sDrive35i 2dr Rear-Wheel Drive Roadster
2009 BMW Z4

2009 BMW Z4 – Click above for high-res image gallery The all-new 2009 BMW Z4 Roadster is the eagerly anticipated replacement to both the Z4 Convertible and Z4 Coupe. Adding to this pressure, the two-seater is also tasked with satisfying the enthusiasts who enjoyed the high-performance M variants, both of which are discontinued – at least for the moment. Autoblog just spent a long day behind the wheel of the multi-role Z4, dissecting the Roadster's styling, ergonomics, chassis, powerplant and handling. How does the Z4 masquerade as four different models? Is it a credible replacement for one, or all? Most importantly, will the Z4 appease the enthusiast? Find out after the jump. %Gallery-63182% Photos copyright ©2009 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc The all-new 2009 Z4 is BMW's fifth roadster offered during the past two decades. The first model was the late-80's steel and composite two-seat BMW Z1. It never made it to the States, but its influence paved the way for our U.S.-built BMW Z3 in 1996. The drop-top Z3 started life with a four-cylinder, but that didn't matter at the time as the roadster was inexpensive to own and a hoot to drive, even if it was based on the dated E30-platform's 3 Series mechanicals (not to worry, as later variants received the M-division's hot inline-six). The Z3 was followed by the M Coupe, with styling that lifted more than a few eyebrows and performance that extinguished any doubt about its capabilities. BMW followed the Z3 with the limited-production Z8 in 2000. The aluminum-bodied roadster featured an M-sourced V8 under the hood, and exclusivity that drove the secondary market wild, at least for a while. The first-generation Z4 debuted in 2002. Larger and more sophisticated than the Z3, it was also built in South Carolina like its predecessor. A series of six-cylinder engines offered increased performance, and a power-operated cloth top kept the elements at bay. Again, following the pattern set with the Z3, BMW eventually introduced high-performance M models and a sleek hard-top variant that set some enthusiasts on fire. Killing two birds with one stone, BMW has altered the formula significantly for 2009. While the Z3 and first-generation Z4 were offered in both soft-top roadster and fixed-roof body styles, the German automaker is offering just one retractable hardtop model this time around. While that approach effectively accomplishes its objective, a folding hardtop adds complexity, weight, cost, and it seriously taxes luggage space. In another drastic move, BMW has also shifted Z4 production back to its German facility (allowing the Spartanburg plant to focus on the X3 and lower its price). Artfully sculpted, the clean-sheet Z4 Roadster looks remarkably similar to the Z8 (in fact, they nearly share dimensions), itself an aluminum-bodied roadster that acknowledged the classic and timeless design of BMW's 507 roadster from the 1950's. Immediately recognizable as a Z4, however, the new two-seater features a long hood, blacked-out A-pillars, flowing character lines, and a cohesive tail treatment that adds an upscale yet more traditional look …
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