2019 BMW Z4

There's a certain romance attached to roadsters and convertibles. If you imagine yourself roaring through the streets of Paris, you're probably not daydreaming about doing it in a sedan or SUV. No, you're in a convertible feeling the warm wind in your hair. Whether it's The Graduate, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Shawshank Redemption or Thelma & Louise, convertibles symbolize a kind of freedom from convention that other vehicles cannot match. The latest form of drop-top escapism can be found with the all-new 2019 BMW Z4.

This new car represents the third generation for the Z4, the prior ones being the second-gen Z4 from 2009 to 2016 and the first from 2003 to 2008. Of course, there was also the original 1990s-era Z3. And it's this car that we hope the new Z4 best emulates. While the previous two generations of the Z4 opened up to the sun, they didn't provide the same kind of playful nature the Z3 did. To find out how successful BMW has been in getting back some of that Z3 magic, we traveled to Portugal to drive the Z4 for ourselves.

Zed's Not Dead, Baby

The specs look very promising. When the Z4 goes on sale this March, BMW will initially offer it in the base Z4 sDrive30i trim. It gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 255 horsepower. Following the 30i later in the year is the M40i that packs a 382-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six-cylinder. The M40i's power output bests the previous-generation six-cylinder Z4 by as much as 27 percent. BMW hadn't released complete weight figures for the Z4 at the time of publication, but we do expect that this Z4 will have a more favorable weight-to-power ratio than its predecessors. Both engines come paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels.

The Z4 M40i's acceleration is smooth if you drive conservatively, and it's immediate and impressive if you floor it. You're treated to appropriately growly engine and exhaust noises that are even more sonorous when you engage one of the Sport driving modes. A noticeable turbo whoosh can also be heard, which adds just a bit more theater to the overall impression. The U.S.-spec Z4s should sound even better since they can go without the EU-mandated exhaust particulate filters. The transmission provides quick and fluid upshifts in automatic mode and well-timed downshifts when you get hard on the brakes. You can also use the shift paddles for full control. Overall, the transmission responds quick enough so that you don't miss stick. Much.

We had a unique opportunity to toss the Z4 M40i around the Estoril race circuit to fully explore its handling potential, and we came away impressed. The Z4 takes to the curves with the kind of confidence that encourages you to push harder and harder with each lap. We would prefer a slightly stiffer brake pedal feel, but it is still good enough to allow precise modulation and trail-braking through turns. The steering is precise and direct, but like most cars today, there's a lack of feedback to the driver.

The Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires provide ample traction yet are progressive at their limit of adhesion. You know that the rear tires won't suddenly snap away due to a lack of grip. As with other recent BMWs, the Z4's traction and stability control are lenient enough to let you spin the rear wheels just a bit and, when going around a turn, hang the tail out. Exceeding a certain slip angle kicks the driver assistants into action, and they reduce the throttle and straighten out the car back to its intended path. A single tap of the traction control button allows for more latitude, but the systems still have your back if things go too far out of shape.

We came away from Estoril with the impression that the Z4 is a decent track car but better on a twisting road where you wouldn't be so tempted to explore the limits. With any luck, a future Z4 M version would be a sharper closed-circuit weapon.

There's no doubt that this new 2019 BMW Z4 is more engaging than the previous two generations. Is it as playful as the range-topping Z3s were? Alas, no. Technology has made this Z4 faster in every way. But we've resigned ourselves to the fact that the days of having an elemental driving experience in a BMW convertible are largely gone.

Room for Practicality

The new Z4, though, is certainly a much nicer car than any roadster from the past. It has all of the trappings of current BMW vehicles while remaining pleasantly simple. Like the rest of its stablemates, the Z4 provides ample room for taller passengers, and the materials quality is excellent. All of the controls are easy to operate and placed right where they should be.

With the folding fabric top up, visibility is as good as it is in a typical coupe. At highway speeds, there's a bit of wind noise, but for the most part, the cabin remains quieter than expected. The power top takes fewer than 10 seconds to stow, folding flat into the rear decklid. An easy-to-see-through mesh wind blocker, which sits between the headrests, manages buffeting well.

The seats have a good balance of long-distance and lateral support, alleviating any notable fatigue. Also helping to reduce fatigue is a well-tuned suspension that keeps bumps from being punishing. The Z4 has a firm ride and switching to the Sport modes makes it even stiffer. But, overall, it's appropriate for a zippy roadster.

The big surprise is cargo space. With a 9.9-cubic-foot capacity, the Z4's trunk is more accommodating than that of the Porsche Boxster or the Audi TT Roadster. A large suitcase or a few smaller ones can easily fit, and the fabric top doesn't affect that space. In-cabin storage is acceptable but not generous. The cupholders are situated in the passenger side of the center armrest, which means your co-pilot will have to trade elbow perch for hydration. The door pockets are small and not well-suited for even small drink bottles.

Two Flavors for Fun

We don't have official pricing yet, but expect the sDrive30i to start around $50,000 and the M40i to crest somewhere above $60,000. Standard features will include forward collision warning and mitigation, lane departure warning, leather upholstery, a digital instrument panel, and the latest iteration of BMW's iDrive infotainment system. The M40i will further benefit from a lower sport suspension with adaptive dampers, high-performance tires, upgraded brakes, a sport differential and simulated-suede upholstery inserts. Options include adaptive LED headlights, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functions, parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, an automated parking system, a head-up display, a mesh wind blocker, and a premium audio system.

Your phone will be secured when tossing the Z4 through curvy roads if you equip the car with the optional wireless charging pad. The latest iDrive system also means you won't have to connect a USB cable to take advantage of Apple CarPlay. That iDrive system operates much like previous versions, which is a good thing. This time around, it's even easier to use thanks to additional on-screen shortcuts for various features.

Keeping the Spark Lit

The new BMW Z4 represents a middle ground between the Audi TT Roadster and the Porsche 718 Boxster in regard to price, features and design philosophy. The Audi has a more modernistic interpretation of a roadster's styling, while the Z4 retains more classic elements. The Boxster S is the sportiest of the trio, but the Z4 M40i is in close proximity.

The 2019 BMW Z4 keeps a lot of the romanticism of top-down motoring alive but hasn't quite recaptured the spirit of BMW roadsters past. If you've never driven any of those older drop-tops, that last point is totally irrelevant, and you can rest assured knowing that the Z4 is indeed a wonderful two-seat convertible. If you've driven a BMW roadster dated before 2002, this will feel like a modern reboot of something beloved. Think Clooney/JLaw in a remake of a Cary Grant/Grace Kelly film or the Black Keys covering Led Zeppelin. They'll probably be really good and technically superior, but nostalgia will always color your verdict in favor of the originals.

After a three-year hiatus from the U.S. market, BMW has pulled the wraps off its all-new 2019 BMW Z4 roadster, revealing a soft convertible roof that parts ways with the previous retractable-hardtop Z4. The two-seater, drop-top Z series has been around for nearly 30 years, beginning with the first-generation BMW Z1 and its quirky retractable doors, and also including the Z3 and Z8 models that co-starred in a few Pierce Brosnan-era James Bond flicks. The 2019 Z4 is the third-generation Z4 model, but you can also think of it as the sixth member of the Z series lineage.

What's under the hood?

The Z4 M40i First Edition pictured here comes with a version of BMW's familiar turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. Power output is confirmed at 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, a marked improvement over the previous top-shelf Z4's 335 hp and 332 lb-ft. Per company estimates, the six-cylinder Z4 should launch to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds,which is nearly a half-second quicker than the old Z4's best and on par with a Porsche 718 Cayman.

With the move back to a lighter soft top, the new Z4 sports a perfect 50-50 weight distribution, but it weighs in at 24 pounds more than its predecessor when comparing the four-cylinder models. The soft top could, however, signal BMW's intent to offer a coupe version, as it did for the Z3 and first-generation Z4 cars. Other performance-enhancing goodies available on the new Z4 include an adaptive sport suspension (with a 10 mm lower ride height), 19-inch wheels housing M Sport brakes, and an electronically controlled M Sport rear differential.

We should note that the First Edition actually won't be the first to market. That distinction belongs to the base Z4 sDrive30i, which arrives in March 2019 with a turbo four-cylinder engine. The engine will make 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 15 hp and 35 lb-ft over its predecessor, and BMW estimates the Z4 will cover 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. The six-cylinder models will follow in the second quarter of 2019.

Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and feature paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel. The gear ratios are spread a bit wider to take advantage of the increased power across the board, with shorter lower gears for quicker acceleration off the line. There is also a launch control feature that takes all the guesswork out of executing a quick run.

How about the interior?

The cabin of the First Edition Z4 is trimmed in black Vernasca leather, and the seats look to have generous bolstering to go along with their integrated headrests and decorative stitching. The asymmetric layout of the previous model is carried forward but thoroughly modernized with BMW's new Live Cockpit Professional, which also appears in the all-new 2019 8 Series and 2019 X5. This system looks similar to Audi's Virtual Cockpit. A large configurable LCD sits in front of the driver and a wide-stretching touchscreen is mounted front and center, with controls courtesy of BMW's latest iDrive 7 touchpad interface. Driver settings can be saved to the cloud and shared between multiple vehicles that have this technology.

A color head-up display eliminates the need for your eyes to leave the road, while a Harman Kardon surround-sound system ensures that your tunes can be heard even when the wind's in your hair.

Lastly, the new Z4 gains some valuable trunk space. By the numbers, it's up to 9.9 cubic feet from 8 cubic feet, and BMW says, in practice, it's a significant improvement.

What is our take?

We were impressed by the design of the Z4 Concept upon its debut a year ago. While the strong rear character lines of the new Z4 stay pretty true to that concept, a lot of the boldness and aggression of the front end was lost in translation. The vertically stacked LED headlights have more rounded edges, and the kidney grilles have lost strength and prominence, creating a more frumpy than fierce appearance. Maybe we'll get used to it, but that's our first impression.

Styling aside, we're hopeful that the new Z4 will get back to Z series basics from a driving standpoint. The previous Z4, produced between 2009 and 2016, was born during a period where BMWs skewed more toward comfort than performance. Before that, Z series models had always been about performance, whether in coupe or convertible form. Some recent BMW models have benefitted from a reclamation of the brand's "Ultimate Driving Machine" core values, so perhaps the newest Z will follow suit.

How much will it cost?

With the previous-generation Z4s priced in the ballpark of $50,000 to $67,000, we'd expect the new 2019 BMW Z4 to start somewhere in the low to mid-$50K range for the four-cylinder Z4 30i, with the six-cylinder M40i starting right around $70K. As noted, the Z4 30i will kick things off with a March 2019 arrival, followed by the First Edition and the regular 2020 Z4 M40i in the second quarter.