Background
Designed by Anders Warming and first shown at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, the E85 Z4 Roadster was initially offered with the choice of either a 2.5-litre or 3.0-litre petrol engine along with the option of a five- or six-speed manual, five-speed automatic, or six-speed SMG-II automated manual.
The rear-wheel drive chassis is suspended by Macpherson struts on the front and multi-link suspension on the rear, which means the Z4's handling is exceptional, something weight-saving measures such as a magnesium hood frame and aluminium bonnet and suspension components contribute to.
Updated and unveiled at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show as a Coupé and released in Roadster form (as seen here) a year later, the Z4M is fitted with the M3’s sublime 3.2-litre, S54 inline-six engine, whose 338bhp is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.
With fly-by-wire throttle and VANOS, the Z4M scorches from rest to 60mph in 4.7 seconds on its way to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
Numerous other parts from the coveted E46 M3 were used most notably the limited-slip differential from the M3, rear subframe, front suspension control arms, and aspects of the braking system.
In production between April 2006 and 2008, a total of 4,275 Coupés and 5,070 Roadsters were produced by BMW, with the majority destined for the European and UK market, though a generous amount were sent to the US.







