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

Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider review – 1035bhp drop-top takes on the Lamborghini Revuelto
Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider
Reviews

Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider review – 1035bhp drop-top takes on the Lamborghini Revuelto

The 849 Testarossa is the pinnacle of Ferrari's series production cars, and a big step on from the SF90. Is it even better without a roof?
15 Jul 2026
My Audi S8 can’t make me hate it, even if its safety systems are often terrible
Audi S8 – interior
Long term tests

My Audi S8 can’t make me hate it, even if its safety systems are often terrible

ADAS systems can be the bane of one’s existence in modern cars, but they can’t take the decadent shine off our long-term limo
16 Jul 2026
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