z4 the biggest bandwidth in the luxury Roadster segment. And a competitive claim as long as the Porsche Boxster cuts back on audio thrills.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>2020 BMW Z4<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-passenger roadster<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: Base price sDrive30i $50,695 including $995 destination charge; M40i $64,695 including $995 destination charge ($63,545 sDrive30i as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 2.0-liter, turbocharged, inline-4 cylinder, 3.0-liter, turbocharged, inline-6 cylinder<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Power: 255\u00a0horsepower, 295\u00a0pound-feet of torque (turbo-4); 382\u00a0horsepower, 369\u00a0pound-feet of torque (turbo-6)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: Eight-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.2 seconds (turbo-4, mfr.); top speed, 155 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,400 pounds(est.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: EPA mpg, 24 city\/32 highway\/28 combined (turbo-4); 24 city\/31 highway\/26 combined (turbo-6)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Report card<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Modern tech; sticks like glue<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: Meh, turbo-4; Toyota Supra thrills with BMW turbo-6 under hood for less coin<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 3\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You had me at Roadster. From the nimble Mazda Miata to the Porsche Boxster, convertible coupes are some of the most enjoyable toys on the road today. Drop the top, stomp the gas, and drink in the visceral thrill of sound, wind, and landscape rushing by. The ground-hugging Boxster is the undisputed athlete of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24287"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24287"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24287\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}