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In testing by German magazine Sport Auto, the new Z4 laps the famous Nordschleife quicker than a BMW M2.

In a world where sub-seven-minute Nürburgring Nordschleife lap times are shockingly common, a 7:55.41 run seems at first like it wouldn't be newsworthy. That's what the 2019 BMW Z4 M40i did when tested by Germany's Sport Auto magazine, and you know what? We think it's worth talking about.

The raft of cars that have lapped the 'Ring below the seven-minute mark skews our perspective as enthusiasts. Going under eight minutes is still damn impressive, especially for a sporty roadster—not a full-on, mega-powerful M car. Consider, too, that the beloved BMW M2 ran a 7:58 when it was launched in 2015. This seems like considerable progress, at least to us.

And just for fun, I'd like to point out that the new Z4 lapped the 'Ring quicker than the original Porsche 911 GT3, which, in 1999, was the first road car to break the eight-minute barrier, notching a 7:56 in the hands of racing legend Walter Röhrl. Yes, that was nearly 20 years ago, but it's still a testament to the remarkable progress made in the performance-car world. The 996 GT3 was a road-going race car; the Z4 is a luxury drop-top. The fact that they run neck-and-neck on the most challenging track on earth is impressive.

Watching onboard footage of the lap, with Sport Auto journalist Christian Gebhardt at the wheel, we can't wait to have a go in the Z4 ourselves. And have we told you that it shares a platform with the upcoming Toyota Supra?

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...ring-lap-time/