BMW Z4 M40i | Test Drive

18 November 2019 Redazione News, Tested

BMW Z4 M40i

A PROPER COMEBACK

Words by Tommaso Mogge / Photos by Richard Montagner

I awaited the third generation of Z4 with an anxiety comparable only to that of a child hidden behind the sofa, waiting to catch Santa Claus during the most magical night of the year. Too many years have passed since that first model that in 2002 swept away the Z3 from the roadster desires made in BMW. When in 2009 it was the turn for the second generation – the one with a rigid roof – I admit that I was among its detractors, coming to abandon all hope of finding myself again on board a Z-car I could love as much as the Z1, Z3 and Z4 (the Z8 was and still is unreachable to me). Something has happened and in fact the new born welcome back a canvas folding roof and above all takes on proportions and a line more in keeping with what a Z4 must represent. Now you will be waiting for the moment when I come out with the statement that the new Z4 is exactly like a Z4, but it is not like that at all. Let me explain why.

First point: among the unwritten dogmas of the automotive world, BMW will always rhyme with driving pleasure and not just what satisfies and pampers body and mind after a long motorway journey, or facing hours in the midst of complete city chaos, but the one made of a connection between driver and machine that is best transmitted thanks to that magic potion made even more effective by the refinement of the M-Performance department. In this case, not a real Z4 M, but the immediately preceding step aptly called Z4 M40i. Currently this is the top step in the list of the small spider that smells like a grand tourer, a model that has been thoroughly revised and that as you will know, shares a lot with the new Toyota Supra, about which we will talk on another occasion. As it’s logical, they look at completely different customers and in the case of our BMW, it is a bit like rallying those who were looking for a car that was elegant but suitable for every situation, fun to drive but also easy to use on everyday roads. BMW have created something that goes far beyond our expectations, so it’s my pleasure and duty to take you along the two intense weeks of testing with Z’s last creation.

Many insist on the stylistic details of the new model and I agree, the Z4 has finally returned to being a beautiful car to look at, especially thanks to the generous bonnet, which together with a reduced wheelbase (247 cm) and a driving seat located right above the rear axle, give an extremely aggressive line reminiscent of the best grand tourer we usually find in a higher price range. Also at the back everything have been revolutionized and in this case we have a complex weave of lines that facilitate aerodynamics with a subtle spoiler on the boot lid and with the two vertical vents located at the sides of the tail itself. The double exhaust and the diffuser leave no room for doubt, you are dealing with the angry baby of the family. And this is where I want to emphasize that the Z4 is a car to take seriously. What do I mean? The M40i takes just 4.6 seconds on the 0-100 – you read that right. 4.6 seconds! This is 2 tenths less than the sDrive 35is produced from 2013 to 2016 and with the same effective power, or 4 tenths less than the first generation Z4 M and even 1.1 seconds less than the most powerful “non M” version entered on the market 13 years ago.

A rather interesting program, especially considering that the new platform, equipped with any type of electronic devilry, self-locking differential on the rear axle, 8-speed automatic transmission and sunroof mechanisms, leads to a total mass of over 1,600 kg of weight. If you fear the typical American muscle car behavior, the time has come to reassure you, the Z4 is and behaves like an European car. Precise while entering through corners even in Standard mode, I appreciated it best in Sport (and Sport Plus) mode, where the steering, gearbox and throttle response become more direct and the exhaust note becomes more pronounced, thanks to the opening of the valves. You find yourself perfectly seated inside the cabin, even in this case a modern and deeply ergonomic environment suitable for the most typical everyday life thanks to an improved multimedia system that communicates through the two digital screens, one in the middle of the dashboard and the another in front of the driver. The versatility of the Z4 is easy to notice by alternating motorway sections with days in the city, but the M40i’s chili pepper comes into play when you head towards country roads, where you have the chance to put the in-line 6 cylinders under pressure, a 3-liter twin-power turbo, a dual-stage supercharging system that uses a single turbo and is capable of delivering 340 horsepower and a whopping 500 Nm of torque.

If torque is available as soon as you press on the gas, the progression is appreciated for a fluidity that puts you at ease even when you decide to pull the German roadster by the neck. Perfect control of the situation is always maintained at higher speeds, while disabling traction control frees the wildest instinct of a perfectly comfortable suit and jacket-like dress. In the most abrupt movements and with a nervous pace, it is easy to feel the weight that you bring on the chosen route, but it certainly does not turn into a handicap. In reality the chassis is most interested to your comfort rather than to the dynamics offered by this extraordinary turbo engine that provides us with useful feedback to better relate to the new Z4. It cannot and must not be sharpened like a blade – for that there will be the Z4 M. It really seems to drive a fully grown-up grand tourer and then you realize it is the so-called “little Zed” and what a fantastic car it has become.

The ZF 8-speed gearbox is so precise that it can be left to work on its own, but I dare you to try not wanting to act on the paddles behind the wheel and take advantage of all the revs available and feel yourself at all effects as the master of the situation. The Z4, at least in the version driven by us, is no longer just the ideal convertible for a top down ride on some road immersed in a postcard landscape. Now it has the necessary artillery to amaze even those who are hungry for power, without compromising and never being brute and raw. It has not grown, it has not matured at all, it has really changed its skin and surprisingly is able to take you for a walk in complete relax or leave a few centimeters of rubber on the ground, maybe with your hands to the sky and with a smile on your face, thanks to the awareness that we can finally embrace the Z4 we have been waiting for a long time.

BMW Z4 M40i

Layout   –  front-engined, rear wheel drive

Engine  –  6 cylinder 2.998cc – twin-power turbo

Transmission  –  8-speed automatic gearbox

Power  –  340 hp @ 5.000 rpm

                      500 Nm @ 1.600 rpm

Weight  –  1.610 kg

Acceleration  –  4,6 sec.

Top Speed  –  250 kph

Price  –  from € 66.800