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  • Spy Shots: BMW Z4 M Sport Package

    Spy Shots: BMW Z4 M Sport Package October 29th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 29th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 5 Comments

    Spy Shots: BMW Z4 M Sport Package

    While it isn’t the high-performance Z4 M that we’re all waiting for, BMW is yet to even confirm such a car, this latest prototype spied at the Nurburgring confirms that there will be at least a Z4 with some distinct M styling cues.

    The M Sport Package will include the typical exterior upgrades to give a sharper, sportier appearance, along with interior upgrades to enhance the driver-car interface. New pieces should include a BMW M shifter, M steering wheel and M footrest. Carbon fiber trim is also likely to be available.

    In combination with the M Sports Package, customers will also likely have the choice of exclusive paintwork...

    While it isn’t the high-performance Z4 M that we’re all waiting for, BMW is yet to even confirm such a car, this latest prototype spied at the Nurburgring confirms that there will be at least a Z4 with some distinct M styling cues. The M Sport Package will include the typical exterior upgrades to give a sharper, sportier appearance, along with interior upgrades to enhance the driver-car interface. New pieces should include a BMW M shifter, M steering wheel and M footrest. Carbon fiber trim is also likely to be available. In combination with the M Sports Package, customers will also likely have the choice of exclusive paintwork and wheel designs. What’s not clear is whether or not engineers are also testing a range of new BMW Performance accessories designed for the latest 2010 Z4. Some previous accessories include minor power-up mods, beefier brakes, and transmission upgrades. It looks like we will have to wait until the new Z4 M Sport Package is released early next year. Other models in the BMW fleet available with an M Sport Package include the 1, 3, 5, and 7-Series as well as the X5, which you can read about in our previous story. Read More

  • Candidates for 2010 Car of the Year awards announced

    Candidates for 2010 Car of the Year awards announced June 23rd, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, June 23rd, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 3 Comments

    Candidates for 2010 Car of the Year awards announced Europe’s annual Car of the Year awards is on again and the candidates for the 2010 title have been revealed. As expected, this year’s field includes everything from fuel-efficient minicars to big and brawny luxury saloons and as always some of the choices will be considered quite controversial by many.

    To be eligible, the cars need to be already on sale in different European markets or will be available in time for the voting, and therefore meet the eligibility criteria. The contenders must also be new models available in at least five European countries at the time of voting, with foreseeable minimum sales of 5,000 per year.

    ... Europe’s annual Car of the Year awards is on again and the candidates for the 2010 title have been revealed. As expected, this year’s field includes everything from fuel-efficient minicars to big and brawny luxury saloons and as always some of the choices will be considered quite controversial by many. To be eligible, the cars need to be already on sale in different European markets or will be available in time for the voting, and therefore meet the eligibility criteria. The contenders must also be new models available in at least five European countries at the time of voting, with foreseeable minimum sales of 5,000 per year. The awards are judged by a panel of more than 50 members, representing industry experts and journalists from 23 European countries. National representation on the panel is related to the size of the country's car market and its importance in car manufacturing, with France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain topping the list with six members each. Last year’s winner was the 2009 Opel Insignia sedan, which was picked for its distinctive styling and segment-leading quality. Previous winners included the Fiat 500 in 2008 and the Ford S-Max the year before. This year’s winner will be announced on November 30. The 2010 field is listed below: BMW Z4 Chevrolet Cruze Citroen C3 Picasso Ford Ka Honda Insight Hyundai i20 Hyundai ix55 Kia Sorento Kia Soul Land Rover Discovery IV Lexus RX 450h Mazda3 Mercedes E-Class Mitsubishi Colt Nissan 370Z Nissan Cube Opel/Vauxhall Astra Peugeot 3008 Porsche Panamera Renault Scenic Seat Exeo Skoda Yeti Subaru Legacy Suzuki Alto/Nissan Pixo Toyota Avensis Toyota iQ Toyota Prius Toyota Urban Cruiser Toyota Verso Volkswagen Polo Read More

  • G-Power one of the first to tune BMW’s new Z4 Roadster

    G-Power one of the first to tune BMW’s new Z4 Roadster June 14th, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, June 14th, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 1 Comment

    G-Power one of the first to tune BMW’s new Z4 Roadster The all-new 2010 BMW Z4 is still on its way to most showrooms around the globe but the guys at G-Power have already had one in their workshop for some time now and have managed to develop several new mods for the car. When it comes to extreme performance mods for BMW cars, G-Power is one of the best and already has a number of top-speed records under its belt.

    Since the Z4 tuning program is still in its infancy, G-Power’s new upgrades could be considered very mild when compared to its previous creations. Nevertheless, there are still some interesting enhancements available for the stylish Z4 Roadster.

    First up is a new... The all-new 2010 BMW Z4 is still on its way to most showrooms around the globe but the guys at G-Power have already had one in their workshop for some time now and have managed to develop several new mods for the car. When it comes to extreme performance mods for BMW cars, G-Power is one of the best and already has a number of top-speed records under its belt. Since the Z4 tuning program is still in its infancy, G-Power’s new upgrades could be considered very mild when compared to its previous creations. Nevertheless, there are still some interesting enhancements available for the stylish Z4 Roadster. First up is a new ‘Bi-Tronik’ ECU upgrade for the range-topping sDrive35i model. This pushes power of the car’s 3.0L twin-turbocharged six from 306hp (228kW) to 345hp (257kW) and torque from 295lb-ft (400Nm) to 354lb-ft (480Nm). To enhance the sound emanating from the car G-Power also offers its ‘Deeptone’ stainless steel muffler. This is followed by a set of 20in alloy wheels and a fully-adjustable coil-over suspension kit with nine different settings. Naturally the performance figures benefit from this output improvement. Accelerating from stand still to 100km/h now takes just 4.7 seconds. Stay tuned for much more extreme performance mods as development work continues.G-Power BMW Z4 Roadster Read More

  • BMW celebrates 75 years of roadster production

    BMW celebrates 75 years of roadster production May 28th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson Nelson Ireson, Author, May 28th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 0 Comments

    BMW celebrates 75 years of roadster production Roadsters. Open air, summer sun and a visceral connection to the road. For many, the quintessential enthusiast's driving experience. But for many, many more, they are the attractive and sporting little convertibles that flit back and forth to work, shops and play with equal ease. Today BMW is celebrating its 75th year in the business of building roadsters.

    But these days, BMW isn't just in the business - it's one of the leading roadster builders in the world. So how did it get here? By starting at the beginning, with the 315/1, a hopped-up, topless version of the 315 Saloon, first built in 1934.

    Dubbed a Sports Roadster, the 315/1 featured... Roadsters. Open air, summer sun and a visceral connection to the road. For many, the quintessential enthusiast's driving experience. But for many, many more, they are the attractive and sporting little convertibles that flit back and forth to work, shops and play with equal ease. Today BMW is celebrating its 75th year in the business of building roadsters. But these days, BMW isn't just in the business - it's one of the leading roadster builders in the world. So how did it get here? By starting at the beginning, with the 315/1, a hopped-up, topless version of the 315 Saloon, first built in 1934. Dubbed a Sports Roadster, the 315/1 featured just two sport seats, a raked windshield and a roof intended only for emergencies. Technologically, the car now seems archaic, but at the time it was pushing the limits of what could be done. A 1.5L six-cylinder engine turned out a whopping 35hp (26kW) in the 315 sedan, but BMW tuned that up to 40hp (30kW) for the roadster. The engine featured a one-piece crankcase and cylinder block, a single cam with rocker arms actuating tappets to control the valves. All of that technology is gone these days, though the inline six-cylinder configuration remains. Performance was fitting, with top speed reached at 75mph (120km/h). In its day, that was enough to make a top contender, however, with the motorsport version of the car taking victory at the 1934 Alpine Rally. One of the most impressive of the cars ever built was a 315/1 Special, built by BMW works driver Ralph Roese. It featured a significantly re-worked version of the engine that generated a huge 136hp (101kW) in a body that weighed just 838lb (380kg). The evolution of the modern Z-series roadsters has been a long and winding road, from the Z1 in the late '80s and early '90s, to the ubiquitous Z3, the limited-run Z8 and today's Z4, eventually reaching a level of competence and style that is almost universally applauded. For more on the current Z4 and its features, check out our coverage here.BMW celebrates 75 years of roadster production Read More

  • BMW Z4 Roadster priced from $46,575 in U.S.

    BMW Z4 Roadster priced from $46,575 in U.S. March 28th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, March 28th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 3 Comments

    BMW Z4 Roadster priced from $46,575 in U.S. BMW’s striking new Z4 Roadster is set to arrive in showrooms across the U.S. in the following months and in the lead up to its entrance pricing for the entire range, including all options and accessories, has been revealed. The new car will be sold as a 2010 model and will be available in either sDrive30i or sDrive35i trim levels.

    Pricing for the base sDrive30i will start at $46,575 (including destination and handling charges), which represents a marked rise over the $36,700 asking price of the base version of the old Z4, but more importantly it puts the new model in direct competition with the similarly priced Porsche Boxster. With... BMW’s striking new Z4 Roadster is set to arrive in showrooms across the U.S. in the following months and in the lead up to its entrance pricing for the entire range, including all options and accessories, has been revealed. The new car will be sold as a 2010 model and will be available in either sDrive30i or sDrive35i trim levels. Pricing for the base sDrive30i will start at $46,575 (including destination and handling charges), which represents a marked rise over the $36,700 asking price of the base version of the old Z4, but more importantly it puts the new model in direct competition with the similarly priced Porsche Boxster. With 255hp (190kW) on tap, the naturally-aspirated sDrive30i will sprint from 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in roughly 5.6 seconds. The top end sDrive35i, meanwhile, will start at of $52,475 and compares well with the outgoing Z4 M, which was priced from $50,400 and carried more power but less torque. Official numbers for the twin-turbocharged sDrive35i are 300hp (224kW) and a 0-62mph (0-100km/h) time of 5 seconds. BMW will also be offering a range of optional packs for the Z4, which includes a new Cold Weather package for $1,000 for both models, a Premium Package priced at $3,900 for the sDrive30i and $2,800 for the sDrive35i, and a new Sport Package for $2,300. Some optional goodies include 19in wheels with performance tires and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, though these are limited to the sDrive35i. For more details check out the full pricing list over at BMWBlog or check out our previous story on the 2010 BMW Z4 by clicking here.2010 BMW Z4 Roadster2009 BMW Z4 convertible Read More

  • Report: BMW won't build a 2010 Z4 M

    Report: BMW won't build a 2010 Z4 M March 20th, 2009 ByKenneth Hall Kenneth Hall, Author, March 20th, 2009 Kenneth Hall 3 Comments

    Report: BMW won't build a 2010 Z4 M Late last year BMW retired the straight-six engine used in the previous-generation Z4M, prompting aficionados to start hoping for an even better unit for the 2010 car. Unfortunately however, the latest news appears to draw a line through that possibility, and the 2010 Z4 M model altogether.

    The news, reported by the UK's iMotor, quotes an unnamed BMW spokesperson as saying, "Given the current economic crisis there is no business case for a full-on M version of the Z4." Given the weakness of the source, it's hardly a definitive statement on the matter, but the logic underlying the decision is undeniable.

    As BMW's already full lineup grows,... Late last year BMW retired the straight-six engine used in the previous-generation Z4M, prompting aficionados to start hoping for an even better unit for the 2010 car. Unfortunately however, the latest news appears to draw a line through that possibility, and the 2010 Z4 M model altogether. The news, reported by the UK's iMotor, quotes an unnamed BMW spokesperson as saying, "Given the current economic crisis there is no business case for a full-on M version of the Z4." Given the weakness of the source, it's hardly a definitive statement on the matter, but the logic underlying the decision is undeniable. As BMW's already full lineup grows, M models of certain cars are beginning to become non-starters - they'd encroach to heavily on higher-ranked vehicles, at least in terms of performance. See the 1-series for another prime example of this phenomenon. This isn't really something you can fault BMW for, however - their standard, non-M vehicles have gotten so fast, so powerful, that simply upgrading them would put them in contention with a whole other rank of vehicle. From a consumer's standpoint, that's about the best way to lose a high-performance variant. The standard Z4, for instance, gets a conservatively-rated 300hp (224kW) twin-turbo 3.0L inline six or a 255hp (190kW) variant of the same engine, sans-turbo. Even the lesser of these two roadsters dashes to 60mph in 5.6 seconds, with the turbo car threatening to break into the high 4-second range. Adding another 50hp (37kW) and wringing even more out of the braking, suspension and chassis would just put the car into a price and performance class alongside the M3 - something which just doesn't make sense, even in BMW's expansive and overlapping lineup. Instead of a 'full-on' Z4 M, there could be a Z4 'M Sport', with a tweaked and tuned ECU and exhaust system, visual enhancements, and interior upgrades, however.2010 BMW Z4 Roadster Read More

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