Classic pearls of the future - BMW Z4 (E89) with folding roof
11/06/2016
It was first presented in 2008, the successor to the angular Bangle-Z4 E85. And it was much more elegant and, a BMW novelty, with a steel folding roof, i.e. without a fabric folding roof. This meant that the Z4 Coupé was no longer needed.
The new one was called (internally) E89 and from 2008 was initially produced exclusively with the in-line six-cylinder three-valve engines as found in the three-cylinder model, i.e. with and without turbocharger.
Later, the new four-cylinder engines with turbochargers were added. The biturbo three-liter was available until the end, with 340 hp as the 35is for almost super sports car-like performance.
On August 22, 2016, production (at the Regensburg plant) ended after 115,000 units had been built; the car had been in production for around seven years. A direct successor has not (yet) been presented.
With a steel folding roof and modern safety features, the Z4 E89 was of course no lightweight; the two-seater weighed around 1.5 tons. Later versions were even able to lower the folding roof at 40 km/h. Unlike many of its competitors, the lines looked coherent with the roof open and closed.
There are a number of points that suggest that the BMW Z4 E89 is a veritable classic pearl in the making. It is one of the last BMW models to be delivered with the classic six-cylinder in-line engine without turbocharger (sDrive30i, 2009 to 2011). It was sold with a six-speed manual gearbox.
Despite high overall production numbers, the individual models were built in comparatively manageable quantities. There were special models that remained particularly rare.
It also had some success in racing (albeit with a powerful 4.4-liter model as the non-road-going Z4 GT3 model).
And, the BMW Z4 E89 is probably the only BMW that also received a Zagato variant. This was presented as a thoroughbred coupé at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in 2012 and looked really good with its double bubble roof.
The Z4 E89 was perhaps the last sports convertible in this class that BMW developed entirely on its own. There are rumors of a cooperation for the successor.
There are more pictures (also of the Zagato) in a small picture magic series.
