BMW Z4 Coupe In Depth
Purist and authentic
January 25, 2006 7:56 PM
Filed Under: BMW, German
Press Release
Short Story
The new car was thrilling to behold from the very first moment - and now this thrilling encounter is confirmed in full by the actual driving experience: The BMW Z4 Coupé is setting out to give the friends and aficionados of two-seater sports cars a truly unique experience on the road. Right from the start, the BMW Z4 Coupé Concept Car presented at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show successfully aroused emotions, a feeling of desire, and great expectations.
Now these wishes are becoming reality in the production model, offering unique qualities from the very first mile. For BMW's new Coupé was conceived from the start for sports motoring of the highest standard, featuring a weight-optimised body, a chassis and suspension superior in every situation, as well as a 195 kW/265 hp straight-six power unit setting the standard worldwide in its class. In particular, however, the BMW Z4 Coupé offers supreme harmony in style, concept, and technology, the car's performance impressively confirming the expectations aroused from the start by the powerful and elegant design lines.
The additional power and performance generated by the new six-cylinder engine is transferred into pure dynamics by the ultra-modern chassis and suspension. And whenever agility and nimble behaviour are absolutely essential, the strong but light body structure makes an important contribution. So that in the segment of two-seater sports cars, the BMW Z4 Coupé ideally lives out all the qualities arousing such great interest in cars of this kind.
Purist and authentic - the design of the BMW Z4 Coupé.
The new BMW Z4 Coupé simply looks agile and dynamic right from the start. With its classic coupé silhouette and the "Hofmeister kick" on the rear side windows so typical of the brand, this two-seater stands out from the beginning as a truly sporting BMW. The flowing roof line visibly moves the car's centre of gravity to the rear, right above the rear axle. This impression is then further accentuated by the concave curvature in the middle of the roof, all of the car's design elements interacting to provide powerful, forward-moving dynamic thrust: The new Coupé looks low, dynamic, and fast.
Concentrating on the essential within the interior.
With its clear forms and designs, the interior has a sporting and purist touch, while at the same time boasting a wide range of equipment, high quality materials, and carefully matched colours. To offer the driver individual choice, the BMW Z4 Coupé is available with no less than ten non-metallic and metallic paintwork colours, eight interior colours, two options in either plain leather or gloss leather, as well as five decorative trim versions.
Prize-winning 3.0-litre power unit.
The 3.0-litre six-cylinder featured in the BMW Z4 Coupé 3.0si has won the Engine of the Year Award several times. Maximum output is 195 kW/265 hp at 6,600 rpm, with torque peaking at 315 Nm/232 lb-ft consistently all the way from 2,500-4,000 rpm. And at the same time the engine naturally complies in full with the EU4 and ULEV II emission standards.
This innovative power unit sets the standard worldwide in terms of motoring culture, output per litre, power-to-weight, and specific fuel consumption. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h is in 5.7 seconds, with the car accelerating from 80-120 km/h or 50-75 mph in fourth gear in 5.2 seconds. Top speed is cut off electronically at 250 km/h or 155 mph. Despite this impressive performance, however, the BMW Z4 Coupé 3.0si makes do with just 8.6 litres premium plus/100 km in the EU test cycle, equal to 32.8 mpg Imp.
The car's sound qualities are far less reserved than its fuel consumption, the sound of the engine clearly revealing the focus on superior output and performance: The BMW Z4 Coupé offers the driver and passenger an experience of true authenticity full of power, sporting character, and superior style. This also includes that slight but essential "roughness" in sound so typical of a high-performance engine.
Six gears - either with manual gearshift or automatic.
The BMW Z4 Coupé comes as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox combining short gearshift travel and precise movements of the shift lever with operating forces remaining smooth and consistent at all times. The optional sports automatic transmission, by contrast, offers a genuine sports car feeling combined with superior comfort and leisure in motoring, paddles on the steering wheel allowing the driver to shift gears by hand whenever he wishes.
Chassis and suspension for consistent dynamics, agility, and sportiness.
Driving pleasure to the utmost limit - this is the domain of the BMW Z4 Coupé 3.0si. And indeed, the chassis and suspension built and set up consistently for supreme dynamism offers everything required for this kind of superiority: Well-balanced axle load distribution, a low centre of gravity, as well as rear-wheel drive ensure harmonious driving behaviour, supreme traction and driving performance, as well as extremely high speeds in bends under all conditions. Electromechanical power steering (EPS), in turn, highlights the dynamic and agile set-up of the car.
Additional DSC functions for extra comfort and safety.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control offers a high standard of active safety enhanced to an even higher level by its sub-functions: ASC Automatic Stability Control, for example, controls slip of the drive wheels by reducing engine output wherever required, applying the brakes selectively on a drive wheel about to spin, and thus re-stabilising the car. CBC Cornering Brake Control, in turn, reduces any inclination of the car to oversteer by controlling brake pressure asymmetrically whenever the driver applies the brakes slightly in a bend.
DTC Dynamic Traction Control enables the driver to improve traction at the touch of a button on surfaces with a low frictional coefficient. DBC Dynamic Brake Control maximises brake pressure whenever required, for example in an emergency braking manoeuvre, in order to keep stopping distances to a minimum. The Set-Off Assistant, as the next highlight, briefly applies the brakes when setting off on an uphill gradient to prevent the car from rolling back. The Brake Standby function helps to build up brake pressure more quickly whenever the driver lets go of the gas pedal rapidly, by automatically pre-loading the brake pads in position for braking. Fading Compensation sets off any reduction of brake power by increasing brake pressure as a function of temperature. And last but not least, Automatic Dry Braking optimises the response of the brakes in the wet by keeping the brake discs dry for maximum efficiency.
Puncture-proof tyres with failsafe running qualities.
Runflat tyres featured as standard prevent the tyres from being compressed when empty or jumping off the rim. Even a sudden loss of pressure, therefore, does not endanger the driver, since all the car's control systems remain fully operative. This allows the driver to proceed to the next service station in the event of a puncture, without having to stop at a dangerous place. And in the event of a gradual loss of air, the driver is warned in good time, enabling him to pump up the tyre again when re-fuelling the car and thus avoiding a puncture right from the start.
The body: extremely stiff, stable and light.
A torsionally rigid bodyshell is essential in order to convey the superior performance of the BMW Z4Coupé safely and smoothly to the road at all times. And indeed, featuring torsional stiffness of 32,000 Nm/o, the bodyshell of BMW's new Coupé is extremely stiff and stable in both torsional and flexural terms. This also pays off in passive safety, perfect interaction of the body and safety systems offering the driver and passenger excellent protection in virtually any kind of accident.
Ideal seating position for sports motoring.
The seats adjust to a wide range of different positions and offer very good body support serving not least to give the driver the right kind of direct, undiluted feedback.
The cockpit is also tailored to the driver in every respect, all controls and instruments being positioned in perfect ergonomic arrangement on or around the steering wheel.
Space for two - as well as more than just the usual hand baggage.
Offering luggage capacity of up to 340 litres or 11.9 cubic feet, the BMW Z4 Coupé has a luggage compartment quite exceptional for a two-seater sports car and is able to carry two golf bags, to mention just one example. The integrated roll-up cover alone extends over a volume of 285 litres or 8.6 cu ft. The tailgate is opened via the lock housed conveniently and out of sight in the BMW logo.
Bi-xenon headlights for optimum visibility.
The BMW Z4 Coupé comes as an option with static bi-xenon headlights providing both a high and low beam perfect in quality and intensity. Light rings integrated in the headlights, in turn, form the position lights so typical of BMW. The two-stage Brake Force Display, finally, makes a significant contribution to traffic safety by substantially reducing the risk of collisions from behind.
Optional: top-end HiFi and navigation systems.
The BMW Z4 Coupé comes as an option with two HiFi systems combining brilliant sound of the highest quality with supreme output. The Business sound system features a ten-channel audio amplifier with a total of ten loudspeakers. The Professional HiFi system, in turn, improves the quality of sound once again by a significant degree through the use of special Carver technology.
The Business navigation system uses a DVD comprising geographic data for the whole of Europe and also serves to control the on-board computer, radio and telephone. The Professional navigation system goes even further, also comprising a variably adjustable colour display offering excellent clarity and readability under all light conditions. Both navigation systems may be combined with a telephone firmly installed in the car as yet another optional extra.
Design
The BMW Z4 Coupé combines agility and dynamic performance of the highest standard. The powerful stretched lines of the car are accentuated above all by the low sweep of the roof extending into the rear end and the “Hofmeister kick� so typical of BMW. The recess in the middle of the roof – a classic design feature characterising a genuine sports car – enhances the impression of powerful dynamics. In all, the combination of all the car’s design features creates a powerful forward motion with the new BMW Coupé appearing to literally leap ahead.
The front end: focusing clearly on the road.
Seen from the front, recurring light edges consistently highlight the sporting, almost aggressive overall impression of this outstanding Coupé. With the lines of the engine compartment proceeding forwards from the A-pillars to form a clear letter V and mark the inner edge of the headlights, the shoulder line of the car continues into the front air dam. Together with the outer edges on the air intake, this creates a multiple-V look – an effect drawing down the front end of the car in its overall design to the road to form one complete, harmonious unit.
The wide air intake in the front air dam is defined by firm, dynamic edges all round also comprising the slender foglamps. Together with the black ornamental trim strip on the intake grid, these dynamic edges and the foglamp units accentuate the sheer width of the front end. The typical night design so characteristic of the BMW brand, in turn, is created by light rings serving as the car's position lights. To the outside, the headlights merge directly into white direction indicator light covers.
From the side: the dream dimensions of a genuine sports car.
With its long wheelbase of 2,496 millimetres or 98.3´´, together with very short body overhangs front and rear as well as the greenhouse moved far to the back, the BMW Z4 Coupé meets all the ideal expectations of a genuine sports car aficionado also in its looks. The side view of the car is characterised by the roofline sweeping down dynamically into the rear end. The shoulder line, in turn, visually connects the front wheel arch with the wheel arch at the rear, contrasting clearly with the doorsill line strongly emphasised and rising dynamically towards the rear end of the car. The diagonal line creating a field of tension together with the lines sweeping back from front to rear, finally, takes up the inclination of the windscreen and extends through the BMW logo emphasising the gap between the front axle and the A-pillars and comprising the side direction indicators. A side marker, finally, comes in the wheel arches on the same level as the headlights.
Light-alloy wheels measuring either 17 or 18 inches serve to further highlight the striking design of the car. Apart from classic star-spoke styling so typical of BMW, the BMW Z4 Coupé is also available with wheels in turbine styling and, with tyres varying in size, an additional choice of either star-spoke styling (8 x 17 at the front, 8.5 x 17 inches at the rear) or ellipsoid-spoke (8 x 18 at the front, 8.5 x 18 inches at the rear) wheels.
Seen from behind: unmistakable style and character.
The recess in the roof of the BMW Z4 Coupé also stands out clearly from behind, enhancing the powerful look of the car. The greenhouse – the glazed part of the passenger cell – merges dynamically into the rear end of the
car, emphasising the wheel arches and giving them a particularly powerful and muscular look. The bottom end of the rear lights follow a slightly sweeping line, taking up the flowing shape of the spoiler lip. The horizontal light conductor rods in the rear lights, in turn, form one optical unit together with the third brake light and, particularly in their night design, emphasise the substantial width of the car at the rear.
Lines flowing smoothly along various levels give the rear air dam a three-dimensional effect, the two spoiler lips serving as light edges and moving down the optical centrepoint of the rear. The final feature adding the ultimate touch of power at the rear end of the car is the extra-large chrome-plated dual tailpipes so typical of the BMW Z4 Coupé.
Tailgate and “Hofmeister kick�.
The tailgate is hinged directly behind the seats on the roof of the car. The sideline extends almost unnoticed along the rear side windows, finally merging into the horizontal waistline. This maintains the sporting window graphics of the rear side windows with that typical “Hofmeister kick� even with the tailgate open. To open up and access the luggage compartment, finally, all the driver has to do is open the lock housed conveniently and discreetly within the BMW logo.
A genuine sports car also inside.
The interior of the BMW Z4 Coupé offers a particularly sporting, purist touch. Clear shapes, high-quality materials and carefully selected colours consciously reduce the interior to the essential, for the sheer joy of sports motoring.
The roof liner is made of high-quality Beige or Grey cloth, with Anthracite available as an option. The lining follows the recess in the roof, thus providing an ambience inside again reminiscent of motorsport – which is precisely why the centre section in the bulkhead also shows a slight concave recess improving visibility to the rear and making the interior even more open and visually accessible. A special box for sunglasses, finally, comes in the upper frame above the windscreen.
The low seating position and the distinctive horizontal look of the instrument panel again emphasise the proportions of the BMW Z4 Coupé, the tense surfaces on the dashboard taking up the lines and overall look of the exterior. Indeed, positively and negatively intertwining surfaces create a feeling of powerful tension reflected by the design of the door linings, the door handles and the spokes on the steering wheel. The air conditioning and fresh air adjusters are galvanically treated in pearl gloss ruthenium and present a particular highlight in both their looks and surface touch.
The customer opting for the BMW Z4 Coupé naturally has a very wide range of choice in creating his – or her – very own, personal car: Apart from ten highly attractive non-metallic and metallic paintwork colours, there are eight interior colours, two trim versions in regular leather and gloss leather, as well as five different choices of trim.
Drivetrain
The 3.0-litre power unit featured in the BMW Z4 Coupé is the consistent, ongoing development of an engine already widely lauded and winning numerous awards: This straight-six has received the Engine of the Year Award, the engine “Oscar� in the industry, several times in acknowledgement of its outstanding qualities.
Now, in its latest configuration, the new engine excels as the most innovative six-cylinder in its class, setting the standard worldwide in terms of motoring culture. Further superlatives are the highest output per litre, the best power-to-weight ratio, and the lowest level of specific fuel consumption.
Maximum output of this outstanding straight-six is195 kW/265 hp at 6,600 rpm, with an equally impressive peak torque of 315 Newton-metres or 232 lb-ft maintained consistently between 2,500 and 4,000 rpm. The engine’s emission behaviour is equally impressive, complying in full with the EU4 and ULEV II emission standards.
Weighing just 161 kilos or 355 lb, this six-cylinder is the lightest engine in the world in its performance class. The power-to-weight ratio, in turn, is 1.21 kW or 1.65 hp per kilo, again an advantage of consistent lightweight technology using innovative production methods. The crankcase, for example, is made of a composite aluminium/magnesium structure, the bedplate and cylinder head cover are made almost entirely of magnesium.
VALVETRONIC for even more efficient combustion.
VALVETRONIC masterminds the opening period and timing of the intake valves infinitely and as a function of gas pedal position. This minimises the energy required in the cylinder charge cycle and ensures optimum fuel efficiency as well as even better engine response.
BMW VALVETRONC is combined with infinitely adjustable BMW double-VANOS, variable camshaft adjustment for both the intake and outlet valves. The VANOS adjusters and the sprocket on the adjuster unit are made entirely of aluminium.
Other revolutionary innovations are the electrical water pump operating independently of engine speed only when the engine really requires cooling, as well as the camshafts made in an internal high-pressure moulding
process pressing them into their appropriate waved configuration under 4,000 bar water pressure.
Weight-saving, defect-resistant single-belt drive of all ancillary units as well as the three-stage resonance intake system minimising flow losses and maximising the cylinder charge for even more torque at lower engine speeds, are further highlights in technology deserving special mention.
High-calibre performance and efficiency all round.
The BMW Z4 Coupé 3.0si sets the standard also in terms of performance and efficiency, accelerating from 0–100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and completing the 80–120 km/h sprint in fourth gear in an equally impressive 5.2 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 250 km/h or 155 mph. And despite this outstanding performance, the Z4 Coupé makes do with just 8.6 litres premium plus/100 km in the EU test cycle, equal to 32.8 mpg Imp.
The supreme spontaneity of the engine will thrill the driver from the beginning when barely stroking the gas pedal – especially as this thrilling experience is further enhanced by BMW’s Dynamic Drive Control: Pressing the DDC button, the driver activates the sports mode for even more spontaneous engine output and performance, with engine management following an even more sporting gas pedal control line. If the car is fitted with automatic transmission, in turn, the sports mode revs up the individual gears to an even higher speed and shifts gears even faster without any noticeable interruption in the flow of power. Even the car's steering characteristics are more direct and offer even greater agility in the sports mode.
Unmistakable sound.
An authentic engine sound is essential to the sports car enthusiast – and with BMW the sound of the engine is indeed one of the main brand values. Precisely this is why the straight-six power unit offers a unique sound of power, sporting and superior performance throughout its entire range of engine speed. So with its precise and spontaneous acoustic feedback, as well as a certain touch of “roughness� in its sound, the BMW Z4 Coupé is extremely impressive not just to behold, but also to hear.
Six gears – manual or automatic.
The Z4 Coupé comes as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox boasting short shift travel, superior running smoothness, and precise guidance of the gearshift lever with operating forces remaining consistent at all times. With the increments between the six gears being kept to a minimum, and with the large range of ratios between the lowest and highest gear, the driver benefits from an ideal transmission ratio at all engine speeds. So whether he wishes to set off dynamically, accelerate all-out, or overtake another vehicle in powerful, superior style, the transmission helps to provide a truly sporting driving experience in every respect.
Automatic sports transmission with gearshift paddles.
BMW’s automatic sports transmission available as an option also offers all the enjoyment of driving a genuine sports car – much more so, indeed, than the experience of a conventional automatic transmission.The special six-speed sports automatic in the BMW Z4 Coupé changes gears with a truly dynamic spirit, interacting with the close increments between the six gears and the large range of gear ratios between the lowest and highest gear to offer superior, dynamic performance right from the start even in the D mode and thus improving the car’s dynamics particularly when setting off and accelerating.
A further advantage of the automatic sports transmission is the freedom it gives the driver: Paddles on the steering wheel allow him to shift gears quickly and safely through manual control. And like in the automatic mode, the gearbox shifts up and down manually with interim gas faster than a conventional automatic transmission. As an alternative, all the driver has to do is briefly flick the selector lever forward or backward in order to shift gears manually through the integrated Steptronic function.
To activate the automatic transmission for this purpose, the driver merely moves the selector lever to the appropriate gearshift lane or presses the paddles appropriately. The automatic mode will then re-activate itself whenever the driver does not touch the paddles or the selector lever within the next 12 seconds.
Chassis and Suspension
The BMW Z4 Coupé offers supreme driving pleasure to the extreme limit. Indeed, this two-seater sports car enters new dimensions in driving dynamics only a few production cars are able to reach in the first place. The unique agility provided in this way is attributable to the unusually good harmony of vehicle weight and engine output, torsional body stiffness and sophisticated chassis technology.
Driving the BMW Z4 Coupé in sporting style means enjoying the full performance and thrust of the six-cylinder power unit translated into pure driving dynamics in virtually every situation.
Sophisticated, highly developed control systems ensure that the car never exceeds the limits to driving dynamics, maintaining a supreme standard of active safety without in any way curtailing the dynamic character of this outstanding two-seater by intervening prematurely.
The chassis and suspension of the BMW Z4 Coupé forms an ideal partner for the powerful six-cylinder engine. In its fundamental features the suspension is based on the BMW 3 Series also quite exceptional in its class, although the springs and dampers as well as the suspension kinematics and elastokinematics have been modified and enhanced to an even higher standard of all-round agility and handling.
Well-balanced axle load distribution, a low centre of gravity, as well as rear-wheel drive relieving the steering completely of drive forces offer optimum conditions for harmonious driving behaviour, very good traction and driving stability, as well as unusually high speeds in bends.
The very wide overall track of the car compared with the dimensions of the body, as well as the use of firm anti-roll bars on both axles, contributes directly to the car’s driving stability, offering benefits very noticeable to the driver. The result is a driving experience of the highest calibre, with all the agility and dynamics of a thoroughbred sports car.
The spring strut front axle with forged aluminium track control arms, twin-sleeve gas-pressure dampers, rack-and-pinion steering, and anti-roll bars, ensures optimum road contact at all times. The central arm axle at the rear, complete with twin-sleeve gas-pressure dampers and an anti-roll bar, in turn, provides an optimum link between the rear axle subframe and the body of the car. This, in turn, sets the standard for very safe handling and avoids any kind of unwanted steering effects.
To enjoy an even more sporting style of motoring and performance, the genuine enthusiast can also opt for sports suspension lowering the entire car by 15 millimetres or almost 0.6´´.
Featured as standard, the runflat tyres have been developed especially for the Z4 Coupé with its dynamic and sporting character.
DSC offering safe driving pleasure all the way to the limit.
The suspension control systems featured on the car again follow BMW’s philosophy, not serving as additional suspension assistance, but rather enhancing driving pleasure to an even higher standard or, alternatively, helping to master critical driving situations when going to the limit. Anything else would be simply superfluous, since the suspension already has very substantial safety reserves to begin with.
The BMW Z4 Coupé features the latest generation of DSC Dynamic Stability Control. This control system developed especially for BMW’s sporting models was originally conceived to enhance driving safety on slippery surfaces by applying the brakes specifically on individual wheels – for example in an abrupt manoeuvre or with the car starting to become unstable in a bend. Today DSC offers a far wider range of functions in terms of sporting performance, safety, and comfort. As an example, ASC Automatic Stability Control masterminds wheel slip by reducing engine power when required, applying the brakes selectively on a drive wheel threatening to spin, and thus re-stabilising the car. CBC Cornering Brake Control, in turn, incorporates asymmetric brake pressure regulation reducing possible oversteer of the car when applying the brakes slightly in a bend.
Higher traction for extra momentum.
DTC Dynamic Traction Control also integrated in the DSC stability system enables the driver to improve traction and, accordingly, drive power at the touch of a button on surfaces with greater driving resistance such as deep snow. A further advantage of DTC is that the driver is able to set the driving behaviour of the BMW Z4 Coupé to even higher dynamic standards, capitalising even more than usual on the car’s sporting character. As an example, DTC allows an increase in slip on the rear wheels, with traction being priorised at low to medium road speeds and then gradually reduced as the car starts to travel faster. Further criteria are also taken into account to adjust the higher slip thresholds to current driving conditions. This allows the motorist to drive the BMW Z4 Coupé in almost the same agile style as with a limited-slip differential, without impairing the safety function of DSC when reaching extreme limits.
Additional functions making DSC even more efficient.
DSC offers a whole range of additional useful functions: DBC Dynamic Brake Control, for example, maximises brake pressure when the driver applies the brakes in an emergency. The Set-Off Assistant briefly applies the brakes when setting off on a gradient, to prevent the car from rolling back. Fading Compensation serves to automatically enhance road safety by minimising any fading of the brakes, while Brake Standby automatically pre-loads the brake pads for immediate brake action. Automatic Dry Braking of the brake discs, finally, improves brake response when driving in the wet.
Electric Power Steering for optimum steering qualities.
Electromechanical power steering enhances the dynamic and agile set-up of the suspension. The main component on this electric steering unit is an electric motor on the steering column operating in conjunction with a worm gear to enhance steering assistance. Steering forces are transmitted by an interim shaft in the steering to a mechanical steering transmission adjusting the position of the steering and the steering lock by way of thrust bars.
With the steering being set by means of sophisticated software, EPS allows a very high level of flexibility in choosing the optimum steering characteristics, provides an optimum compromise between the damping effect on the steering and feedback from the road, and minimises operating forces at low speeds and when manoeuvring. A further point is the optimum return motion of the steering wheel to its centre position after a bend. And in the DDC sports mode, finally, steering power assistance is reduced for an even more dynamic and more sporting feeling on the road.
Benefiting from EPS Electric Power Steering, the driver enjoys an even higher standard of steering comfort and superior steering precision on bad roads, with bumps on the road or imbalanced wheels not coming through all the way to the steering wheel. The last but equally important point is that EPS helps to save fuel, since it does not require any energy as long as the driver does not move the steering while the car is driving straight ahead. Compared with conventional power steering, this means a reduction in fuel consumption of up to one litre on 400 kilometres or 250 miles.
Brakes with optimum performance.
The brake system in the BMW Z4 Coupé is optimised for minimum weight in order to give the car even greater agility. Further benefits are extreme stopping power, good resistance to fading, and a long service life. Measuring 325 x 25 millimetres (12.80 x 0.98´´) up front and 294 x 19 millimetres (11.57 x 0.75´´) at the rear, the brake discs are inner-vented for optimum cooling.
Runflat tyres with failsafe qualities.
The BMW Z4 Coupé comes as standard on puncture-proof runflat tyres. Reinforced side flanks with additional inserts and temperature-resistant rubber compounds prevent the tyre from being compressed when empty or jumping off the rim. Even a sudden, complete loss of pressure does not endanger the driver – also because all control systems remain fully functional. This allows the driver to proceed to the nearest service station without having to stop at a dangerous point. And doing without a spare or emergency wheel as well as a car jack, the weight of the car is reduced by more than 20 kilos or 44 lb, again in the interest of enhanced agility and dynamics.
Warning in the event of a pressure loss.
In the event of a gradual loss of pressure accounting in statistical terms for approximately 80 per cent of all tyre problems, the electronic TPC Tyre Pressure Control system warns the driver via a display in the instrument panel. The system responds shortly after setting off or from a road speed of 15 km/h, such an early warning enabling the driver to rectify tyre pressure in good time.
Runflat tyres drive and behave in the same way as conventional tyres.
The wheel rims used are fully compatible, meaning that if necessary a “normal� tyre may also be fitted on a runflat rim. And as a further advantage runflat technology is available both on summer and winter tyres.
Body and Passive Safety
A particularly agile new sports car, the BMW Z4 Coupé rests on the foundation of an equally agile and dynamic Roadster. So there is no reason for the new Coupé to deny its close relationship with its open-air counterpart.
From the start, the BMW Z4 Roadster has always benefited greatly from its unusually stiff bodyshell, even though the car does not have a fixed roof. Now, on the Z4 Coupé, the roof makes an additional contribution in enhancing the torsional stiffness of the entire car to an even higher level: With its torsional stiffness of 32,000 Nm/o, the bodyshell of the BMW Z4 Coupé is the leader among all its competitors.
This supreme stiffness and stability is made possible by the body-in-white with its so-called Y-arms splitting upfront of the bulkhead into one arm leading to the door sills, another leading to the central tunnel. Torsional stiffness is then further enhanced by reinforcement bars and panels in the underfloor, on the spring strut domes, and around the windscreen frame.
A further asset of the body is its very low weight: Despite its steel roof, the rear window and the rear side windows, the Coupé is only slightly heavier than the open two-seater. The weight-optimised concept of the car with its lightweight technology highlights an engine compartment lid made of aluminium, the rollover safety system integrated in the bodyshell and roof structure, and the use of high-strength steel. Production methods such as inner high-pressure moulding allow optimum design and weight reduction of the windscreen frame, without any welding flanges disturbing this process of optimisation.
Acting together, the stiff bodyshell and the low mass of the car solve the conflict of interest between vibration comfort and the sporting set-up of the suspension. Bumps on the road have hardly any influence on the geometry of the body structure and therefore do not affect the chassis and suspension. So in conjunction with the firm springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, the BMW Z4 Coupé offers perfect driving characteristics with direct and precise feedback to the driver.
High standard of occupant safety.
The superior level of passive safety already offered by the BMW Z4 Roadster is further augmented in the BMW Z4 Coupé by the closed steel roof structure providing additional rollover safety and the body crossbars in the bulkhead. Crash-optimised footwell plates serve additionally to minimise any intrusion into the passenger compartment.
Relatively long deformation elements in steel shell structure are bolted on to the front chassis arms and hold the bumper system in position. This avoids any damage to the body in minor collisions and helps to reduce the cost of repair.
Interacting safety systems.
BMW's Advanced Safety Electronics (ASE) mastermind a total of four frontal and side airbags. The satellites linked to the system control the activation of the airbags and belt latch tensioners as required in each case. These modules measure and calculate safety requirements independently, responding automatically and supervising one another. Where necessary, ASE will also separate the safety battery terminal, deactivate the alternator and switch off the fuel pump, open the central locking, and switch on both the interior lights as well as the hazard warning flashers. In conjunction with a car telephone and the Professional or Business navigation system, the BMW Assist telematics service will activate an emergency signal, inform the Rescue Centre of the location of the car, and establish a voice communication link.
The occupants benefit from this perfect interplay of the body and safety systems in virtually every respect, the BMW Z4 Coupé offering them optimum protection in practically all conceivable kinds of accidents.
Features and Equipment
Less is more: The BMW Z4 Coupé is designed to offer an undiluted experience of driving pleasure in its original form. Precisely this is why the car intentionally does without everything that might impair the pure driving experience so important to the genuine enthusiast and aficionado. Within the BMW Z4 Coupé, you will therefore find a sporting, purist ambience combined, nevertheless, with noticeable premium features.
Functional and authentic flair.
The driver and passenger riding in the BMW Z4 Coupé enjoy classic sports car design: everything is purist, functional, and authentic. The dominating instruments are the speedometer and rev counter housed beneath binnacles to prevent any reflection in the windscreen. The LCD display of the on-board computer is integrated in the speedometer, the fuel gauge and coolant temperature gauge are housed in the rev counter. The gear selector on cars fitted with automatic sports transmission, as well as the warning lights, are arranged between the two circular dials. The heating and air conditioning are both controlled by three rotary knobs in the instrument panel above the centre console right beneath the control panel for the radio or HiFi system. A special box for glasses, finally, comes in the front section of the roof lining.
Good seats – the prerequisite for sports motoring.
The seats in the BMW Z4 Coupé are both comfortable and ergonomic in one. Offering good side support, they adjust individually as required, also for very tall and very short occupants. A special feature available on request is electrical seat adjustment complete with a memory function.
M sports seats with particularly firm upholstery are also available as optional extras, offering even better side support above all under very sporting and dynamic driving conditions.
The wide range of seat adjustment is supplemented by the steering column adjustable for both reach and angle. The leather steering wheel, in turn, ensures very good grip in the interest of precise handling and control. Available as an option, the multifunction steering wheel makes it easier for the driver to concentrate on the actual process of driving the car, operating both the telephone and radio through buttons on the steering wheel.
Using the Isofix fastening points available as an option, the driver can attach a child seat on the front passenger’s side, then simply flicking a switch in the centre console to deactivate the front passenger airbag. This deactivation function is also included in the ASE System, with a warning light coming on to inform the driver that the airbag on the passenger’s side is not operative.
Ample space for a holiday for two.
The BMW Z4 Coupé offers remarkable storage space for a sports car: a glove box, two firm pockets in the doors, and a compartment in the rear bulkhead with approximately 10 litres capacity and locked automatically together with the central locking. Two further boxes to the right and left of this central compartment offer a capacity of 3.7 litres each.
Another small storage box behind the handbrake lever serves to take up coins for parking or similar odds and ends. The two cupholders in the instrument panel fold out for extra convenience and adjust just as conveniently to cups or cans of various sizes.
Two golf bags fitting within the rear compartment.
Quite unlike most sports cars, the BMW Z4 Coupé offers a large luggage compartment beneath its tailgate and roll-up cover with a volume of no less than 285 litres or 9.98 cubic feet – enough for, say, two golf bags or four crates of beverages. And loading in luggage above the top end of the partition wall, the driver can fit more than 340 litres or 11.9 cubic feet into the luggage compartment.
The luggage compartment is lined by a particularly robust, high-quality delour material. The tailgate itself, finally, swings up easily and smoothly to a high angle thanks to the assistance provided by two gas pressure dampers, allowing easy loading and unloading.
Luggage racks for skis or mountain bikes are available as an option, fitting conveniently into a holder in the rear bumper. To open the tailgate with a luggage rack in position, all the driver has to do is tilt the rack to the side, with the holders for the luggage rack in the rear bumper being invisible from outside.
Bi-xenon headlights for optimum visibility.
The BMW Z4 Coupé comes as standard with dual halogen headlights. Featuring high-intensity H7 bulbs for both the high and low beam, the headlights ensure smooth and homogeneous illumination of the road ahead, thus contributing to the high standard of active safety offered by the car.
Bi-xenon headlights available as an option guarantee maximum low- and high-beam light quality, beam distribution being ensured in both cases by a shutter moved electromagnetically in front of the xenon bulb. Headlight range control is automatic and light rings give the car the round positioning lights so typical of a BMW.
Enhanced safety: two-stage Adaptive Brake Lights.
Two-stage Adaptive Brake Lights help to minimise the risk of collision from behind by warning motorists following the car in good time and very clearly how hard the driver of the BMW Z4 Coupé is applying the brakes: When applying the brakes under normal conditions, the brake lights on either side and the third, higher brake light in the middle will come on with their usual brightness and intensity. Should the driver apply the brakes hard or with ABS intervening, on the other hand, the areas illuminated in the rear lights are larger. This clearly shows the motorist following from behind that the driver ahead is applying the brakes all-out in an emergency, prompting him to brake much harder, too, in the interest of a shorter stopping distance.
A special option: top-end HiFi systems.
Apart from the “regular� sound system, the BMW Z4 Coupé is available as an option with two HiFi systems ensuring brilliant sound and outstanding performance. System linearity has been optimised by an equaliser in the amplifier matched specifically to the passenger compartment. The first of these two systems features a ten-channel audio amplifier, four 40 W woofers and six 25 W subwoofers and tweeters. The terminal booster, in turn, has an output of 10 x 20 W.
The Professional HiFi system features so-called Carver technology generating enormously high sound pressure by combining the volume of the right-hand and left-hand subwoofers. To provide this particular effect, one of the woofers is furthermore combined with a powerful terminal stage providing not only an output voltage of 30 V, but also the appropriate signal processing function ensuring that the loudspeaker does not destroy itself.
The layout of this particular system is fundamentally the same as on the HiFi loudspeaker system, but with a digital ten-channel audio amplifier complete with a sound processor and subwoofers generating an output of 100 W.
Two navigation systems with DVD memory as an option.
The Business navigation system integrated in the instrument panel uses data from a DVD with enormous geographic coverage: Thanks to its extremely dense memory, the DVD is able to cover the whole of Europe.
Combined with a fast processor, the navigation system is able to immediately calculate a new route if, for example, the driver leaves his current route. The navigation system also serves to control the on-board computer, radio, and telephone, and the monochromatic LC display generally used for navigation purposes may also present short messages and news. The optional CD player or CD changer available in each case for the various systems is able to run with MP3 technology.
Over and above these features, the Professional navigation system comes with a folding 16 : 9 colour monitor of the latest generation housed in the middle of the instrument panel. Swivelling around its own axis, the colour monitor opens up automatically when the driver presses a button or knob on the radio and closes again when the driver pulls the key out of the ignition. The monitor may also be adjusted either electrically or manually at the touch of a button, and may be folded in entirely when not required.
Featuring new surface film technology, the display is very easy to read under all light conditions, a special anti-reflection film below the surface preventing reflections on the windscreen. Both navigation systems may be combined with a telephone fitted in the car as an optional extra.
Automatic air conditioning and sun protection glass.
Available as an option, automatic air conditioning allows fully automatic distribution of temperatures and air volume, and comes complete with Automatic Air Circulation (AAC) and an activated carbon microfilter for the interior. Further options are a green shade band in the windscreen and sun protection glazing on all side windows and the rear window.