Baby BMW roadster is coming

As you can see from exclusive photos in this week's Auto Express, our sister magazine in Germany has lifted the lid on the firm’s plans to expand its cabrio range – and one of the most exciting newcomers is this lightweight back-to-basics roadster. Set to debut as the Z2, it’s likely to become the spiritual successor to the axed Z3, as the next-generation Z4 is moving upmarket.

Once all its models are in place, BMW will have one of the strongest drop-top line-ups of any car maker. The four-seater 6-Series convertible will lead the range and cater for luxury cabrio buyers, while the folding hard-top 3-Series will rival Audi’s A4 Cabriolet. Next year, a new convertible version of the 1-Series hatchback arrives, while the next-generation Z4 is expected in 2009.

With so many open-top models, BMW has the chance to push the Z4 into uncharted territory. It will have a sharper shape and larger dimensions, and will be aimed at buyers of the Porsche Boxster, as well as those who can’t quite stretch to a 6-Series.

The Z2 comes in at the bottom of the range and uses a shortened version of the 1-Series platform. With four-cylinder powerplants and basic standard equipment, the newcomer promises to make BMW roadster ownership more accessible than ever.

True to the firm’s heritage, the two-seater will almost certainly be rear-wheel drive and offer handling to rival the Mazda MX-5. However, buyers will have to wait a while for the new roadster to arrive, as the Z2 is unlikely to appear before 2010 at the earliest.