johnson
01-30-2009, 07:02 AM
BMW revealed its new Z4 sports car prior to its official debut at the Detroit Auto show - and it's an even more striking design than the one it replaces. The design has elements of the stunning 507 roadster of the late 50S - although modern cars are nowhere near as elegant as sports cars of half-a-century ago. Nevertheless, the Z4 has shapely curves and creases that are well integrated into a cohesive design.
In keeping with BMW's new design language, which is intentionally bold and polarizing, the Z4'S face is aggressive with wide kidney grilles up front - it looks as though it could stare down much larger machinery on the street. On the inside as well; The Z4's cabin looks to be very well executed indeed. It features BMW's latest generation i-Drive, which is easier to use than previous versions.
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The Z4 is also the first BMW to feature a retractable hard top, which can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds. And while the Z4 is larger than its predecessor, the front subframe and suspension are made largely from aluminum to reduce weight.
When it goes on sale in Europe, the Z4 will come with the option of three 6-cylinder power units. The sDrive23i will be powered by a 2.5 liter straight-six producing 204 horsepower. The sDrive30i will have a 3.0 liter straight-six that produces 258 horsepower, and accelerates to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds. Both these models come with either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. The top of the line Z4, the sDrive35i, gets BMW's 'Engine of the Year' winning 3.0 liter, 6 cylinder, twin-turbo, direct-injection masterpiece. It produces 306 horsepower and propels the car to 100km/h in true sports car fashion - taking 5.2 seconds with a manual transmission, and 5.1 seconds with the optional 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
In keeping with BMW's new design language, which is intentionally bold and polarizing, the Z4'S face is aggressive with wide kidney grilles up front - it looks as though it could stare down much larger machinery on the street. On the inside as well; The Z4's cabin looks to be very well executed indeed. It features BMW's latest generation i-Drive, which is easier to use than previous versions.
1138
The Z4 is also the first BMW to feature a retractable hard top, which can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds. And while the Z4 is larger than its predecessor, the front subframe and suspension are made largely from aluminum to reduce weight.
When it goes on sale in Europe, the Z4 will come with the option of three 6-cylinder power units. The sDrive23i will be powered by a 2.5 liter straight-six producing 204 horsepower. The sDrive30i will have a 3.0 liter straight-six that produces 258 horsepower, and accelerates to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds. Both these models come with either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. The top of the line Z4, the sDrive35i, gets BMW's 'Engine of the Year' winning 3.0 liter, 6 cylinder, twin-turbo, direct-injection masterpiece. It produces 306 horsepower and propels the car to 100km/h in true sports car fashion - taking 5.2 seconds with a manual transmission, and 5.1 seconds with the optional 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.