[AGAV13]

Originally Posted by JasonNW

Which is exactly what everyone has been asking for, and BMW had the perfect opportunity with the Boxster going to an unloved 4-cyl.

I absolutely love the 4 cyl in my Boxster S. Gobs of power everywhere.

[Jason]

Added:

Thomas Geiger:

Schmee:

[Brasko]

I didn't know the Pontiac Solstice made a return.

[Crimson92]

Originally Posted by Brasko

I didn't know the Pontiac Solstice made a return.

Oooo ouch.

[JRobUSC]

From Automobile Magazine:

“This brilliant roadster is in a class of one.”

“...it’s one of the most well-rounded, let’s-go-anywhere two-seaters I’ve ever driven, and a brilliant sports car...”

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/f...9-bmw-z4-m40i/

[stein_325i]

Originally Posted by AGAV13

I absolutely love the 4 cyl in my Boxster S. Gobs of power everywhere.

I can agree, have a boxster S and the 4 cylinder is really good, just not in the sound department. I'm not envious because everything else is good, and i never owned a 6cylinder boxster, but damn listening to videos online of the flat 6, it sounds really good, i can see how a previous owner would be pissed in having to upgrade to a worse engine sound

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by amw896

the only new grill style that actually looks good

Toyota did that part

[AGAV13]

Originally Posted by joshuastein55

I can agree, have a boxster S and the 4 cylinder is really good, just not in the sound department. I'm not envious because everything else is good, and i never owned a 6cylinder boxster, but damn listening to videos online of the flat 6, it sounds really good, i can see how a previous owner would be pissed in having to upgrade to a worse engine sound

It's funny. I've spoke with several people who have/had a 981 S/GTS 6cyl and a new 718 S 4cyl. They don't even mention the difference in exhaust noise anymore as the overall performance gains in the new model outperforms the old in every single way.

[BMW M Power Mexico]

Originally Posted by cc3

Yep. Nothing from BMW has come close to a serious sports cars from Porsche. Indeed GT3 and 4 just blow BMW away. GT4 one of best value for money sports cars I have owned. I8 not in same league as McLaren, Ferrari etc.

We get it. You own a GT4. I do too. Congrats. Fist bump.

No one here cares.

This Z4 is a completely different proposition in both price and concept than a GT4 and why would anyone bring that car up in this thread in comparison other than to humble-brag?

Enjoy your GT4 and move along.

This car has its own, and different appeal. It is a more comfortable, useable, convertible for a nice 6-9/10ths mountain drive with a hot companion in the next seat on a nice autumn day.

BMW is not and will not be Porsche. I mean, M does a great job building more practical and in a way rawer cars than a lot of Porsches with 99% of the performance for the price. M is it's own thing. And this Z4 here isn't even a full on M. So I think it's built to the niche it has to be built.

My GT4 doesn't "blow away" my Ms. It's a different, great car. As are the Ms.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by OnerDriver

Cool story bro

Anytime, sis.

[stevenvillatoro]

BMW was smarter than to try to one-up Porsche with the Z4. Instead, they found the sweet spot between the Miata and the Boxster, in terms of price, performance, features, and daily driver usability. The Z4 will prove to be a heck of a value, I'll bet.

[georgere]

Originally Posted by AKRAPOVICOWNS

I'm actually amazed at the poor quality of the reviewers apart from autogefuhl..never seen those kids before.

Anyway, if the last generation was so bad (for most here it seems), why keep the same formula?

They brag about the 8er being a race car to the road, as they developed it around thatGT4 car or whatever it is, but it's clearly not.

Then they say they were going after the boxster with this car, while they clearly aren't. So what's left? Either they are not able to reach those levels of performance they intended to, or they are pretty lost within.

And £75k? Is this correct? I mean..

I agree. I hope they come back to their senses soon

[akhter]

These Porsche comparisons always make me laugh.

And it's always comparing a bmw that costs two-Thirds of a Porsche (similarly equipped). And then they go on to compare a fully loaded bmw price with a stripper Porsche mostly having no idea a base bmw usually has far more standard equipment than the equivalent Porsche turbo.

And it always ends with for 5-10 grand more I can have the Porsche when the reality is more like 20-30k more.

Lol for the 4th time today. Once in the x5 forum. Once in the x2/3/4 forum once in the 8er forum and once here.

[CeEl]

Originally Posted by akhter

These Porsche comparisons always make me laugh.

And it's always comparing a bmw that costs two-Thirds of a Porsche (similarly equipped). And then they go on to compare a fully loaded bmw price with a stripper Porsche mostly having no idea a base bmw usually has far more standard equipment than the equivalent Porsche turbo.

And it always ends with for 5-10 grand more I can have the Porsche when the reality is more like 20-30k more.

Lol for the 4th time today. Once in the x5 forum. Once in the x2/3/4 forum once in the 8er forum and once here.

And if you look at Porsche leasing and being able to custom order your car (fewer allocations, lead time, if you don’t order within the first couple of months of production start) and compare all that to BMW....

Totally agree with you. Although it’s natural to compare to Boxster I think we should also compare to Corvette and Ferrari. All these cars are for different audiences.

[Big boi m5]

I'll chime in and remind everyone that the Z4 M was considered as good or better than the Boxster S and comparable to a corvette base.

However, this is not an M car. You mad well consider M to be a different brand at this point.

BMW standard competes with VW Peugeot Audi and Lexus not Porsche.

Yeah in the US we only see the nice BMWs but this car runs from Miata competitor to boxtser competitor. Sadly the BMW of the 90s and earlier and all the people that ran it have moved on.

BMW is now a massive brand that competes with VAG and GM and all their brands. Sadly this means BMW will have all around cars instead of focused ones. Accept it or find a new brand. Porsche, Lotus, Corvette, Mazda?

These brands found a way to stay sports car
companies.

Also, to use a blizzard phrase, you think you want a race car, but you don't. I bet 90% of M car lenders today would be happier with an M235i trim level because it's a nice balance of performance and comfort.

Only a 50 guys show up to BMW track days and only M3, M2 and M235i are present from BMWs current line up, and for good reason.

These cars still got it. I'd bet Z4 40i, like the 235i is fun enough at track day, but no M.

[cc3]

Originally Posted by ssquared

Doesn't sound like OP dislikes BMW, OP is just saying that BMWs are not true sports cars.

I happen to agree with this sentiment. They are sporty cars and they are extremely good cars, but they're not sports cars. I love my BMWs as daily drivers, but most Porsches are better drivers cars. I wouldn't want to drive a Cayman GT4 to work every day, but it would be my top choice on a weekend drive through the canyons or a track day.

The M2 is the only car in the current BMW lineup that is entertaining enough for me to be a fun weekend car. Even that is not a true sports car though...its a commuter car that has been beefed up (not meaning that to sound bad, BMW did an excellent job at modifying the base car to achieve outstanding performance and handling characteristics) but the chasis was not designed as a thoroughbred sports car in the way that a BRZ/MX-5/Cayman/911 were. Those cars were designed with performance in mind from the start, rather than taking a street car and making it into a performance car.

Again, I don't think that's a bad thing, it depends what you're looking for. I don't drive enough on the weekend to have a GT4 or something like that, so having something that's reasonably fun and livable as a daily fits me best and that's what BMW is good at.

You have saved me a lot of typing !! I agree entirely. Among my cars I own 4 BMW's all nice including a 1M I have had since new and is fabulous but Porsche GT cars are just on another level. If BMW want to get serious they need to start by stripping weight out of their cars

[E39hijinks]

Agreed BMWs are not sports cars.

The grill looks exceptional. Great job. Eventually designs need to evolve. Keeping the same grill can get stale.

I imagine at some point fairly soon BMW will evolve the roundel. It's been through a few updates.

[Z4Fool]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

As expected, the reviews are very "meh."

BMW again went with the grand tourer route on this Z4. It's sad that they haven't produced a true sports roadster in 10 years and don't intend to. Porsche remains unchallenged in this segment. But even with them electric steering and the 4-cyl have watered down the fun. Cars will never have that raw connection with the road they once had.

This car looks nice in these videos though. The positives of the styling come out in motion. I'll definitely take a strong look at it in the next 3-4 years.

[QUOTE=Germanauto;23954973]As expected, the reviews are very "meh."

So true....

I think I'll just keep my Z4MR, thanks very much BMW. In fact, I think it needs another polish in the garage even though it's hibernating for the winter

[Pinkoboe]

A few new videos from the LA auto show:

[Pinkoboe]

Here is a video that shows Misano Blue in the flesh for the first time:

[james11]

Looks really nice in daylight! Can't wait to see it in person!

[Efthreeoh]

I'd like to chime in a bit. I have a '97 Z3 (M44) and a '08 Z4 3.0si Coupe. I'm not even sure if we all have the same definition of a sports car, but I think the excepted general definition is a small car with 2 seats, light weight with good reflexes. I looked seriously at a '08 Cayman prior to ending up with the Z4. The Cayman was the 1st modern-era mid/rear engine Porsche I'd driven; it wasn't the orgasmic, driving-nirvana experience I was expecting. I chose the Z4 over it. The Cayman didn't fit me well in the shoulders, and I actually like looking at an engine in a sports car, especially one that has a potential shaft bearing issue to keep track of. I'm sure at 10/10ths and maybe 9/10ths the Cayman is the more engaging car, but for me those levels of driving get you jail time in my state.

I think Porsche can make the Cayman/Boxster and 911 focused sports cars because its parent company is Volkswagen, which is a huge car company (2nd or 3rd in the industry) that makes volumes of inexpensively-built cars off of one chassis architecture. BMW is the 13th largest manufacturer and has no financial ability to make a purpose-built sports car chassis; hell, it had to amortize the cost of the Z4 with Toyota for God's sake, that says enough.