The sDrive35i gets you a more powerful engine, sun-reflective leather upholstery, automatic climate control and brushed aluminum interior trim. We threw the Z4 sDrive35is into corner after corner, finding that it offered so much grip and such good control that we could maintain very high speeds. The top stows in the upper portion of the trunk, above a movable partition that reserves enough luggage space for a few soft bags when the top is down. The M Sport package is standard, so it has a 10 mm lower ride height and different front and rear styling. The E89 Z4 was worth the wait. The Z4 is built in Regensburg, Germany. The Z4 side view shows a slim bubble when the roof is raised.
Cubby storage has long been the bane of roadsters, so particular attention was paid to that. We had the opportunity to drive it on a racetrack and there it felt right at home, hunkering down through corners, accelerating willingly, braking with power, and staying flat and balanced. I hate the cruise control lever on Bimmers. The 35is modifies that styling with horizontal bars in the front outer air intakes and a body-color rear apron with a black lower diffuser. The sDrive30i can dash to 60 mph in 5. The hood of the Z4 is long and low, with the short-deck proportions of a classic roadster. That said, the seats themselves are supportive enough for long trips.
Plus the Z4 sDrive35is benefits from an additional 37 lb-ft of temporary torque delivered with a standard overboost function. The interior of the Z4 isn't very spacious, and while it's just adequate for two adults, there's not room for much else. Unlike many sports cars, in which it seems that heavy steering was a design requirement, the Z4 steering is light around town, weights up nicely with cornering force and reminds us somewhat of the Honda S2000. The top folds into the trunk with Transformers-like mutability. The parking brake is electrically operated by a switch behind the manual shifter, and it does get hot in sunshine, even when on the road. Manual mode was the only choice for real sporting performance out of the Z4 sDrive35is.
Bummer, I was so looking forward to it too. The industry-wide average days in inventory is 51 this month. Once we're back on Southern California freeways, though, it's top of mind. While they may not look like thick armchairs, the seats offer excellent support over multi-hour drives; the sport seats are a bit more confining for those of wider girths yet superb for a spirited drive. The high-performance sDrive35is with the dual-clutch gearbox gets close to a track-day tool.
When I finally had the means to purchase my dream car, Chris Bangle Germany's answer to Sir Mix-a-Lot violated the Z3's successor, the first generation Z4. Outward visibility is good, and a major improvement with the top up. The sDrive35is model carries a hefty premium, but it is the most powerful and the best performer. In fact, the Z4 often feels like it belongs to that bigger, more refined class of luxury roadsters. Yes, it is firmer than the Z4 sDrive35i, but the 35is retains reasonable levels of compliance even in the most extreme Sport+ setting for the electrically controlled dampers.
The rakish design divides some controls in a strong, graphic trim panel, and cants them slightly toward the driver. The recall began on March 13, 2013. Active cruise control is standard; automatic headlamps are a new option for 2010, but lane-departure systems and a rearview camera are not offered. You'll see pretty good mileage—low 20s, likely, in combined driving—with either engine. The transmission's sport setting could be more aggressive.
Adaptive brake lights deliver more red light when you hit the brake pedal hard than when merely slowing mildly. The available premium sound system gets 14 speakers and 650 watts, and the base system has ten speakers and subwoofers, though our editors aren't very impressed with its top-down sound. The tester Z4 sDrive35is does not have power seats, but there are enough manual levers to adjust the seats a million different ways. Aggressive exhaust tuning gives the sDrive35is a great burble. Turn the control wheel from warm to cool and the response is immediate, as is the case with most of the controls. A delightful six-speed manual gearbox is standard on both versions. Climate control is manual in the 30i and automatic dual-zone in the others with an automatic recirculation mode that senses air contaminants.
That's plenty of power for street and track alike. Probably because it is, unlike the first gen Z4, which was manufactured in Spartanburg, North Carolina. New this year is an M Sport Package, which combines the Adaptive M Suspension, exclusive exterior colors, an Anthracite headliner, and an M Sport steering wheel. The antilock brakes also integrate several features designed to improve braking performance, such as periodically wiping the brake rotors dry when the windshield wipers are in use and automatically snugging the pads to the rotors if the driver abruptly lifts off the throttle. Build Quality The Z4 sDrive35is feels like a German-engineered and built car. A body-colored rear diffuser with sculpted exhaust surrounds and silver-colored mirror caps are unique to the Z4is. What the 2011 Z4 lacks in interior space, it makes up for in storage; there's a small cargo shelf behind the seats, a low cargo net to trap objects nearby, and a center console tray, as well as clamshell door pockets.