New BMW Z4 2019

Remember the BMW Z4? Yes, it’s still around and BMW has just released a few more details on the pending 2019 version.

The series might be regarded as a bit long in the tooth by modern sports car standards and turnarounds, but the BMW Z series has always been a popular marque for the company, from the original 2-seater Z1 roadster in 1989, through the long nosed James Bond Goldeneye promoted Z3 (you either loved it or hated it) to the more refined best-of-both-worlds Z3 replacement, the Z4 in 2002.

The new BMW Z4 was officially revealed at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance in California, and will finally be available to purchase from early 2020. The new Z4 is the result of collaboration between BMW and Toyota, with the new Toyota Supra sharing the same chassis and also borrowing the BMW straight-six 3-litre twin-turbo.

As for the Z4, engines available range from a four-cylinder turbocharged sDrive20i 2-litre with a claimed 0-62mph of 6.6 seconds and 194bhp, right up to the top of the range 3-litre. The latter will be the BMW turbocharged six-cylinder M40i with a 0-62mph of around 4.6 seconds thanks to a respectable 335bhp – that’s more like it. The middling engine will be the same aforementioned 2-litre but pushing out 254bhp with a 5.4 second 0-62mph. Top speed will be 155mph (electronically limited).

Now, it wasn’t that long ago that you would be sacrificing many miles per gallon to get some raw power in a sports car, but while the world and governments focuses on the electronic future, the humble petrol engine has gone through a quiet revolution in efficiency. If BMW figures are to be believed, then the new 2-litre BMW Z4 will achieve as much as 47.1mpg. Even the M40i will manage nearly 40mpg (38.1mpg – 39.7mpg).

No prices are available as yet, but rumours abound that BMW will be pricing the 2019 Z4 rather competitively in an attempt to steal some sales from the likes of the Porsche Boxter and maybe the Audi TT or even the Mercedes SLC convertible. If the Z4 M40i does come in at a price much less than you were expecting and you find that you have some surplus cash, then there is a decent array of extras you can spec, from electronically controlled suspension, LSD and the all-important rolling resistance reducing lighter alloys.

Luxuries like controllable interior mood lighting (to give a homely glow around your dash) and an optional Harman Kardon stereo system upgrade (12 speakers, 464-watts) are also sure to entice. By all accounts, the new Z4 prototype is a fine drive too, so we can but look forward to its arrival.

Images: motorauthority.com