The BMW Z4 Roadster represents the interplay of classical proportions and state-of-the-art technology. An updated version of the modern classic is set to arrive in BMW showrooms in time for spring 2013.

The new BMW Z4 represents a time-honored and yet contemporary interpretation of the traditional roadster concept. New exterior features, detailed interior refinements, the new Hyper Orange design package, as well as availability of the full range of BMW ConnectedDrive features all provide fresh impetus and lend the BMW Roadster even greater appeal and individuality.

The new BMW Z4 takes to the stage 25 years after the legendary BMW Z1 began the modern era of BMW Roadsters. That Roadster turned heads when it was unveiled at the 1987 Frankfurt Auto Show not only for its revolutionary door concept, but also thanks to its agile and responsive handling. With the BMW Z1 began the latest chapter in the history of BMW Roadsters – a tradition which stretches back to the 1930s and reached the first of many high points with the BMW 328 (winner of the 1940 Mille Miglia) and BMW 507 from 1955. The BMW Z3 and BMW Z8 triggered a fresh wave of excitement for the classic open-top two-seater concept in the 1990s. And they also paved the way for the first-generation BMW Z4 and its successor, the brand’s first Roadster fitted with a retractable hardtop.

Design: classical proportions infused with modern character.

The success of modern-day BMW Roadsters is rooted in the rigorous dedication of a concept, a process which has left its mark on both the design and the driving properties of each car and is clearly recognizable in the new BMW Z4. The sweeping hood, long wheelbase, low beltline and low-slung rear end play a more vivid and uncompromising part in shaping its appearance than is evident with any of its segment rivals. The low seating position just ahead of the rear axle gives the driver and passenger a particularly intense experience of the longitudinal and lateral forces working on the rear wheels. This sense of being “part of the car” also allows the driver to feel more in touch with the road.

The hardtop roof also blends seamlessly into the car’s form. As it closes, it seals a smoothly flowing roofline, while large window surfaces optimize all-round visibility and the feeling of space inside the car. Once opened, the two roof elements are accommodated, one on top of the other, in a compact package inside the Roadster’s trunk. The A-pillars – painted an understated black – also underline the low-slung silhouette of the new BMW Z4, especially when the roof is open. The optional BMW Individual hardtop – available in the two contrast colors, Jet Black and Titanium Silver metallic – provides a feast for the eyes when the roof is closed. The hardtop can be opened at the touch of a button while the car is moving at up to 25 mph (40 km/h) in an automated process lasting 19 seconds.

The distinctive four round headlights team up with the broad BMW kidney grille to form a roadster-specific interpretation of the brand’s signature face. The standard Xenon headlights of the new BMW Z4 have a slim design and extend well into the front wheel arches. They feature LED light rings which emit daytime driving light in the brand’s hallmark style. Added to which, the light sources now have a strikingly three-dimensional design which accentuates the intricate technology of the headlights. Cutting across the tops of the headlights are LED accent lights, whose metal insert bears BMW lettering. The integrated turn signal indicators have chrome-coloured surrounds, which lend further emphasis to the sophisticated character of the light units. Plus, a newly designed, tapered surround for the side indicators adds a dynamic sweep to the gills on the front side sections of the car.

Striking touches
A total of 11 external paint finishes are available for the new BMW Z4, including the new Mineral Grey metallic, Glacier Silver metallic and Valencia Orange metallic, which can only be ordered together with the Hyper Orange package. This new aesthetic/design package lends the Roadster a lively aura; the interior, for example, boasts an energy-charged contrast of black and orange. The bespoke Alcantara door panel trim, like the lower section of the instrument panel, comes in orange. The black leather seats have contrast stitching in Valencia Orange and an accent stripe running down the central section of the backrests and seat cushions. This stripe is likewise orange and is flanked by two thin white lines. The door panel trim and lower section of the instrument panel can also be specified in black as an option. Another exclusive element of the Hyper Orange package is the metal weave trim strip, which can be combined with further decorative elements in high-gloss black for the door openers and the gearshift or selector lever. This new Design package replaces the previously available Citrus Yellow Package and is also available in combination with other exterior paint colors as an option.

New interior additions to standard specification include high-gloss black surrounds for the central air vents and the iDrive control system’s folding Control Display, which comes as part of the optional navigation system. Elsewhere, exquisite Fineline Anthracite wood has been added to the selection of interior trim strips available as an option for the new BMW Z4. The BMW Z4 sDrive28i, BMW Z4 sDrive35i and BMW Z4 sDrive35is are offered with Kansas leather trim. The range of light-alloy wheels includes a newly designed V-Spoke 18-inch wheels combined with staggered front and rear tire sizes.

The engaging character of the Roadster as a driver’s tool is given particular emphasis by the optional M Sport package, which includes Adaptive M suspension, 18-inch M light-alloy wheels and an M aerodynamics package with large air intakes in the front wing and a rear bumper inlay painted Anthracite metallic. Bringing an extra dose of sporting flair into the interior, meanwhile, are features such as sports seats, an M leather steering wheel, M driver’s footrest, M door sill finishers and an anthracite-colored roof liner. The Aluminum Carbon trim strip, M leather gear lever knob and grey dials for the instrument cluster lend the finishing touches to the interior ambience. The new BMW Z4 sDrive35is comes with a model-specific version of the M Sport package.

Engines: BMW TwinPower Turbo
The BMW Z4 will continue to be available in the US with one four-cylinder and two inline-six powerplants. Their most significant shared feature is BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, which ensures an exceptionally effective balance between driving pleasure and fuel consumption throughout the range.

The BMW sDrive28i features BMW’s award-winning TwinPower Turbo 2.0-liter four cylinder engine, which produces 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. It powers the BMW Roadster from 0 – 60 mph in 5.5 seconds with the 6-speed manual (5.6 with the 8-speed automatic) and returns EPA mileage estimates of 22 mpg city/ 34 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined with the manual and 24/33/26 for the 8-speed automatic). The BMW Z4 sDrive35i features BMW’s N54 TwinPower Turbo 3.0-liter inline-6, producing 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. It goes 0 – 60 mph in five seconds flat with the7-speed DCT (5.1 with the 6-speed manual) with EPA mileage estimates of 19 mpg city/ 26 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined with the manual and 17/24/19 for the 7-speed DCT. The top-range Z4 sDrive35is features a higher-output version of BMW’s venerable N54 producing 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque and the 7-speed DCT. The top model goes from 0 - 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds without a penalty to the EPA mileage estimates.

Extensive comfort
The new BMW Z4 delivers the driving pleasure customers have come to expect from the brand, fulfilling the desire for both sporting ability and comfort. Drivers can use the standard Driving Experience Control switch to select a configuration to suit the situation at hand and satisfy personal preferences. COMFORT, SPORT and SPORT+ modes can all be called up using the rocker switch on the center console. As well as adjusting the responses of the engine and DSC stability system, the different modes also alter the shift characteristics of the automatic gearbox, the responses of the Servotronic function and the mapping of the electronically controlled dampers, if these items are specified. These modes allow the driver to choose from a selection of distinctive and clearly differentiated set-ups for the car.

Other items of equipment fitted as standard are Xenon headlights, automatic climate control, a heated glass rear window, the Soft Close Automatic function for the boot lid and runflat tires with a tire pressure monitor. The standard Z4 sound system includes CD player, AUX-IN socket and 11 loudspeakers. Customers can also choose the optional Premium Sound System with higher output and 14 loudspeakers. The optional navigation system enables high-resolution map graphics – complete with 3D view – on the 8.8-inch iDrive monitor. The navigation data for the system is stored on an in-car hard disk, which also provides 12 GB of capacity for personal music collections.

The range of driver assistance systems and mobility services from BMW ConnectedDrive has also expanded once again. The new BMW Z4 can be equipped with features such as High Beam Assistant and Park Distance Control with sensors at the front and rear of the car. If the navigation system is specified, the ConnectedDrive Services options allow use of internet-based information and entertainment services inside the car. This system must be fitted to enable access to the BMW Online portal and apps using the Control Display and iDrive Controller. The Real Time Traffic Information function is also on hand, supplying the driver with congestion warnings and diversion recommendations in real time. Apple iPhone owners can use BMW apps, for example, to receive web radio stations, display Facebook and Twitter posts on the monitor and ask for them to be read out. BMW Apps also enhanced safe, convenient access to music streaming services like Pandora, MOG and Aupeo as well as Stitcher. The range of BMW ConnectedDrive features available for the new BMW Z4 also includes BMW TeleServices, BMW Remote Services, Concierge Services and enhanced Automatic Collision Notification with automatic vehicle location and accident severity detection.

The Toyota FT-1's surprise showing at the Detroit Auto Show has led to speculation on a revived Supra co-developed with BMW in a newly minted partnership. However, according to new report, while Toyota is helping BMW with the next Z4, the German automaker is not involved in the FT-1 project at all.

"BMW is not involved in the new Supra. I just wanted to make that clear," source close to Toyota tells Australia's Motoring. "What I can say is that Toyota is involved in the development of the all-new BMW Z4."

However, the source implies that, as has already been speculated, Toyota will also sell its own version of the Z4, albeit in a significantly different body. The source goes on to say that basic the body design and and chassis will be developed by BMW. Lightweight construction will be a priority, with extensive use of carbon fiber and aluminum à la‎ the i3 and i8. The engine, too, will likely be a BMW unit of less than 2.0 liters, according to the tipster.

Toyota's contribution to the project will be a performance version of its next-generation hybrid system. Tentatively called the Toyota Hybrid System II, it will use a capacitor system like the one used in the Toyota TS030 race car developed for Le Mans. In return, Toyota is receiving four-cylinder diesel engines from BMW. Production has just begun on Toyota's new Verso hatchback, which is powered by a BMW 1.6-liter diesel four.

If these reports are accurate, it would appear to indicate that the Toyota version of the Z4 is not going to be called the Supra, and that a sports car worth of the Supra name may either be developed independently by Toyota or not at all.

Honda collaborates with BMW. BMW's contribution is to slap Honda management over the head.

The timescale works absolutely in favour with the new BMW M3 and BMW M4 Coupe because a gap of two years allows establishment and progress. By this time there will be the Competition Package for the M3 and M4 and there will also be progress for the two cars in an additional specification.

Then you have to think about the next M5 and its leap in technology , lightweight and power increase to just over 600 PS. Granted the M5 won't be on the market at this point but the arrival will be just over twelve months from the G30.

This is where the gap opens for the M2 and there will be ample room for co-existence.

The interesting thing that really shows progress, is that on a presentation briefing between Toyota and BMW on the Z4 Replacement which is the Z3 is the ability to integrate super sports car specifications into that car by extensive use of Carbon Fibre. The Z3 will be the first car, along with its Toyota twin to use a Carbon tub in its price range for a premium manufacturer even undercutting the Alfa Romeo 4C. The bonnet lid and bootlid will also be CFRP and as will areas of the suspension.

It leads to possibly further advances of CFRP on the M2 as the time frame allows for further and extensive application. The four cylinder resonates with the approach to lightweight application over numbers.

The new BMW M3 and M4 begin the Carbon revolution at M. It's not all about the numbers its about precision through weight reduction.

To understand the significance. Look at that Carbon bodied Maybach at around 1 million dollars. Granted the 7er will not be extensive in application but with all the key panels approached to be fabricated from CFRP it will be far , far less than that Maybach , not even a fraction of the cost. That is how important this is.

Later this year as BMW begin the roll out to the first BMW to adopt a significant lightweight approach their will be media Technology days where you will understand the full outline of how innovative and beneficial this will be for BMW.

Start to get excited.

It's not all about the numbers its about precision through weight reduction.

mism before it even pulls away. The large domes stretching out rearwards from the cabin elegantly integrate the function of rollover bars and provide a sporting conclusion to the low-to-the-road silhouette at the rear.

Reimagining the design language and surfaces.

The clearly sculpted shark nose at the front end spawns dramatic surface contouring that extends the full length of the flanks. The new direction taken by BMW’s design language can be seen here in just a few precise lines that form clear surfaces, while the body’s volumes are powerfully sculpted. The surfaces and forms therefore create an extremely modern and emotionally engaging impression. The large Air Breathers rearwards of the front wheels act as the source of the flanks’ elaborately modelled surfaces (they appear to be shaped by the flow of air as it exits the Air Breathers). Light and shaded surfaces develop in a rising movement towards the rear, then twist to form muscular wheel arches and athletic volumes. All of which shines a bright stylistic spotlight on the car’s rear-wheel drive. The dramatic interplay of lines and surfaces underscores the wedge shape of the flanks and infuses them with even greater dynamism. And the low door sills, with their distinctive crease, makes the body appear closer to the road, emphasising the low-slung sensation when viewing the car from the side.

The expressive Energetic Orange frozen exterior paint finish showcases the contrasts of light and shade in the surfacing, accentuating the three-dimensionality of the exterior. And the 20-inch light-alloy wheels in a sporty bi-colour double-spoke design provide harmonious finishing touches to the styling of the flanks.

Low and progressive – the front end.

The design of the BMW Concept Z4’s front end is undeniably sporty in nature. The relationship between the low-set, broad kidney grille and the positioning of the headlights higher up sparks deliberate associations with the BMW Z8 and lends the BMW Concept Z4 a certain flamboyance. In place of the customary bars, the inside of the kidney grille features elaborately designed mesh, whose vertical orientation recalls the sporty, functional kidney design of early BMW roadsters such as the BMW 328 Mille Miglia. In a departure from the BMW norm, the Concept Z4 provides a vertical interpretation of the classical four-eyed headlight look, with two overlapping tubes on each side. The turn signal indicators point diagonally towards the kidneys from above and underline the dynamic flair of the front end. And the clamshell bonnet with stylised gill vents curves over the wheels, creating an intriguing and virtually seamless sweep over the front end as a whole.

The front apron cuts a genuinely athletic figure with its sculptural design language. Its trio of large air intakes are a nod to the powerful engine further back and so carry the promise of a dynamic driving experience. The large carbon-fibre insert in the central air intake is straight out of the motor sport playbook and champions the use of detail to emphasise the front end’s dynamic presence. Together, these design elements compose a fresh and memorable face for the Concept Z4 – one which pays a very modern and sporting tribute to the celebrated roadsters of BMW’s past.

Athletic and eye-catching – the rear end.

The design of the BMW Concept Z4 likewise references details and qualities from BMW’s rich roadster tradition and updates them for the years ahead. The wide and low design of the rear picks up the lines of the car’s flanks and massages them into a modern rear of beguiling clarity in terms of surfaces and styling elements. The powerfully flared wheel arches give the car broad haunches, which are emphasised by the slim, L-shaped rear lights and therefore further enhance the car’s sporting stance. Above the rear lights, the boot lid – complete with prominent spoiler – stretches across to the burly wheel arch extensions, sending out a message of power-infused agility. Below, large air outlets in the rear apron create their own dynamic impression. The carbon-fibre diffuser adds a sporty and exclusive flourish and signs off the rear end at its lowest point to the road.

Exterior and interior in unison.

The kinship between the interior and exterior of the BMW Concept Z4 is evident in both forms and colour scheme. The design language of the interior takes the powerful, three-dimensional character of the exterior and adds another voice to the dynamic chorus. Much of the interior adopts the colour of the car body, creating a clear visual link between the interior and exterior. Only a classy chrome trim strip provides separation.

Maximum focus on the driving experience.

At the same time, the interior serves to reinforce the total focus on the driving experience too. The driver’s seat as well as the door trim panels, instrument panel and centre stack that encircle the driver are finished entirely in black, meaning that they stand out prominently from the coordinated orange shades of the exterior and the rest of the interior. Together they form a clearly defined area that wraps around the driver like a capsule, producing a very sporty sensation. This creates a pure-of-purpose driving environment with a pronounced “cone of vision”, where the steering wheel as well as the surrounding black surfaces appear to be surging forward and, in so doing, accentuate the cabin’s powerful driver focus.

The instrument cluster and central information display form a high-quality cluster of screens that are integrated into the driver’s cockpit to flawless ergonomic effect. The two displays are now positioned at almost the same height and in close proximity to one another, which gives the impression of a single, cohesive unit. They work together to deliver the right information at the right time. The driver can choose which elements they wish to call up (via touch command) from the content available in the information display – route guidance, playlists or other infotainment features. Above the instrument cluster, the Head-Up Display presents the key driving information within the driver’s direct field of view.

Prominent surfacing.

Emerging from the driver’s side of the cabin is a sporty instrument panel of inherent lightness. The clever arrangement of surfaces and edging breaks up the considerable volumes and engenders the impression of a powerfully chiselled muscle. The clear wraparound design from the doors to the instrument panel enhances the sporty, cocooned feeling in both seats.

Pared back to the essentials.

In keeping with the focus on the essentials, all the controls are grouped into “function islands”. Nothing distracts from the driving experience. Trim elements inside the cabin are likewise minimalist in nature. Indeed, it is instead the classy materials, carefully applied polished chrome accents and swish, hexagonal laser-cut motifs in the seats that do most to create the interior’s exclusive ambience. Carbon-fibre door sill finishers and embossed asymmetrical logos in the seats and instrument panel set the seal on the interior’s sporting profile.

The death of some cars has us in full mourning regalia and delivering teary eulogies, sometimes even pouring liquor onto a curb. But the passage of others triggers nothing more than the nodded acknowledgement given to a distant acquaintance. So it proved with the previous-generation BMW Z4, with many of us struggling to remember when it had last been on sale in the United States. (That was the 2016 model year, for the record.) It was a car that always felt more like a lifestyle accessory than a driving device, a roadster with a cumbersome retractable hard top that added weight and volume in what were pretty much exactly the wrong places. We would guess it was a sparsely attended funeral.

Creating something better, or at least more memorable, would not seem to be a particularly onerous task. Yet the development team behind the new Z4 has been working on it for five years and report that it has effectively zero in common with its lackluster predecessor. The pride the company’s engineers take in the car was plainly evident as we drove the almost-finished prototype at BMW’s Miramas test track and the surrounding roads. The team also seemed happy to have worked on a proper sports car, an increasingly marginal activity within BMW as the company expands its offering of the SUVs and crossovers fueling its growth.

Just getting the Z4 project approved took some high-level politics. The segment’s declining sales meant that BMW could not justify the considerable outlay of making an all-new car by itself, which is why a deal was struck with Toyota. In exchange for access to the Japanese giant’s hybrid technology, BMW has developed a platform that will also underpin the upcoming Supra, with both cars set to be assembled by contract builder Magna Steyr in Austria. Although it previously has been reported as a co-development, all of the core engineering comes from BMW, with the big differentiator being the headgear: The Supra is a coupe, and the Z4 is a fabric-roofed roadster.

A Concept Resemblance

The cars we got to drive were hard-thrashed development mules wearing lens-defying dazzle camouflage. We also were shown the finished car, although we weren’t allowed to take pictures of it. No matter—between last year’s Concept Z4 and the disguise-clad prototypes you can see all the important details. The production version sticks to the show car’s stacked headlight arrangement—this is the first four-wheeled BMW in recent history not to have twin side-by-side elements—and inside the kidney grilles there is a mesh finish instead of the traditional bars.

Viewed from the front or the rear, or from a narrow acute angle at each end, the Z4 looks appropriately low and muscular. Yet in profile view the ungainly length of the front overhang can’t be hidden; it was dictated by the need to meet pedestrian-impact standards without making the hood too tall. Overall length has grown by 3.2 inches over the second-generation Z4, to 170.1 inches, but the 97.2-inch wheelbase is an inch shorter than before. The undisguised car also revealed the presence of a large and inelegant fuel-filler flap on the right-hand side.

There are no negative surprises in the cabin, where all is as expected. The Z4 gets the latest generation of BMW switchgear and infotainment, including a large touch-sensitive control screen and digital instruments. The seating position feels suitably low and offers a good range of adjustment, and taller drivers will find sufficient headroom with the fabric roof in place. The top motors up and down in about 10 seconds and stows neatly behind the seats; it can be operated at speeds of up to 30 mph.

Excitement in Hiding

We were sent out to learn the handling track at Miramas in a BMW M2. That was a brave call given that rorty coupe’s enthusiasm for the high lateral loads offered by the circuit’s selection of corners and the amusing battle for its rear wheels to find traction. After such a spicy starter there was the risk that the Z4 would seem more like a palate cleanser than a worthy entrée.

Not that the range-topping Z lacks firepower. When the car launches next year, there will be a choice between a four-cylinder 30i and a six-cylinder M40i, the latter sharing the same turbocharged engine as the M240i. This was the car we got to drive in France, although in its lesser European state of tune—apparently the presence of a gasoline particulate filter limits output to 335 horsepower, while in the States it should make 382 horses, according to BMW engineers. Both versions produce the same 369 lb-ft of torque. There will be no manual gearbox, as the engineering costs were too high given the likely low take rate, so a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic will be the only transmission choice. The Z4 M40i will get an electronically controlled limited-slip differential as standard. BMW’s provisional numbers say it should run the Euro-spec zero-to-62-mph benchmark in 4.4 seconds.

With an engineer chaperone in the passenger seat, our first laps were conducted in Comfort mode, meaning the softest setting for the M40i’s adaptive dampers and the gentlest maps for the engine, gearbox, and electrically assisted steering. As such, the Z4 felt predictably supple, even when asked to digest chunks of the circuit’s striped curbing, with clean front-end reactions and crisp-feeling steering. But there was also noticeable front-end push in the slower turns. Even with the roof up, the engine sounded good, with a rasp to the exhaust note that’s in marked contrast to the sometimes flatulent noises produced by the four-cylinder Porsche 718 Boxster. But, on first impressions, excitement was lacking.

It turned out it was just hiding. Once we switched to the Sport setting, the Z4 transformed into something far more interesting. The steering gained heft, but not through simply adding weight—there was still a decent impression of what the front axle’s Michelin Pilot Super Sports were up to. The dampers firmed up noticeably, and the Z4 felt better lashed down and more direct in its responses, while the throttle pedal lost the elasticity of Comfort and gained an almost surgical precision.

But the popped spinach can was the electronically controlled limited-slip differential, which used the switch to Sport to declare its own personal war on understeer. Heading into corners it stayed open, the Z4’s individual rear brakes nipping at the rear axle to apply a torque-vectoring effort to help the car turn. When we got on the gas, the diff locked aggressively, maximizing traction and powering the car to a hunkered-down stance on the edge of oversteer. It felt fun and just the right amount of crude, in a way that no Z4 since the E46 M3–engined Z4 M has.

Not that many Z4s are likely to live on track, which is why a drive on some of the local roads surrounding the test track was more telling. In the real world, the aggressive differential made its presence felt only in tight turns or during particularly spirited sprints away from intersections, but the engine’s snappy responses and the transmission’s happy knack of being in the right gear pretty much all the time continued to impress.

Rougher surfaces also gave a chance to assess how the damping coped with real roads, the answer being without too much slop in Comfort and without too much harshness in Sport. Even the roughest pavement we could find revealed no hint of cowl shake. We’re told this Z4 is about 20 percent more torsionally rigid than the last one and that it is the stiffest open-topped road car the company has ever built. Refinement with the roof up impressed as well; there’s less wind noise than we remember coming through the last Z4’s stowable hardtop. At higher speeds with the top down there is a fair amount of buffeting, though, even with a clip-in wind deflector between the seats.

Will Better Than before Suffice?

The definitive verdict will have to wait until we get the chance to drive finished cars, but even on the basis of a brief spin almost a full year ahead of U.S. sales, we can already confidently predict that this Z4 is going to be a heap better than the last one. Sales of the four-cylinder 30i will start in March 2019, with the M40i arriving in April. There’s no official word on pricing, but we’re told to expect that the 30i will be in the low-$50,000 range and the M40i in the mid-to-high-$60Ks, right in the heart of its tightly fought part of the market. We eagerly await the chance to get the whole segment together to determine whether the new BMW tilts more toward the involving end of the spectrum occupied by the 718 Boxster.

Several pictures of 2019 BMW Z4 surfaced over the weekend and now we’re getting our first detailed glimpse at the upcoming model.

Shown here in M40i guise, the model closely resembles the concept as it features a sporty front fascia and sweptback headlights. The car has also been equipped with front fender vents, a long hood and a rakish windscreen. We can also see two roll bar hoops and five-spoke wheels that are backed up by a high-performance braking system with blue calipers.

The sporty styling continues at the rear as the Z4 M40i has a ventilated rear bumper and a relatively short trunk with an integrated spoiler. Other notable styling features include slender taillights, a dual exhaust system and a rear diffuser with metallic accents.

The biggest reveal is the interior which is sporty and high-tech. Drivers sit behind a three-spoke steering wheel and face a digital instrument cluster which is similar to the one used on the 8-Series Coupe.

The center stack is topped by an iDrive infotainment system which is framed by metallic trim. Further below, we can see slender air vents with metallic surrounds.

The center console appears to be relatively slim and it features a retractable panel that reveals a wireless smartphone charger, a small storage area and a USB port. The pictures also show the Z4’s shifter, iDrive controller and a glimpse of the stainless steel pedals.

The 2019 BMW Z4 will be offered with an assortment of different engines and BMW has already confirmed the M40i variant will have a new six-cylinder that is “extremely powerful.” That isn’t much to go on, but the car is expected to use a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six that develops around 385 PS (283 kW / 380 hp).

While performance specifications remain unconfirmed, BMW has already said the car will have a locking rear differential and a lowered sports suspension with electronically controlled dampers.

BMW will unveil the Z4 on August 23rd, so stay tuned for full details.