What's the news?
BMW has used the Concours d'Elegance event in Pebble Beach, USA to preview its 2018 Z4 roadster. The vehicle unveiled in the States is billed as the 'Concept Z4', but even BMW is quick to admit that it shows how next year's new two-seat car will look.
And it promises to be quite a looker, wrapping the next-generation BMW design language around a compact two-door roadster shape. The concept features prominent rear buttresses, razor sharp door mirrors, 20-inch alloy wheels and expensive 'frozen' Energetic Orange paintwork, but the core design is appealing even without the show-car fripperies. Notably, the driver has been moved forward in the car in comparison to the previous BMW Z4, though classic roadster proportions including a long bonnet, short overhangs and raked windscreen are retained.
Up front, there's a massive clamshell bonnet that extends into the wings and features two elongated slash-shaped air outlets. The bonnet tapers down to the low-mounted (and particularly wide) kidney grilles, which house a new mesh insert style. Below those, huge air intakes are emphasised by a carbon fibre insert that also bears the car's name. It's thought that this will all be toned down for production. However, BMW design aficionados should pay attention to the headlights of the Concept Z4, as they reveal a considerable departure from the norm. Instead of the traditional horizontal 'four-eyed' approach with lights, they are stacked, giving the new Z4 a unique appearance in the range.
The rear end is more conventional and majors on muscularity, especially around the rear haunches and twin-exit exhausts. The bulging bodywork is accentuated by the use of super-slim LED lights, which sit below a purposefully integrated boot spoiler. There's a carbon fibre diffuser as well.
While it's not too difficult to work out how much of the exterior design will make it through to the showroom, we're not so confident in predicting the fate of the Concept Z4's cabin. As expected, it's a two-seat cockpit with lots of emphasis on the driver. In fact, the interior is clearly divided into passenger and driver spaces by use of two disparate colour schemes, including different seat upholstery. The concept carries on the previous Z4's minimal approach to switchgear and uses the latest touchscreen and iDrive features from the rest of the BMW range. The deep-dished steering wheel, meanwhile, has a stop watch readout integrated into the rim, 'Race Start' and 'Race Stop' buttons prominently picked out in red and gearchange paddles behind in the same hue.
Anything else?
There's no mention of the concept's roof, but it is widely expected that the 2018 BMW Z4 will adopt a lightweight fabric design, eschewing its predecessor's folding hardtop. That leaves the way clear for Toyota (BMW's partner in the development of the Z4 and its platform) to create a coupe-only Supra.
Likewise, BMW hasn't released any technical information for the Z4, other than to confirm that it will be a rear-wheel-drive car. Buyers can expect a range of turbocharged four-cylinder and straight-six petrol engines to begin with, and a Z4 M model in time with nigh on 400hp.