A new design registration listing – discovered by Autoweek in the Netherlands – reveals some of the fine details of the upcoming BMW Z4 Roadster. Just like in the Concept version, the G29 Z4 features the wide kidney grille with a star mesh in the center, along with the stacked headlights which are quite unique to the BMW lineup.
The Z4 images embedded here showcased once again the soft-top roof, rather than the current car’s folding metal top. Soft tops not only look more elegant but they’re significantly lighter and less complicated.
The lower bumper design stands out with a series of styling cues, from the large air intakes to the horizontal bar connecting the two upper corners of the bumper. On the side, one could easily notice the large air vents which help with brake and engine cooling. In the back, we can see the typical L-shaped taillights, along with a subtle trunk spoiler.
At market launch, the US market will offer two models, the four-cylinder 2.0 liter-powered sDrive30i and the M Performance Automobile model – M40i.
Both models will go on sale in Spring 2019 as a 2020 Model Year. Sales of the four-cylinder 30i will start in March 2019 and will be priced in the low $50,000 range, while the G29 Z4 M40i will arrive in April and it’s expected to sale for a base price in the mid-to-high $60,000.
The high-end Z4 makes use of a 3.0 liter six-cylinder engine similar to the one used in the other BMW M40i models, but with different outputs in North America versus Europe. Since the stringent European emission laws now require a particulate filter, the power on the Z4 M40i was neutered to around 335 horsepower.
Luckily, in the US, the Z4 M40i will maintain its power potency and will offer the customers a whooping 382 horsepower. Both versions produce the same 369 lb-ft of torque.
Fans of manually shifting gears are out of luck when it comes to the new Z4, so the two-seat roadster will use the well-known ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. While a manual gearbox is out of the picture, the electronically controlled limited-slip differential is standard which will make the drive more dynamic and intriguing.
