BMW Z4 review - Engines, performance and drive

Despite the BMW Z4’s aggressive design and sporty proportions, it is not an all-out sports car like most of its direct rivals, instead it takes a more laid back approach to open-top motoring. The whole driving experience, regardless of the model, is just a little too uncommunicative to really engage and excite you in the same way as a Porsche or Alpine. 

Lots of this has to do with a lack of feel, something missing in various elements of the driving experience. The steering, despite feeling a little more keyed-in than many BMW models, is still quite remote and doesn’t instil a huge amount of confidence. 

A combination of a short wheelbase and wide track can also make the car feel a little snappy, while the very strong torque of the M40i, paired with the eight-speed auto, can make for a somewhat hair-raising experience when pushing on. 

The Handschalter does go some way to alleviating these driveability issues due largely to a more consistent and connected feeling to both its engine and the rear wheels. There’s just that bit more clarity to how the power is being delivered to the massive rear tyres, plus the differential feels a touch more consistent. 

Opt for the 2.0-litre four-cylinder sDrive20i and you'll enjoy a car that's a little lighter, and therefore a touch more agile. This is a worthy trade-off for its relative lack of straight-line punch in the more powerful M40i, but also comes with a big deficit in character and energy. 

Overall, though, while it doesn’t rate well as a pure sports car, it’s still an impressive roadster. The chassis has a lovely balance to it – that’s down to BMW’s perfect 50:50 weight distribution – and there’s very little chassis wobble to worry about. 

With the roof down, interior refinement is also excellent. The Z4’s standard wind deflector does a great job of managing the airflow right up to motorway speeds, and roof-up the fabric canopy still makes for a hushed and comfortable cabin – although the Handschalter’s wider rear tyres can drum up a bit of noise. 

Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed

The headline powertrain for the Z4 remains its six-cylinder, which in this case is the well-proven ‘B58’ unit that’s found in everything from the aforementioned Toyota Supra to the Morgan Plus Six and even the Ineos Grenadier. In the Z4, it’s rated at a relatively light 335bhp with 500Nm of torque, but both of those figures are spread right across the rev-band, and that peak torque is almost available at tickover, or 1,600rpm more specifically. 

The eight-speed automatic is quick-witted and shifts cleanly, but the short ratios can sometimes make the car feel a little breathless. Instead, if you manually select a higher gear and let the car lean into its torque, the Z4 feels more comfortable and less hectic. The six-speed manual, by contrast, feels a little archaic in its shift quality, but also draws a closer connection to the engine and adds critical feel. 

Top-spec M40i models with the automatic will hit 0-62mph in just 4.5 seconds, with the Handschalter taking an extra 0.1 of a second; both accompanied by a suitably rorty howl. The four-cylinder option isn’t quite as thrilling, but performance is brisk even for the sDrive20i, which manages 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds. It’s not the most charismatic engine, though, and feels more comfortable surfing it’s mid-range rather than zipping up to the redline.