BMW Z4 M40i Handschalter review: a manual roadster that’s delightfully old-school

Verdict

The BMW Z4 Handschalter is not as precise or ultimately engaging as its key sports car rivals, but then comes with a very different type of appeal. In many ways this Z4 feels old school in its mentality, thanks to its classic sports car layout and notchy manual gearbox. Yet at the same time, it also comes across as very modern thanks to a brilliant engine, excellent overall refinement, and slick tech. It’s not perfect, but the M40i Handschalter is a fitting finale for the Z4 as we know it. 

You could be forgiven for forgetting the BMW Z4 existed in today’s world of electric cars and SUVs, but here it continues as one of the few front-engined rear-drive roadsters still available in 2024. Now in its third generation, BMW has confirmed that it will not be replacing the Z4 for a fourth round. But before it calls time completely, the maker has come up with a new special edition, designed to appeal to its die-hard fans.

Called the Z4 M40i ‘Handschalter Pack’, BMW has taken the roadster’s most potent powertrain and paired it to a six-speed manual transmission for the first time in this generation. It’s also been given a range of subtle chassis tweaks, plus a unique Frozen Deep Green livery, paired with a caramel-coloured leather interior – just to double down on its nostalgic target audience. 

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The 3.0-litre straight-six engine itself is unchanged, and produces the same 335bhp and 500Nm of torque as before, sent to the rear wheels through the aforementioned six-speed gearbox. BMW says that it’s been comprehensively redesigned for the Handschalter, with bespoke internal components and elements from BMW’s M models. But if you’ve ever driven a BMW with a manual transmission in the last 25 years, you’ll instantly recognise its rubbery, sometimes imprecise shift.

Changes around the rear suspension and anti-roll bars have been designed to help the car feel sharper, and the standard-fit adaptive dampers have been tweaked. This Z4 also runs a staggered wheel package (19-inch front and 20-inch rear), and there’s changes to the electric power steering and traction control systems. All-in, the Handschalter package adds nearly £6,000 to the standard M40i’s price, retailing at £60,675.

All of these new elements join a fairly comprehensive list of standard kit, including a limited-slip differential, BMW’s full suite of interior tech including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated electric leather seats, a Harmon Kardon stereo, adaptive LED headlights and more. A stripped out sports car the modern Z4 is not, thanks to lots of shared elements with bigger BMW saloons. 

This does mean the Z4 comes with compromises, such as the steering wheel which is both a little too big for the cabin, and a little too fat to feel truly comfortable. A need to slip three pedals into a footwell designed for two also means the set-up is offset to the right, and for driver’s with shorter legs you have to sit a little too close to the tall dash in order to fully depress the clutch. The gearbox itself also takes some learning – it doesn’t like a fast shift first-to-second, and you need to be deliberate in your movements across the gate. 

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These ergonomic quirks means it can take a bit of time to acclimatise to the driving experience. But when it clicks – and it will – the Z4 Handschalter shines. There’s something quite old-school about the car’s low-speed driving manners, but as you speed up, the 3.0-litre engine’s incredible spread of torque feels anything but retro. 

Once those turbos are spinning, there’s a wall of torque to rely on, so you can stay in a higher gear around bends and feel the car pull itself forward with ease. Despite the easy access to lots of torque, traction under hard acceleration is very impressive so it takes provocation to elicit any wheelspin – thanks in large part to the wide rear tyres. 

This hasn’t compromised top-end torque, either, as the car’s more than happy to rev right out to the redline. Selecting Sports mode gives the engine more of a voice, too. It could never be considered loud, but there is a satisfying bass to the engine emanating from the rear pipes that with the roof down feels subtle but menacing. 

The gear ratios themselves feel quite natural, but we did feel it would be nice if fifth and particularly sixth were a touch longer to the benefit of high-speed cruising and fuel efficiency. In that regard BMW quotes a figure of 32.5mpg on the combined WLTP cycle – a figure we generally matched over a mix of motorway, town and city driving. 

On winding roads, the Z4’s suspension is nicely compliant and has lots of travel, yet still retains good body control even over very heavy undulations. There is a touch of body-roll, but select Sport mode and the adaptive dampers will tighten up and help build the sense of connection and control. The steering isn’t as pure or precise as a Porsche 718 Boxster’s, nor is there such a clear sense of true connection to the chassis, but the Z4 isn’t a hardline sports car – rather something with a bit more duality. 

The Z4 is best when considered as a roadster, rather than an out-and-out sports car. BMW’s expertise in this area is obvious, as there’s little to no flex in the chassis and lots of clever storage solutions considering the tight two-seat cabin. The standard-fit wind deflector also does a brilliant job of managing airflow with the roof down so one can easily drive for hours at a time completely alfresco. 

Refinement with the roof up is also very good, with little wind noise around the seals and thanks to all the mod-cons inside, it’s as painless to drive everyday as a 1 Series. The only consideration is the roar that can be generated by those big rear tyres. But this is still much more refined than rival sports cars, and will no doubt strike a better balance for many drivers.