New BMW Z4 Goes Soft

BMW recently announced the new BMW Z4 will only be available as a soft top, not a hard top, a decision that has many in the industry raising their eyebrows. 

In a recent interview with GoAuto, designers for this iconic brand indicated that it was performance that was driving their decisions with this BMW soft top move. The engineering team took the soft top idea, though, and advanced it a step, pushing for a folding soft top instead of the more common design. Inside the fabric, however, designers have hidden small z-fold metal panels to make the car look amazing even with the top up. 

Almost everything looks softer with this car, as they’ve chosen to push ahead with a mesh interior instead of the typical slats on the kidney shaped grilles of this vehicle. This is a massive change for the brand, so big in fact that it took the idea nearly a year and a half to work through the BMW executive team for permission to move forward with it. 

Other pieces of this car are just as eye-catching. The trademark double round lights that signal this vehicle belongs in the BMW family have been reimagined as stacked LED clusters. The rear lights are reminiscent of the i8, yet they seem to echo the Z8 that was released at the turn of the century – something designers have suggested was important when they came up with this concept. 

Even the inside of this vehicle screams design difference, as you’ll find two 10.2 inch screens, one of which replaces what you might see in a more traditional instrument layout and one that plays host to the new infotainment system BMW has spent much press discussing. The driver sits further forward than in previous models thanks to a higher beltline.

The softness, though, ends at the design beauty, as the engineering team has put together a car that enthusiasts will certainly appreciate. The new BMW Z4 will do 0 – 62 in 4.6 seconds, and it has the ability to reach top speeds of 155 mph. An eight-speed automatic gearbox graces the vehicle and there are paddle shifters on the steering column. 

Ready to take delivery of this one? They’re already starting, and it comes in at just half the price of the i8, a nice change of pace for those looking for a beautiful sports car with softer edges.