Woman"s touch for latest BMW Z4

In these lean times, roadsters are for the elite. And BMW tells us that this elite still has money and they like spending it on good cars. The new BMW Z4 is one of those great cars that blend iconic styling with impressive power, handling and sheer good looks. But what is a roadster? My best effort is that a roadster is a two-seater car with a long front that ensures the seats are located almost over the rear axle. And the BMW Z4 ticks all of these boxes and more. The new car was designed by an all-female team at BMW. While some might expect the female influence to soften the image of the car, the end result is a stronger and daring-looking machine. And it drives well, too. For the European launch, we took the cars to the winding mountain roads that form the backdrop to the Alicante resort in south-east Spain. The challenge was to experience pace from the six cylinder engine and maximise the performance from the new seven-speed gearbox. The new features for the Z4 include, of course, the obvious retractable hard-top roof. This is an all-aluminum construction, so it"s light. The roof, in two sections, folds into the boot in a matter of 20 seconds and can be taken out with the same ease. Ease means, in this case, using the car fob and holding the entry button down until the opening or closing cycle is complete. The roof can also be controlled from a button on the inside. The roof closes smoothly and quietly. With the roof down, the boot space is naturally a little limited but BMW claims that there is still enough room for two golf bags. What more would you want in a roadster? With the roof down, the driving sensation is exhilarating. The four windows, one each in the door along with a small fly window on each side, can be raised to lessen the road noise and still ensure that fresh air driving feeling. But, let"s be honest, you need the weather to capitalise on the image that driving a roadster brings. The beauty of this car is that the aluminium hard-top gives a coupé option to the car. In terms of power, BMW is offering three six-cylinder engine options for the new Z4. The top two engines are six cylinder in-line 3.0 litre units, while the other model comes with a 2.5 litre six-cylinder engine. The top of the range model that we drove has a twin turbocharger system to maximise power and torque. It produced 306bhp at 5,800rpm, as well as a maximum of 400Nm of torque. And it can travel. Acceleration time is just 5.1 seconds in a 0 to 100km/h race. You can feel the g-force as you hit the floor. While this engine can impress in a power and acceleration sense, at the same time it"s a joy to drive when you cruise at 120km/h at motorway speeds. But even at lower speeds on the winding Spanish roads, it was a comfortable drive as the high torque output kicks in at low engine speeds, almost like a diesel engine. BMW has a new seven-speed automatic gearbox option for the Z4 and they are very proud of it. The novel feature of this is the use of a new twin clutch, giving smoother gear changes. You"ll notice the gearchanges but there is no lag - it"s straight into real acceleration. The car has an adaptive suspension system that allows you to vary the comfort levels to meet your style of driving. The impact is most noticeable in the Sport+ mode when you get a level of hard suspension that"s really only suitable for the racetrack. So BMW now offers a softer suspension choice compared with the older Z4; comfort takes a new precedent and I"m all for that. The new model comes with a new iDrive system that"s easier to use, while the linked satellite navigation system is also new. BMW has a new BMW routes system that allows you to choose your routes on the internet through the BMW Routes website and then download it to the car either by a memory stick to a USB hub in the glove box or directly to the car through the internet. This new BMW roadster is a classic-looking car and it shines in terms of the smoothness of the folding roof, the range of engine power, the new gearbox and the improved safety features that are also impressive. I could go on and on... But who will be able to afford it? This is a car that strikes emotional chords, not practical ones, at an entry price of €53,100 for a two-seat car. All the same, if you have the desire followed by the money, then it"s a car worth going for. BMW doesn"t expect the Z4 to top its sales leagues, but it"s an important flag-carrying model with technology features that will evolve into other models in time. It"s a first hard-top roadster for BMW, and it won"t be the last. The next challenge will be to make it more affordable, consistent with its performance and features, because its style is timeless.