Similar to the BMW 520i that we tested early February this year, the sports car from the Bavarian marque retains its pleasurable driving characteristics while sipping slowly on its fuel. We were actually a tad worried about the car's performance - thinking that the downsized engine would have affected the Z4's road performance. But in reality, the car has neither lost one bit of its desirability nor its disposition for reckless abandon on the road.

It all started out in 2002, when the first generation was produced with both coupe as well as roadster forms. It incited gasps of delight and surprise in equal measure, considering that the car bagged the 'Design of the Year Award' by a certain American automotive magazine. More significantly, the Z4 took home the Red Dot Design Award when the second generation was produced as a retractable hardtop roadster - similar to what you see here.

Now, as part of the Bavarian marque's commitment to the environment (and also abiding to new environmental regulations), this downsized Z4 continues to boast a promising performance.

Exterior

On the outside, the car is visually arresting, with its silhouette lending itself to a coupe form. Once the roof is packed into the boot though, its lower body and long bonnet line are accentuated, further magnifying the Z4's well-proportioned body. Unlike the previous generation, the Z4 no longer sports contemporary angles up front. Instead, it has been totally reshaped to fit in with the current upmarket sports cars - sharp, bold and sleek.

But unlike next door rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz SLK, Audi TT and even the Porsche Boxster, the BMW Z4 isn't your ordinary sports car. This intriguing machine with a hunkered-down stance would probably fit your Sunday drive to the beach or perhaps a comfortable drive out to the drive-in movie with the top down instead of tearing up the road with aggression. It's the kind of car that represents catch phrases such as 'living the dream', 'enjoying life' and 'driving in fashion'. Perhaps that's one of the many reasons why the Z4 is so strongly desired, even after a decade.

The sheet metal and sexy shape allows the car to manifest itself into a considerably powerful, classy and stylish machine. And these factors amplify when the car does its transformation in a simple and neat manner. It may not be as complex as some of the three-piece roof we have experienced but its operation remains to be elegant rather than arrogant.

Interior

The simplicity of operating the roof is carried on here too. With a press of a button located behind the gear lever, the roof retreats with no signs of strain and stress.


Although there isn't much to explore in the cabin, high quality materials and an even higher standard of fit and finish fill the Z4's interior. The dashboard sports no creative curves but it does have a mixture of soft rubber and chrome and a foldable screen that give the overall cabin a classy and modern finish.

The two benches are comfortable enough to take you over long hauls without feeling brokeback while finding a suitable seating position is an easy task, thanks to its generous levels of adjustments. While most of its peers in its class offer low seating positions even when seats are set at its highest, the Z4 does otherwise. As a result, it does lose a bit of its sporty setup, but visibility is never compromised.


There's no escaping that the fact that the cabin is a snug place to be in with the roof in place. But we reckon that's the notion of driving a sports car. Plus the only sound that can be heard is the roaring engine that's coming from the four-cylinder powerplant.

The Drive

Having a humble twin turbo four-pot does portray its pros and cons. Firstly, paper figures aren't spectacular. Secondly, it isn't as vocally thrilling as the bigger and louder in-line six. But what it does have is a nice spread of power across the range with a pleasing burst of energy at the top-end.

With an output of 184 horses and 270Nm of torque sent to the rear wheels, the Z4 speeds up to the century mark in 7.2 seconds on the straights but it feels livelier and faster in real world driving, thanks to the car's quick step-off from stop. Its silky eight-speed automatic gearbox is also the contributed factor for the car's smart acceleration. With more cogs to switch, the car appears to be more interested in refinement rather than sporty performance. Hence, transmission isn't exactly quick-shifting.

The upside is that the Z4 is a very comfortable car to pilot, even with the 17-inch shoes and slightly firmed up suspension. It also excels round the twisty sectors, where handling is tidy and predictable, even when you choose to go overboard with the throttle when negotiating bends. The only downside is that the heft of the nose can be felt, but it never lets you lose confidence.

Conclusion

Despite its lowered figures, the BMW Z4 can hold its head high when planted next to any roadster. It's a car that is beautifully finished and matured. It is also right on the cash because it will keep you from visiting the pumps every other day and is $74,000 lesser than the top-of-the-range Z4.

Simply put, the Z4 sDrive20i is not critically rapid but it appears to be the best value for money amongst the Z4 variants.