RE: New BMW Z4 spyshots

RE: New BMW Z4 spyshots

Tuesday 16th January 2018

New BMW Z4 spyshots

The concept looked fantastic; this one not so much...



Alright, so it's a little way from production still, and prototype camo never does a car any favours, nor do small wheels and big balloon tyres... But there's no escaping the fact that, in these latest pics, the new BMW Z4 looks a bit dumpy. Maybe it's just us.

This is the clearest view yet of the next Z4, the first product of the Toyota-BMW sports car alliance that was agreed in 2012. Very clearly we can see this car has a fabric roof, harking back to the original Z4 rather than the car that it will replace. The kidney grilles from the concept appear to have been carried over, and the rear lights look similar too, if toned down for the reality of production. There's just something about the proportions that doesn't sit quite right. The rear overhang seems a bit big, the front end seems rather generic (despite the grilles) and it seems rather ungainly for what should be a lithe sports car. As mentioned, maybe it's just us. Or maybe it's fantastic disguise from BMW. For what it's worth, the photographer says the car "is very similar to the concept car"...

The Z4 is expected as a 2019 model, so in theory a full launch shouldn't be far off. Of course it will face competition from the TT and the 718 Porsches, plus presumably the Jaguar F-Type depending on the engines offered in the BMW. With the Mercedes SLK still soldiering on as the SLC, it's surely long overdue a replacement as well. Could BMW or Mercedes finally deliver a sports car to dynamically surpass Porsche? Hopefully it won't be long before we find out.

[Spyshots: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien]

 

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

saxy

Original Poster:

258 posts

123 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Wow that looks dated already

darker grapefruit

360 posts

99 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Bland.

Mike335i

4,985 posts

101 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Looks camouflaged to me. Proportions look fine and of course all the detail is missing so hard to say it looks "dated" or "bland" just yet.

Loyly

17,990 posts

158 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
It does look a bit dumpy, but I'll wait and see what the finished product looks like before I cast judgement.

I wonder what the engine range will be like, all turbocharged I assume. This would be amazing if they could put the twin turbo M4 engine in.

CaptainRAVE

360 posts

111 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Looks bland even by camo standards. What I want is an updated SLC with the V8 back in and more aggressive AMG styling. What we are more likely to see is it discontinued though.

j90gta

563 posts

133 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Crease line looks very 1990's Alfa GTV/Spyder...

Tuvra

7,920 posts

224 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Loyly said:
It does look a bit dumpy, but I'll wait and see what the finished product looks like before I cast judgement.

I wonder what the engine range will be like, all turbocharged I assume. This would be amazing if they could put the twin turbo M4 engine in.
I can't see that ever happening. Top of the range will probably have the engine from the 140i, if there is a Z4M then I would assume it will get the M2 engine.

sh33n

194 posts

186 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Tuvra said:
I can't see that ever happening. Top of the range will probably have the engine from the 140i, if there is a Z4M then I would assume it will get the M2 engine.
They are putting the M3/4 engine into the M2 though very soon, as a CS (or some other model), albeit with slightly less power than the M3/4 to keep the hierarchy in tact no doubt.

fakenews

452 posts

76 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Don't opt for the small alloys! Hope the Supra (same platform) looks better...

Ares

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Wow, such vitriolic comments based on a heavily disguised testing mule.

Irrational BMW hatred still strong.

Ares

11,000 posts

119 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
CaptainRAVE said:
Looks bland even by camo standards. What I want is an updated SLC with the V8 back in and more aggressive AMG styling. What we are more likely to see is it discontinued though.
Pretty sure BMW don't use the AMG brand. Equally sure they didn't make the SLC....nor have ever had a V8 to put back into a Z4??

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Small wheels and balloon tyres?! I bet they're 18"!

Maybe it'll ride properly with that wheel/tyre combo.

GTEYE

2,092 posts

209 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Ares said:
Wow, such vitriolic comments based on a heavily disguised testing mule.

Irrational BMW hatred still strong.
Exactly, by the looks of things its got (narrower) winter tyres which often come with smaller rims and are mandatory in Germany.

The effect of the narrow wheels & tyres make the track look wrong.

I spend a lot of time there, and trust me many cars look awful at this time of year...so its a bit early to write it off just yet.


Edited by GTEYE on Tuesday 16th January 09:50

FWDRacer

3,564 posts

223 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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This being contract manufactured at Magna Graz? Is the Supra also?

Tuvra

7,920 posts

224 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
To be fair, the test mule does look like it could resemble the concept, which IMO looks great:-


MitchT

15,789 posts

208 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Looks like a bar of soap encrusted with pubes.


J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
All you get from that is proportions, it is broadly Z4 shaped, the subtle nuances are lost with the Camo, it isnt a finished model and they arent averse to putting people off the scent with different panels, you cant base an opinion on it really, the production version will have all the detailing like full size wheels and paint.

A fabric roof seems like a good move, metal foldy ones always seem to make a car a bit less like an authentic roadster, the last Z4 was a nice car but lacked that key element, i think I perceive it makes them a bit heavy and compromised, a bit more Eos than Z4.

SpudLink

5,671 posts

191 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
j90gta said:
Crease line looks very 1990's Alfa GTV/Spyder...
That was the first thing I noticed.


T1berious

2,243 posts

154 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
SpudLink said:
j90gta said:
Crease line looks very 1990's Alfa GTV/Spyder...
That was the first thing I noticed.
Yup, agreed. I hope they do go for an M variant this time around rather than stopping at x40i Powerplant. Supposedly it is using M3\M4 Suspension components (think I read that on the Autocar thread).

Hoping it's closer to the concept as I think that looks pretty good. Be interesting to see how the Supra turns out.

MDMetal

2,775 posts

147 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Never understand why when you have published the concept you worry that people might see close to final body panels, instead we have a bar of soap. I guess it doesn't really matter no actual customers are buying it on anything other than the concept just seems strange.