[StanDiego]

Car and Driver M40i Review

[ebirotedu]

Probably the most favorable Z4 review from C&D ever.

Rather enlightening that they managed the quickest 0-60 and 1/4 times ever for the M40i but also claim it’s highest weight ever too. I miss when C&D actually gave a damn about the details! I guess I should be pleased they didn’t say that it lacks 4WD (see: C&D buyer’s guide) or whinge about steering feel again. 😂


But the comments are to be avoided. ‘Anand’ is back again to puzzle over why any sensible person would buy a Z4 instead of a base Boxster or a M440i, and another poster claims the Supra is more practical and has better rearward visibility. Can’t make this stuff up!

[Horseman]

Originally Posted by ebirotedu

Probably the most favorable Z4 review from C&D ever.

Rather enlightening that they managed the quickest 0-60 and 1/4 times ever for the M40i but also claim it’s highest weight ever too. I miss when C&D actually gave a damn about the details! I guess I should be pleased they didn’t say that it lacks 4WD (see: C&D buyer’s guide) or whinge about steering feel again. 😂


But the comments are to be avoided. ‘Anand’ is back again to puzzle over why any sensible person would buy a Z4 instead of a base Boxster or a M440i, and another poster claims the Supra is more practical and has better rearward visibility. Can’t make this stuff up!

Top up .. the visibility is kinda shitty, but it's not horrible and it is really easy to use your mirrors and over the shoulder to combat it.

To say the SUPRA is more practical and has better rearward visibility though? REALLY?? I don't think so. One thing I'll give the Z4 is the amount of trunk space it has and how easy it is to take it to do mundane things like.. grocery shopping. I don't ever feel like I need to skimp on what I'm buying at the grocery store because I'm scared it won't all fit in the trunk. I mean.. I'm not haulin anything, and that's not what the car is designed for. Supra feels cramped and I've had a few people tell me that the space inside the cabin of the Z4 feels more open and inviting. Honestly.. it comes down to what you want out of a car. Luxury, top down, zippy experience? Or would you prefer something that handles well on a track and more designed to look fast? Supra is over stylized IMO.. that's what I hate about it the most and at the end of the day it's a Toyota.

[Pprior]

37mpg on the highway and 3.5s 0-60. Those are two amazing side by side statistics.

[ebirotedu]

Originally Posted by Pprior

37mpg on the highway and 3.5s 0-60. Those are two amazing side by side statistics.

Agreed. The M40i is quick when you need it to be, maybe not the quickest, but it also gets staggering good mileage for a car with equally good performance.

Everything I looked at that offered more performance had substantially worse EPA and road test review mileage. The B58 has a rather broad performanve and efficiency envelope.

[ebirotedu]

Originally Posted by Horseman

Top up .. the visibility is kinda shitty, but it's not horrible and it is really easy to use your mirrors and over the shoulder to combat it.

To say the SUPRA is more practical and has better rearward visibility though? REALLY?? I don't think so.

LOL! I had the same reaction. No idea how someone could possible make those claims unless he’s never actually seen or driven either car.

I should know better than to even look in the comments.

[RigaTony1982]

FWIW, I’ve found taking out the wind deflector helps with visibility out the rear with the top up, especially at night.

[Kwajtrader]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

FWIW, I’ve found taking out the wind deflector helps with visibility out the rear with the top up, especially at night.

The other option is the glass wind deflector, which works very well and gives the same visibility improvement.

[RigaTony1982]

Originally Posted by Kwajtrader

The other option is the glass wind deflector, which works very well and gives the same visibility improvement.

Yeah, I need to look into that still

[CJ421]

A favorable review indeed. There's just nothing like this car.

Charles

[Bimmerfun82]

Good article, but curiously the cup holders are not under my elbow but to the right side, and I can put the compartment behind my elbow flat with drinks occupying said cupholders. I can also fit three venti cups in a row there. Seamless execution. Unlike, say, the Porsche 911 cupholder.

Also, how did the ‘23 model sprint to 60 0.3s faster? Is it tires or conditions or sharpening of launch control or something else? No explanation that I noticed.

As for the pops and burbles, I don’t even hear them anymore. Maybe it’s selective hearing or my aftermarket sound system upgrade.

And if you’re getting 37 mpg hwy apart from a long and steady road trip you’re doing it wrong. Have some fun. But yes this engine is very efficient. Compared to an M2 you’re averaging 21-25 mixed use v 16-19.

As one of the highest rated comments summarized well - incredible performance (12 in 1/4, 1g skidpad, 37 mpg hwy) for a non-M car. I absolutely love the naturally aspirated feel above about 4K rpm, and the s58 in the Z would be a mistake. Far be it from C&D to rationalize this.

The other thing about C&D is they don’t mention any aftermarket abilities. So you can buy a $110k Boxster GTS, but don’t you dare consider buying a Z4 (with much lower maintenance) and aftermarket some performance. Comparing the Z to the SL is ridiculous. Maybe they should drive one back to back?

[DM6]

I'm having so much fun in this car, rearward visibility is very rarely a factor. The blind spot sensors do a wonderful job when needed.

In Sport mode all I'm usually worried about is what's in front of me, and spacing out my lane changes.

[DM6]

Originally Posted by CJ421

A favorable review indeed. There's just nothing like this car.

Charles

I've owned some sharp rides. Nothing gets even close to the attention this car brings. It drives just as good as it looks. I am meeting people almost daily who want to talk about the car, in random parking lots and gas stations. I have never experienced this before.

Gotta say, I love it. I love the attention, I love the praise. I love how this car brings people together that are in awe of it and want to talk about it. I worked very hard to get to own one of these fine machines, and I soak up every minute of it. I make sure I always give plenty of thanks and plenty of smiles, last thing I would want is for someone to walk away from talking about this legendary car and thinking about how much of a douche I was.

[SpeedyATL]

Love this car. Bought it for looks, performance, rarity, B58, convertible, sound.

I looked very hard at a G83 and often lament not getting it because of the "real M" aspect as well as the added performance and a little more space.

After reading this, it seems the performance difference is even a little less than I realized (<.5 sec) and I can add efficiency to my loves of the car.

Might do a G83 at some point, but other than not being a "real M", this thing ticks all the boxes for me - and I see 5+ boxsters for every G29 around my parts.

[Horseman]

Originally Posted by SpeedyATL

Love this car. Bought it for looks, performance, rarity, B58, convertible, sound.

I looked very hard at a G83 and often lament not getting it because of the "real M" aspect as well as the added performance and a little more space.

After reading this, it seems the performance difference is even a little less than I realized (<.5 sec) and I can add efficiency to my loves of the car.

Might do a G83 at some point, but other than being a "real M", this thing ticks all the boxes for me - and I see 5+ boxsters for every G29 around my parts.

Rarity is it right there. The fact that I rarely ever see G29s on the road is what appealed to me most. Even at cars and coffee.. i'm always the only Z4 of any generation to show up. Even one guy who had an E89 who was a regular at one point now has an i8. I see more Lamborghinis, McLarens, M8s, GTRs, LC500s and the likes than I see the Z4 and I love that fact.

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by SpeedyATL

Love this car. Bought it for looks, performance, rarity, B58, convertible, sound.

I looked very hard at a G83 and often lament not getting it because of the "real M" aspect as well as the added performance and a little more space.

After reading this, it seems the performance difference is even a little less than I realized (<.5 sec) and I can add efficiency to my loves of the car.

Might do a G83 at some point, but other than being a "real M", this thing ticks all the boxes for me - and I see 5+ boxsters for every G29 around my parts.

Having gone from the G80cx to the Z4, just be aware if you ever make that switch the G83 is very heavy. Z is way more fun imo.

[SpeedyATL]

Originally Posted by Bimmerfun82

Having gone from the G80cx to the Z4, just be aware if you ever make that switch the G83 is very heavy. Z is way more fun imo.

That was one of the big factors in my decision to go with the Z. I suppose I should have spelled that out, but an excellent point. Thanks

[DPelletier]

Great article IMO.... the only gripe I agree with is that top up visibility is poor - luckily I drive with the top down 95% of the time so it's not a big deal.

I've had my M40i for just over 4 years now and I'd buy it again tomorrow. In the same time frame I've bought and sold a MB GLC43AMG, a Range Rover Sport, an Audi SQ8 and a MB GLE53AMG......but the Z4 is still keeping me happy and other than perhaps an overpriced Porsche Boxster GTS 4.0, there isn't a car I think I'd like as much. ....btw, just for giggles, I checked our local dealers - BMWZ4M40i - two in stock, $ 88,400 and $89,295 Canadian; Porsche 718 Boxster GTS - one in stock, $ 128,161.00

Dave

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by DPelletier

Great article IMO.... the only gripe I agree with is that top up visibility is poor - luckily I drive with the top down 95% of the time so it's not a big deal.

I've had my M40i for just over 4 years now and I'd buy it again tomorrow. In the same time frame I've bought and sold a MB GLC43AMG, a Range Rover Sport, an Audi SQ8 and a MB GLE53AMG......but the Z4 is still keeping me happy and other than perhaps an overpriced Porsche Boxster GTS 4.0, there isn't a car I think I'd like as much. ....btw, just for giggles, I checked our local dealers - BMWZ4M40i - two in stock, $ 88,400 and $89,295 Canadian; Porsche 718 Boxster GTS - one in stock, $ 128,161.00
Dave

The top up visibility is poor part is BS as my CLK430 and CLK500 convertibles didn't have wonderful visibility either with the top up. In addition, if you are driving with the top down you have better visibility than any hardtop.

As for the price difference between the M40i and a 718 Boxster the numbers speak for themselves. If you wanted more power you can invest a lot less than half of that $40k Canadian price difference, get your Z4 worked on and have a monster.

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

The top up visibility is poor part is BS as my CLK430 and CLK500 convertibles didn't have wonderful visibility either with the top up. In addition, if you are driving with the top down you have better visibility than any hardtop.

As for the price difference between the M40i and a 718 Boxster the numbers speak for themselves. If you wanted more power you can invest a lot less than half of that $40k Canadian price difference, get your Z4 worked on and have a monster.

But the GTS has only 12 more HP and less torque…. The issue is more making the Z handle more like the Boxster. Hard to match the Boxster experience given weight and electric steering but tightening up can be done

[Mr. Bill]

I had a 2014 Boxster S for a few years as my fun convertible. It was a nice car to drive, but the lack of torque was a bummer for street driving. I always needed to keep the revs really high to get to the power. That’s not the way I like to drive. My wife likes sports cars and she says she doesn’t miss the Porsche. I currently drive a nicely modded 2019 M240i x-drive which I absolutely love. The car handles as well as I could ever need on the street and the torque is just awesome. If I bought another convertible, the Z4 would be on the short list. I really like the looks, the price is reasonable for what you get and I already know what kind of usable power I’m getting with the engine.

[Balr14]

Originally Posted by Mr. Bill

I had a 2014 Boxster S for a few years as my fun convertible. It was a nice car to drive, but the lack of torque was a bummer for street driving. I always needed to keep the revs really high to get to the power. That’s not the way I like to drive. My wife likes sports cars and she says she doesn’t miss the Porsche. I currently drive a nicely modded 2019 M240i x-drive which I absolutely love. The car handles as well as I could ever need on the street and the torque is just awesome. If I bought another convertible, the Z4 would be on the short list. I really like the looks, the price is reasonable for what you get and I already know what kind of usable power I’m getting with the engine.

My previous 2 performance cars were a 997.2S and Mustang GT, both had similar power curves... great top end, no low end. My Z4 low end torque is a very welcome change.