New BMW Z2 due in 2016

Credits: Christian Schulte

14 Aug, 2013 11:05am Jack Rix

The BMW Z2 will be similar in size to the Z3 and will get petrol or diesel power

A small roadster to sit below the Z4 has been on BMW’s wish list for some time, but not until now has the BMW Z2 project started to make financial sense.

• BMW Z4 review

BMW’s modular UKL1 front-wheel-drive platform – which debuts in the new MINI later this year – opens up a world of possibilities. By spreading the burden of development across MINI and BMW, it means a model explosion is on the way. The first front-wheel-drive BMW to arrive will be a five-seat version of the Concept Active Tourer, to rival the Mercedes B-Class, late next year. A seven-seater will follow, while the next 1 Series family will be entirely front-wheel drive. The next X1 and a new coupé-styled, three-door small SUV, the X2, will also use the same underpinnings.

But the most enticing proposition is this front-wheel-drive Z2. It’ll be similar in size to the old Z3, and will use turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder and 2.0-litre four-cylinder versions of BMW’s new modular petrol and diesel engines. The top-spec 2.0 petrol car could produce as much as 300bhp, with the cleanest three-cylinder diesel emitting well under 100g/km of CO2. And the best part is the price – a BMW sports car starting at just over £20,000 sounds tempting, don’t you think?

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Submitted by Gianluca Ivaldi on Wed, 2013-08-14 11:41.

This is ridiculous - keep that FWD bullcrap a MINI only thing. Talk about brand dilution - BMWs should be RWD or AWD only.

I had a feeling they'd ruin the 1 series by making it FWD. It was almost unique in it's class in RWD format, now it'll be just another A3, Golf, A-class in terms of how it drives.

Such a shame

Submitted by Ghost on Wed, 2013-08-14 11:59.

3 Cylinder diesel, WTF lol

Submitted by Morg on Thu, 2013-08-15 08:25.

Front wheel drive and a three cylinder diesel engine. The Z3 was criticised for being soft because it was initially offered with an (albeit underpowered) four cylinder petrol engine. But at least it had rwd and eventually got a brace of six cylinder beauties. Everything from 150 to 320-odd bhp was accompanied by that sweet, sweet six cylinder howl. And even despite all that, I the Z3 still wasn't quite there. The mk1 Z4 pretty much addressed any shortcomings, though.

Sorry BMW, you no longer interest me, other than as a ten year old used bargain. Who could have known back in 2003 that BMWs heyday was soon to be over!

Submitted by Nick Antro on Fri, 2013-09-06 13:49.

Wonder if front wheel drive is cheaper to manufacture for BMW to compete in the smaller sports car market and use the profits to fund M cars. Porsche builds sporty suv's to fund sports cars eg Le Mans P1 class in 2014 and pay Mark Webber! LOL. RWD will always be part of BMWs philosophy however they need sales to survive. Hope they purchase Wiesmann...we may then see a smaller sports car in this class.

Submitted by GW74 on Wed, 2013-09-18 15:26.

will it be a hairdresser's car like the picture and the Z4, or mindblowingly ugly like every other BMW on the market today? I can't wait to find out and not buy one.

Submitted by tell it as it is on Fri, 2013-09-27 17:03.

another idiot mobile on the road into the 3 lane

Submitted by Kurtster on Tue, 2014-02-18 02:37.

Then go buy yourself a Charger and quit whining. This car sounds great to me.

Submitted by Harry Knuckles on Wed, 2014-04-16 20:17.

FWD roadster = loser