Production car won’t stray far from the concept
Our spy photographers have caught the upcoming BMW Z4 once again, but this time it’s wearing its production headlights and taillights. Thankfully, the production version’s lamps won’t stray far from those of the jaw-dropping Z4 Concept that was shown at Pebble Beach earlier this year.
Up front, the car’s headlights are similar to the Z4 Concept, meaning it features a single projector cluster in each housing instead of the usual dual-round lamp layout found in other BMW vehicles. The automaker’s “Angel Eye” LED accents are also slightly different from other BMW vehicles as it only surrounds the bottom part of the headlights rather than the entire projector. But if the headlights are like the concept’s beneath that camo, then they’ll retain the dual-lamp look with more LED piping stacked above the main headlight cluster. Out back, the rear taillights appear to have not changed much from the concept car, which should help the car stand out even more. The upcoming Z4’s dual-kidney grille appears to also be wider than before based on how big the opening on the car’s front covers.
Developed alongside the upcoming Toyota Supra, the next-generation BMW Z4 will be lighter than the car it replaces partly due to it ditching the complicated retractable hardtop in favor of a simpler power-operated soft top. For the U.S., powertrain choices will likely include a 2.0-liter turbo-four in the base model and a more powerful 3.0-liter turbo I-6 in a performance-oriented M40i variant. Expect an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF to be available on all models; however, a six-speed manual could only be reserved for the base Z4.
Our spy photographers tell us that when equipped with the 2.0-liter turbo-four, the Z4 will weigh in at around 1,400 kg, or around 3,086 pounds. The new platform is also compatible with hybrid powertrains and can support all-wheel drive. However, don’t expect a full-fledged M model to arrive anytime soon.
Photo Source: CarPix