2019 BMW Z4 Convertible

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.

2019 BMW Z4 Convertible

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