BMW Z4 review – ride and handling
The Z4 is a talented roadster with much in its favour, just don’t expect Boxster levels of tactility
The first few miles in a 20i allow the core quality of the chassis to shine through. The skinnier front tyres mean you have a better idea what the front wheels are up to, even in town driving, while the reduced weight allows the Z4 20i to flow more readily over the road surface; arguably it moves around more over undulations but it feels more in tune with the asphalt rather than steamrollering over it. Ultimately the ride quality is excellent, and the stiffness of the structure pays off; even if you drop into a pothole you get no more shake than you would do from a fixed-roof coupe.
Where the Z4 20i really shows its value is when pressing on, and the subtle differences in specification make themselves felt. The steering still has less feel than is ideal, but in comparison with the M40i it is far more chatty, feeding back more detail about the road surface and varying its weighting as the grip levels change.
That makes it easier to lean on the narrower tyres too, skirting around the edge of the available grip at lower speeds and making the most of the natural balance front to rear. On dry roads there’s more grip than 194bhp can realistically challenge, but ultimately there’s more fun to be had even though you’ll be travelling a little more slowly – possibly because of the £12,000 change in your pocket.
The M40i is fun to drive; the electronically controlled M differential fitted as standard does a good job, the torque-rich engine can make it an enjoyably tail-happy (but still safe) car when you want it to be, and there’s plenty of front-end grip too. It’s only when you really press on that you can feel that it’s a convertible and the commensurate shortfall in torsional rigidity begins to make itself known.
Electronically controlled dampers are now standard across the Z4 range, and you get the sense they’ve been recalibrated since the car’s launch. They worked very well on the pre-facelift M40i but the ride never quite settled down, even on smooth roads. Now, in Comfort mode, it feels much smoother.
The ride is still a bit too brittle in Sport mode, and likewise the steering becomes a bit too stiff and sudden in response in the same setting; but that’s in the eye of the beholder/hands of the steering wheel holder, and you can mix and match driving modes to find the best compromise.
