First of the sporty twins makes its debut
FUTURE MODELS/ No more long noses as the next BMW Z4 breaks cover, writes Michael Taylor
BMW has traded its traditional longnose, short-tail sports car design for Toyota’s help in developing its all-new Z4 which is only expected to arrive in SA in 2019.
The third generation of BMW’s Z4 will share its core design and layout with Toyota’s born-again Supra and one of the major compromises the Bavarians have made is a major change to the roadster’s new dual parentage.
Still, it doesn’t seem to lose a lot of form in the transition and continues the theme of deep, broad air intake aprons BMW began with the Concept 8 Series in May.
BMW isn’t yet talking about the production powertrains the Z4 will run, though it is steering clear of the V6 options Toyota is favouring for its Supra sibling. Instead, this is all about getting people used to the new design language for the Z4 and its shortened nose (which should, as a by-product, ramp up its steering feel).
“The BMW Concept Z4 in an all-out driving machine,” says BMW’s senior vice-president of design, Adrian van Hooydonk. “Stripping the car back to the bare essentials allows the driver to experience all the ingredients of motoring pleasure with supreme directness. This is total freedom on four wheels.”
Stripping the car back to basics also means ditching the heavy, complex folding metal roof in favour of a multilayer cloth roof and two large buttresses behind the headrests. Besides saving weight, it will also help lower the centre of gravity of the Z4.
Borne of a technical tie-up between Toyota and BMW that began in 2012 and has spread to hybrid and fuel-cell programmes, the Z4/Supra twins aren’t identical, in the way the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ are.
Instead, BMW has sculpted the living daylights out of the side panelling in a way that harks back to the first-generation Z4 and looks forward to the 8 Series.
“The BMW Concept Z4 expresses the new BMW design language from all perspectives and in all details,” Van Hooydonk says. “From the dynamic-looking front to the striking flanks to the clean-cut tail end: a few lines and the subtle interplay between surfaces are enough to generate a sense of power and emotion.”
That language begins at the nose, with BMW aiming to deliver the emotion of a hunting shark, with aggressive, long headlights, a protruding front splitter and just enough of its traditions in the kidney grilles.
Where the original Z4’s flame-surfaced flanks started suddenly, the similar sculpting on the side of the third-generation model begins at the oversized air breathers behind the front wheels and continues until the upper crease forms a wedged waist line. The lower one pushes the sill lower and runs into the rear-wheel arch.
While there are hints of the outgoing 6 Series in the rear end, it works strongly on the new Z4, forcing it lower than on its predecessors until it seems wider than the footprint suggests.
Close to production styling, the Concept Z4 rides on 20-inch wheels with five double spokes.
The Energetic Orange paintwork shrinkwraps the clamshell bonnet, with its stylised gill vents.
The interior is also ready for production, though most customers will probably prefer two seats of the same colour. BMW fiddled that to emphasise that the J29 is a driver’s car, aiming up at Porsche’s 718 Boxster in a way its predecessors never quite did.
The instrument cluster and the central infotainment and ventilation stack are tilted towards the driver, with the infotainment screen now close to the instrument cluster.
There is also a colour headup display, while the infotainment system switches to a touchscreen setup and includes navigation, playlists, apps and smartphone compatibility.
To reaffirm its driver’s-car credentials, BMW has slotted the lap timer into the steering wheel, with red buttons to start and stop the race timer within easy thumb reach.
It retains its traditional gearshift lever, too, and moves the red start button alongside it on the centre console.
The button layout on the console indicates the car will receive adaptive damping and will still have Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport modes.
It will also retain the ability to completely switch off its skidcontrol systems.
The Supra (G29) will differ in another significant way, with recently leaked BMW documents suggesting only the Z4 would come with a manual gearbox, while the Toyota will only run the BMW-sourced eight-speed auto transmission.
Both rear-wheel-drive cars will have 2.0l, turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder engines as their entry models, with Toyota’s documents adopting a BMW-esque nomenclature in calling them 20i and 30i.
They will enjoy mild-hybrid charging via 48V electrical systems and an integrated starter generator. Both conventional line-ups top out with a version of BMW’s six-cylinder, turbocharged M40i motor, which suggests a ceiling of around 272kW of power and 465Nm of torque.
Both cars are technically preengineered to receive a quad motor hybrid system, with a 2.0l, turbo four combined with three electric motors to create an all-wheel-drive monster.