Motors North

BMW Z4 sDrive 23i

AS driving toys go, nothing comes quite as close for sheer satisfaction as the new BMW Z4.

Compared to the hard-riding Z3 and its successor, the first Z4 in 2003, the new Z4 is an entirely different and far better beast.

The first BMW Z cars were built at the firm’s Spartanburg plant in South Carolina – but the good news is that the latest Z4 is a pure German product built at Regensburg alongside the 1 Series and 3 Series.

The previous Z4 was a massive improvement in every respect to the Z3, but it was still a rather raw roadster. Its replacement is far more refined, roomier and easier on the eye.

It may have the luggage capacity of a shopping trolley with the powered two-part metal roof folded away, but I can forgive this two-seater anything.

It’s brilliant – BMW’s best sports car and a class act in the premium sector.

I found it impossible to stay out of this car. After its launch at Torridon I returned to the west coast to power it up the 2,000-foot plus climb over Bealach na Ba and into Applecross and even took it on a crazy drive north from Forres to the northern tip of the Orcadian mainland and back in one day!

In any other car it would have been a chore – in the Z4 23i it was a sheer delight.

Taking driving breaks only on the comfortable Northlink ferry Hamnavoe and grabbing a bite to eat at Marwick Head and Kirkwall, I can honestly say the Z4 experience was one of the best – and believe me I’ve had a few.

It’s not that the 204bhp 2.5 litre straight-six heart of the entry-level 23i makes the Z4 particularly fast – it’s the car’s ability to soak up mile after mile of narrow north tarmac and deliver an amazingly soft and supple ride.

The precision of the electric steering, chassis stiffness, outstanding suspension and hugging seats add up to near perfection.

What a grand tourer, what a car!

Near perfection? Well yes. With the roof up there was some unexpected movement in the structure that delivered a few distant groans. And if I was being really picky I’d have to say the view over its bulging bonnet hides the fact that you have a really long nose out there in front of you that is a hazard when you come to park.

But I can live with that – especially as the test car was fitted with a £590 Park Distance system front and rear. That’s money well spent.

Like most BMWs my £28,645 on-the-road price sDrive 23i came with a lot of optional extras that added £3395 to the price.

Some I could have lived without like the £280 seat heating, a £155 “storage compartment package” (whatever that is), the £160 through-loading port, the £310 “Turbine spoke” alloys and £190 folding door mirrors.

But the outstanding adaptive M Sport suspension at £930, distance sensors and wind deflector are essentials – they just top off perfection and add up to £1725 to the basic car’s drive-away price. That’s pretty good value for such an incredibly able sports car.

The overall visibility from the driving position is excellent. The roof’s glass rear window is big and BMW’s decision to give the Z4 four powered side windows is nothing short of design genius that looks good and lets plenty of lightness into the cabin.

The clever part about the roof is that when it’s down, and the small but effective £205 wind deflector is in place between the seat headrests, the wind buffet factor is minimal up to 70mph. And when it gets too wet or parky you can pull over and raise the roof in 20 seconds and still enjoy some open air feel by leaving the quartet of side windows rolled down.

Some colleagues were surprised that the Z4’s roof could not be operated while the car was moving. I think that’s a fair option. The new Audi A5 Cabriolet can be driven up to 31mph with the roof operating – but I see little need for the function.

For a start it’s distracting for the driver and secondly the slipstream, even at a brisk walking pace, puts unnecessary load on the mechanism as it struggles against the wind. That will only accelerate wear and tear in the system.

BMW has taken the sensible route. It may take a little longer to raise and lower the roof and mean pulling over – but what’s the hurry in such a fantastic car?

At the launch, I drove two of three Z4 models – the 306bhp twin-turbo flagship 35i and the baby 23i with an adequate 204bhp. Both are highly-developed lightweight magnesium-alloy straight six-cylinder petrol units with lightning responses, incredible pulling power and surprising economy.

But, cruising through the west coast and as far as Orkney, it was the modest 23i model’s sophistication and refinement that stood out. It’s the model that makes most sense in cash terms, driveability and comfort.

The suspension can be switched between soft “Normal”, firmer “Sport” and firm with no traction control “Sport +”. The trio of settings were a good spread – “Normal” was ultra comfortable for long cruises like my drive to Orkney while “Sport” firms up and sharpens the Z4’s feel on twisty single trackers without rattling your fillings. Cutting out traction control on “Sport+” makes little sense unless you need to crank your Z4 through deep snow – but that’s up to the individual driver. Personally I left it alone.

Everything about this car impressed me. The cabin is genuinely roomy and airy, the dash, though still sporting rather too much of BMW’s love affair with a satin alloy look, is pleasing on the eye with great instrumentation and switchgear. Better still is the option that allows you to choose some attractive wood finishes to complement the alloy trim – an option I’d happily buy into.

This is a great looking car. It attracted envious glances everywhere I went.

The body is hard-edged and chined like a motor torpedo boat, but unlike the previous Z4 this one is elegant, flowing and sensuous.

The model line-up, from entry-level 2.5 litre 204bhp sDrive 23i at £28,645, through three-litre mid-range sDrive 30i with 258bhp at £32,660, to the three-litre 306bhp twin-turbo sDrive 35i from £37,060, is exceptional.

But I found the 23i Z4 hard to fault. It delivered one of the best weeks of sports car motoring I’ve enjoyed for years – and that’s high praise from someone who is turning into a cynic.

The Z4 is a driver’s car – but it’s no bone shaker. It’s a quick gentleman’s carriage that will tour at a steady 33mpg and trundle through town all day at 25mpg.

I fell in love with this coupe/roadster – a real delight.

Rating: 8.5/10

FINAL THOUGHT: Just as the last Z4 was a massive improvement on the Z3, the latest Z4 has lifted the BMW roadster game to new heights. It’s the most comfortable and precise two-seat sports car I’ve driven and has the poise and responses of a true thoroughbred. Despite the availability of bigger engines the 2.5 litre sDrive 23i is a perfect car for northern Scottish roads.

BMW Z4 sDrive 23i

Price: £28,645
Capacity: 2497cc
Power: 204bhp
0-62mph: 6.6 seconds
Maximum speed: 151mph
Economy: Combined 33.2mpg; Urban 22.8mpg
CO2 emissions: 199g/km
ESP: Standard
Insurance: Group 17

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BMW Z4 sDrive 23i