Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

BMW Z4 sDrive 35i

Cool autumn breezes replace the smells of summer but running top-down is still an option in the Z4

BMW Z4 sDrive 35i

Barbecues, bonfires, freshly mown grass… The smells of summer are just memories now, replaced by cool autumn breezes. But although temperatures are tumbling I can’t see myself hiding away under the Z4’s hard-top for a while yet. There’s no need to. Sat low in the cabin with the side windows up, you’re sufficiently sheltered to be able to continue enjoying driving with nothing but sky above your head. The only catch is that, unlike some rivals, you can’t open or close the Z4’s roof on the move. It sounds such a small thing, but those 20 seconds at each end of a journey seem to take forever when you’re sat with your finger on the button while the roof does its stuff. Thankfully you can speed things along at the start of your journey by opening the roof via the remote as you approach. Looks kinda cool, too – unless you walk too quickly and arrive at the driver’s door when there’s still ten seconds to go…

Running Costs

Date acquiredJune 2009
Total mileage7735
Costs this month£0
Mileage this month1517
MPG this month24.7
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best cars of the 2000s – the best cars from the best of times
Best cars of the 2000s
Best cars

Best cars of the 2000s – the best cars from the best of times

The 2000s was a decade that went supernova for the performance car market. We count down just a few of the very best cars of the decade
6 Oct 2025
When Performance Car magazine closed, two writers and a Subaru kept driving
Subaru Impreza Turbo
Opinion

When Performance Car magazine closed, two writers and a Subaru kept driving

Porter recounts the extraordinary day that led to the birth of evo
6 Oct 2025
RML GT Hypercar review – the Porsche 911 taken to the ultimate extreme
RML GT Hypercar front
Reviews

RML GT Hypercar review – the Porsche 911 taken to the ultimate extreme

As close as anything’s gotten to being a modern day 911 GT1, the RML GT hypercar is a 900bhp monster
7 Oct 2025