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Spy Shots: 2009 BMW Z4 Gets Folding Hardtop

5 952 views Apr 11, 2008
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Back in March, we told you that the 2009 BMW Z4 would be getting a retractable folding roof. This week some of the other blogs are picking up on the detail, with a little more information on the new Z4's powertrains.

The new Z4 is expected to offer a choice of more powerful engines. Riding on the latest 3-Series chassis, it may use the same range of four- and six-cylinder engines. The base engine in the U.S. will likely be BMW's 3.0-liter straight six, with a twin-turbo option. Britain's AutoExpress expects a diesel engine for the first time, too, and a new M version with the 4.0-liter V-8 from the M3. Stop/start powertrains should help it reduce its carbon footprint, whatever that is.

The retractable hardtop? Well, it's going to hide away in the trunk and probably will take less than 30 seconds to do so.

While the current Z4 is being built in BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the new Z4 will be built in Regensburg, Germany, with production starting in late 2009.

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Comments (5)

  1. JEM Posted: 4/11/2008 2:50pm PDT

    Yum, yum, tasty.

    Flame surfacing gone, all the proportions are right, all we have to worry about is what the silly Euro pedestrian bumper-car rules do to the nose shape and height.

    It won't be light, certainly no S2000, but a whole lot prettier than the little Benz.
     
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  2. Peter Posted: 4/11/2008 7:03pm PDT

    Or you can buy a Mazda Miata (MX5) right now, with a power retractable hard top, folds up in 12 seconds. The car is plenty fast enough over the road too. I just bought one, and I'm very pleased.
     
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  3. Duke Posted: 4/12/2008 12:40pm PDT

    Any news on a 6 series hard top?
     
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  4. GasGuzzla Posted: 4/14/2008 12:59pm PDT

    And while you're at it, forget about the 3-Series and go get a Mazda 6 right? As good as the MX5 is (and it's plenty good), I doubt the majority of people considering a Z4 would be caught dead in a Mazda showroom...unless one pops up in The Jones's driveway.
     
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  5. Josh Posted: 4/14/2008 2:26pm PDT

    While still early days, the pictures floating around on the net suggest the 2010 Z4 is going to lose the gutsy sexy styling of the present Z4 Batman coupe, and be replaced by something that is very ... umm ... well ... American ... the kind of thing you would expect to see Bobby Ewing driving into the ranch ... i.e. pseudo and ersatz ... much like the appearance of the current 6-series and pretty much every attempt Mercedes make at doing a coupe. Glitz shmitz. Not very euro - even if production is moving back to Germany.
     
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