BMW Z4 review – performance and 0-60
The Z4 is a talented roadster with much in its favour, just don’t expect Boxster levels of tactility
Driven back-to-back with the M40i it’s hard not to feel that the 20i lacks pace. The outright performance figures don’t lie – 0-62mph in 6.6sec simply isn’t slow – but even with the roof down the sensation of speed is sometimes lost because the ride and refinement are so good. The strong torque results in good pick-up from low revs, but it can’t match it with redline punch, and although the eight-speed auto cannot replicate the fleetness of a good dual-clutch gearbox, it rarely thwarts planned downshifts and is a breeze to use in automatic mode.
> Click here for our review of the Mazda MX-5
Unsurprisingly the short-lived 30i with 254bhp fell in between the 20i and M40i with a 5.4sec 0-62mph time. The six-cylinder car is genuinely quick, posting a 4.5sec 0-62mph time and with a peak torque band that stretches from 1600-4500rpm it has a meaty mid-range to call upon. Entering manual mode on the auto (or ticking the Handschalter option) brings out the best from the M40i and while it does sometimes take a moment for momentum to build when it reaches its crescendo it pulls very well.
You might expect the Handschalter, being 15kg lighter and an enlivened six-cylinder thanks to a shorter final drive, to be the quickest. Sadly not, as is often the case with manuals compared to automatics. The Handschalter trains the auto M40i, albeit by just 0.1sec, taking 4.6sec to get to 62mph from rest. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the manual Z4 shares its gear ratios and final drive with the manual Toyota Supra.
The Handschalter is the closest we've got since the original, to a proper Z4 M. While it's not as quick as the M40i, it is the most involving and engaging.
