Personally, I love the loose fitting leather door panels. The look and feel is much higher in grade than any roadster competitor. The seats are impressive too, especially finished in red leather - a bold move few carmakers could get away with.
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| The red leather seats are a bold move, that few carmakers are able to get away with. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
The steering wheel feels as if it was formed by cast molding actual hands, with smooth surfaced spokes and ideal thumb indents. Just behind, a double binnacle instrument cluster stirs memories of a late '60s Alfa, or something of that generation. Still, it's hardly retro. Rather than just shape round or oval gauges, the design team squared off the bottom edges to bring them up to date.
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| The 3.0-L 6-cylinder Z4 offers up 225-hp, hits 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds, and has a top speed of 250 km/h. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
While cupholders aren't exactly the most important design element of a sports car, living in a world of drive-thru restaurants makes them necessary. The Z4 features two, situated under the outer dash vents. Hardly noticeable when not in use, when deployed they're placed perfectly to keep drinks out harms way while driving. What's more they actually work, holding cups and bottles in place even during aggressive cornering.
That last point is something the Z4 loves to do. Like a shepherd running after a juicy T-bone, the little Bimmer salivates for curves. It begs to be pushed further down the straight before braking, hangs onto pavement as if it had paws and darts out of the apex like a greyhound. OK, where did the dog analogies come from?
Still, the fairly light 1,330 kg (2,932 lb) 2.5-L base car zips away from standstill to 100 km/h in a steady 7.6 seconds. Its 184-hp inline 6-cylinder feels good, but pales in comparison to the 225-hp 3.0-L 6 that breaks 100 in 6.3 seconds before running on to a 250 km/h top speed - the 2.5 terminates at 235 km/h.