Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

BMW Z4 sDrive 35i

Cool autumn breezes replace the smells of summer but running top-down is still an option in the Z4

BMW Z4 sDrive 35i

Barbecues, bonfires, freshly mown grass… The smells of summer are just memories now, replaced by cool autumn breezes. But although temperatures are tumbling I can’t see myself hiding away under the Z4’s hard-top for a while yet. There’s no need to. Sat low in the cabin with the side windows up, you’re sufficiently sheltered to be able to continue enjoying driving with nothing but sky above your head. The only catch is that, unlike some rivals, you can’t open or close the Z4’s roof on the move. It sounds such a small thing, but those 20 seconds at each end of a journey seem to take forever when you’re sat with your finger on the button while the roof does its stuff. Thankfully you can speed things along at the start of your journey by opening the roof via the remote as you approach. Looks kinda cool, too – unless you walk too quickly and arrive at the driver’s door when there’s still ten seconds to go…

Running Costs

Date acquiredJune 2009
Total mileage7735
Costs this month£0
Mileage this month1517
MPG this month24.7
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

This mystery Porsche 911 GT3 has something no GT product has had before
Porsche 911 GT3 Ducktail spies
News

This mystery Porsche 911 GT3 has something no GT product has had before

An unusually undisguised Porsche test mule has been spotted out on the Nürburgring, giving a 911 GT3 a fixed ducktail wing
13 Jul 2026
Alpine A290 and Renault 5 get rally-style body kits from exhaust icon Milltek
Milltek Alpine A290
News

Alpine A290 and Renault 5 get rally-style body kits from exhaust icon Milltek

The A290 and R5 don’t have an exhaust to upgrade, so Milltek has turned to modifying the bodywork
10 Jul 2026
Denza Z sports car – we’ve driven China’s 1582bhp Porsche 911 rival
Denza Z
News

Denza Z sports car – we’ve driven China’s 1582bhp Porsche 911 rival

China wants to take on Europe’s sports cars with the new £142,900 Denza Z, and we’ve driven it
11 Jul 2026