2005 BMW Z4

Summary

The BMW Z4, which replaced the Z3, has shaken if not rocked the sports car world, mostly with its dramatic styling. Because sports car buyers are enthusiasts, those would be engine, transmission, ride, handling and brakes.

Full Review 2005

Interior comfort and convenience are also important qualities, and the Z4 scores high in comfort and nearly as well in convenience, considering the quality of its soft top with glass window and defroster; it's easy to operate manually (standard) and if that's too much trouble, one finger will raise and lower the available power top.

Trims and Styling 2005

The 2.5i has a 2.5-liter engine that makes 184 horsepower and comes with a five-speed manual gearbox. The 3.0i is 3.0 liters, 225 horsepower, and uses a six-speed. Both models are available with the five-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic manual mode ($1,275). Also available for the 3.0i is BMW's six-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox ($1,500), which is a manual transmission with no clutch pedal, controlled by electronics.

The base model 2.5i comes standard with cruise control, power windows and locks, a six-way power driver's seat, leatherette (vinyl) upholstery. But it's missing some options that many buyers choose in the Premium and Sport Packages. It's possible to option up a 2.5i model to the price of a 3.0i, which includes not only the bigger engine but leather upholstery, cruise control and a premium sound system.

Important standard features for both models include ABS, stability control, dynamic brake control and brake proportion control, traction control, run-flat tires, front and side airbags, and rain-sensing wipers; plus the usual convenience features including remote entry and a sound system with in-dash CD. The standard soft top with heated glass window is manual.

The Premium Package ($3,200) includes the fully automatic top, automatic climate control, eight-way power driver's seat with memory, the on-board computer, BMW Assist and small storage nets. Leather upholstery ($1,150) and a cloth and leather combination ($850) are available. The Sport Package ($1,300) includes 17-inch wheels, fog lights with heated mirrors, sport suspension and Dynamic Driving Control, activated by an "S" for Sport button, which quickens the throttle, steering and shifting of the automatic transmission. Similar packages for the 3.0i cost less because there's more standard equipment, primarily the leather and sound system.

Stand-alone options for the 2.5i include the eight-way power seats ($995), M sport seats ($450), heated seats ($500), automatic soft top ($750), fog lights ($260), Xenon headlights ($700), navigation system ($1,800), BMW Assist ($750) and the premium sound system ($875).

Available Accessories

Additional accessories available from your BMW dealer include a hard top ($2,575), an aerodynamic kit with a serious-looking front air dam ($1,164); an ugly curvy rear spoiler ($220); wind deflector ($185); and two sets of wheels: handsome 20-spoke "turbo-blade" 17-inch wheels ($1,391), the same wheels that are in the 2.5i Sport Package; and an 18-inch set with five spokes, showing most of the brake rotors ($2,240). Walkaround

BMW's chief designer, American Chris Bangel, has gained notoriety for the edgy direction he's taken BMW, but there can be no arguing that BMW's styling was long overdue for an overhaul. It's "convex playing off concave," according to BMW.

The grille, softened at its eight chrome-ringed corners and having dark vertical bars, and the exotic headlamps work well together. The fenders are smoothly bulged, and our Sport Package 17-inch silver alloy 20-spoke wheels looked terrific. The 18-inch five-spoke wheels aren't nearly as stylish, but they're 8.5 inches in the rear, and with big wide rear tires the Z4 would lose some of its grace while marking its owner as a closet muscle-car guy. The rollover protection is two looped bars behind the front seats, covered by gray plastic, with a seam, which looks unfortunately cheap.

Features and Interior Styling

We put more than 450 miles on our Z4, including one hard six-hour drive, and felt nary a sore bone thanks to the excellent seats. The aluminum spoke steering wheel is nice, an appropriate size for spirited cornering, and contains buttons for the sound system and optional cruise control. The standard halogen low-beam headlights seemed shockingly dim, so we'd recommend getting the $700 bi-xenon headlamps.

First Drive 05

The Z4 is a sensuous sports car, not a visceral one. It's the ultimate smooth sports car. The 24-valve inline six-cylinder engine is bliss, crooning its way into your heart, and the five-speed gearbox is virtually idiot-proof, or maybe that should be jerk-proof, because that's what it never does. Meanwhile, the handling and brakes are typically (if not universally) BMW: almost flawless. It's not a racer's sports car.

The vented disc brakes, with ABS, front-rear proportioning and electronic brake assist, are typically BMW-brilliant, although we managed to get them to smell hot during one intense long downhill curving stretch; but they only smelled, they didn't fade. The 2.5-liter engine makes a modest 184 horsepower, but it's good horsepower, ample as well as sweet. It's definitely not slow, and it sounds surprisingly great, with a built-in back-pressure deep burble at low rpm. If you need more performance, the 3.0-liter delivers 225 horsepower, 214 pound-feet, and has a six-speed gearbox. Changing gears with the manual was so easy and satisfying that we can't imagine wanting an automatic transmission, but the five-speed Steptronic with manual control is a good option. As for the high-tech Sequential Manual Gearbox, this is a gearbox for racers. We've tested an M3 with that gearbox, and found it interesting, aggressive, and fun but imperfect.

Conclusion 2005

The BMW Z4 Roadster succeeds as a replacement for the Z3 with room to spare. Its styling is controversial, but that's a buyer's call to make; like it or not, it's dramatic. The 2.5-liter engine is supremely sweet and fast enough to be worthy of the rest of the car's good qualities, in particular handling, ride and brakes. The 3.0-liter engine offers the power a performance-minded buyer would need, along with a six-speed gearbox. The power soft top makes the Z4 totally comfortable and civilized. For an overview, prices and more information visit Automotive.com At a base retail price of $34,300 with leatherette interior and simple manual top with one-handed release, an entry-level Z4 is an affordable and excellent BMW sports car with all the BMW engineering strengths.