New BMW Z4 and Z4 M Roadster Unveiled

Press Release

Page 1   - Overview

Page 2   - Z4 Design

Page 3   - Z4 Drivetrain

Page 4   - Z4 Chassis & Suspension

Page 5   - Z4 Body & Passive Safety

Page 6   - Z4 Features & Equipment

Page 7   - M Z4 Design

Page 8   - M Z4 Drivetrain

Page 9   - M Z4 Chassis & Suspension

Page 10 - M Z4 Bodyshell

Page 11 - M Z4 Features & Equipment

Page 12 - Technical Specifications

Features and Equipment

Purist and Authentic

 

Model-Updates – Detail:

 

·         Position lights with light conductor rings.

·         Two-stage Adaptive Brake Lights.

Good motoring starts with the seats of a car – which is precisely why the driver and passenger in the Z4 Roadster enjoy an ideal roadster position, very low down and far behind the car’s centre of gravity and rotation. This gives them a direct feeling for all movements of the car, taking even tight bends rapidly and dynamically becoming a very special experience.

The seats themselves are comfortable and highly ergonomic, offering ex­cellent side support and individual adjustment. Generous fore-and-aft ad­justment gives even the very tall and very small driver and passenger their perfect seating position. The steering column is adjustable for both reach and angle, and extra-large headroom offers further freedom to move and spaciousness inside the car.

The driver and passenger enjoy classic roadster design to the top-quality premium standard: Deliberately kept simple, straightforward, clear, modern, and elegant in design, the interior is simply perfect for driving with the roof down in purist, functional and authentic style.

The main instruments dominating the dashboard are the speedometer and rev counter housed beneath binnacles – an homage to the classic roadster – preventing any reflections in the windscreen. The LCD on-board computer display is integrated in the speedometer, the fuel gauge and coolant gauge are both housed in the rev counter. The selector lever position indicator on automatic transmission models and the control lamps both come between the circular instruments, with three rotary knobs in the dashboard above the centre console serving to control the heating and air conditioning. Right above those knobs is the control area for the radio or HiFi system.

Lots of Space for a Holiday for Two.

The BMW Z4 Roadster offers its passengers ample storage space re­mark­ably large for a roadster: A glovebox, two fixed position door pockets and a storage compartment in the rear bulkhead between the seats offer some 10 litres capacity. The cover on this storage box is locked together with the cen­tral locking, the opening mechanism is oil-dampened for smooth and quiet opening and closing.

Two boxes each offering a capacity of 3.7 litres come in the bulkhead to the right and left of this central compartment (and accommodate the sub-woof­ers on models fitted with a HiFi system as an option). A further small storage box beneath the handbrake lever is very suitable for coins or other odds and ends, and the two cupholders in the instrument panel fold out into position, converting easily and conveniently to various sizes, depending on the beve­rages you are enjoying.

Variable Roof Box for Extra Space in the Luggage Compartment.

Compared with other models featuring a fixed retractable roof, the Z4 Road­­ster offers significant luggage capacity even with the roof open. And to pro­vide even more space when the roof is closed, the variable roof compart­ment made of a special synthetic material can be unlocked and folded up like a collapsible box, increasing luggage capacity from 240 to 260 litres or 8.4 to 9.1 cubic feet – enough space for two golf bags or four crates of bott­les. To avoid damage to the roof or luggage within the boot, a safety cir­cuit prevents the electrohydraulic roof from opening as long as the roof compart­ment is closed. And to meet even more demanding transport requirements, for example, when taking along sports gear, an aluminium railing for the rear lid is available as special equipment.

Special Roof Folding.

The BMW Z4 Roadster comes with a special folding configuration on the roof. Folding up the roof to extremely compact dimensions, the front section comes to a rest above the roof fabric like a cover and forms one line flush with the body of the car – which is why the Z4 Roadster requires neither a tonneau cover nor a roof flap. The noise level inside the car as well as cli­mate comfort, finally, are optimised by an additional roofliner both on the fully automatic and the manually operating roof.

The manually opening roof is held in position by a central lock on the wind­screen frame, opening and closing easily with just one hand. The roof frame made of light magnesium and aluminium components saves significant weight and the heated rear window is made of scratch-proof mineral glass.

As an option the Z4 Roadster is also available with a fully automatic power roof. In this case all you do is press a button and the complete process of opening – or closing – the roof takes place with electromechanical control in just under 10 seconds. Electrohydraulic control serves to fold up the roof and hold it in position, the system then operating in exactly the opposite direction when closing the roof.

Open-Air Motoring without a Draught.

An optional wind deflector system helps to keep draughts to a minimum. The two deflectors are fitted in the opening in the two rollbars and remain in posi­t­ion, with a net being tightened between the rollbars within an additional frame. Should the net not be required, it comes out easily and can be kept conveniently in a special holder within the luggage compartment. A hardtop is also available as special equipment.

Bi-Xenon Headlights for Optimum Visibility.

The BMW Z4 Roadster is fitted as standard with dual halogen headlights, high-power H7 bulbs for the low and high beam homogeneously illuminating the road ahead and making a significant contribution to active driving safety.

Static bi-xenon headlights are available as an option for maximum low- and high-beam intensity. These lights ensure very good distribution of the high and low beam by moving a shutter electromagnetically over the xenon bulb to alter the size and direction of the beam. To avoid any dazzling of oncom­ing traffic, finally, the system comes with automatic headlight range control.

The positioning light function is provided by two light conductor rings, this special feature of the BMW brand therefore now also adorning BMW’s road­ster series.

Extra Safety thanks to Two-Stage Brake Lights.

The new Z4 Roadster benefits from yet another innovation by BMW, two-stage brake lights making a significant contribution to enhanced traffic safe­ty:  The best way to avoid collisions from the rear is to warn road users fol­low­ing from behind clearly and in good time that the driver in front is apply­ing the brakes hard. And precisely this is the information the driver of a vehicle following the BMW will receive: Under normal application of the brakes, the brake lights come on in their standard configuration at the rear and in the third brake light positioned higher up. Whenever the driver brakes hard or when ABS intervenes, on the other hand, the illuminated areas in the rear lights are enlarged accordingly, generating an even clearer signal which a motorist following from behind will intuitively perceive as an emer­gency braking manoeuvre, then responding by braking earlier himself and thus maintaining important stopping distance.

Fresh-Air Enjoyment for Every Age.

With the BMW Z4 Roadste featuring ISOFIX fastening points on the passenger’s seat as standard, fitting a child’s seat is not the slightest problem. In this case a switch complete with a warning light in the centre console enables the driver to deactivate the front passenger airbag, and as a further safety feature this func­tion is included in the ASE safety system.

Perfection in Sound: Top-of-the-Range HiFi Quality.

Everybody knows that an open-air concert can be a wonderful experience. But open spaces create difficult conditions for an audio system. Precisely this is why the Z4 offers not only its “basic� sound system, but also two HiFi systems developed and optimised specifically for his roadster and ensuring excellent brilliance and quality of sound. The equalising effect in the amplifier optimises the linear sound effect.

The first system comprises a ten-channel audio amplifier with four 40 Watt woofers at the front and rear as well as six 25 Watt subwoofers and tweet­ers in the top of the front door sections and behind the backrests.

Opting for the Professional HiFi system, the genuine enthusiast can also enjoy carver technology providing the highest standard of audio quality by generating a very high level of sound pressure through the combined vol­ume of the right- and left-hand subwoofers. This special effect is obtained by combining a woofer with a powerful terminal stage providing not only the output voltage required of 30V, but also the signal processing function serv­ing to protect the loudspeaker from self-destruction. This layout is the same as that of the well-known HiFi loudspeaker system, but incorporates a digital ten-channel audio amplifier complete with a sound processor and 100 W output for the subwoofers in the rear bulkhead.

Two Navigation Systems with DVD Memory as an Option.

The Business navigation system integrated in the dashboard uses data provided by a DVD with a high-density memory providing enormous geo­graphical coverage – the whole of Europe fits on to one single DVD.

Combined with a fast processor, the navigation system is able to imme­di­ately calculate a new routing whenever, for example, the driver leaves his current route. And since this radio navigation unit is a fully integrated sys­tem, it also enables the driver to control the on-board computer, radio and telephone all from one position. The small monochromatic monitor for the navigation system is likewise able to present short messages, and both the CD player as well as the CD changer are fully compatible with MP3 require­ments.

Over an above these sophisticated features, the Professional navigation sys­tem comes with a retractable 16:9 colour monitor of the latest generation positioned right in the middle of the instrument panel. Swivelling round its own axis, the colour monitor opens up automatically as soon as the driver or passenger press a button or switch on the radio, then closing again once
the driver takes the key out of the ignition.

The monitor adjusts electrically or manually at the touch of a button and may also be folded in completely when not required. Using a new screen technol­ogy, the display is not only very easy to read under all light conditions, but also prevents reflections on the windscreen thanks to the special anti-reflec­tion film beneath the surface.

Both navigation systems may be combined with a telephone fitted in the car also as special equipment.