Mention a Z-car, and most people think of Nissan. But those with an affinity for the finer things in life, like wine instead of beer and caviar instead of nachos, may instead think of BMW's lineage of Zs. BMW first Z car, the Z1, arrived in 1989; it had some super clever doors that slid down into the body but was sadly never sold stateside. Instead, the US got its first taste of the two-seat roadster in 1995 with the BMW Z3, the first BMW to be built solely outside of Germany in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Aside from the Z1 and the Z8, which were relatively niche models, BMW has focused roadster production on a middle-of-the-road family that evolved from the Z3 to the Z4, culminating in the facelifted 2023 BMW Z4 Roadster we met at Amelia Island in North Florida last week.

CarBuzz was recently invited on a BMW enthusiast's dream road trip from Miami up to Amelia Island in North Florida, driving some BMW legends along the way. We were handed the keys to three vastly different (and all mint condition) BMW Z cars, each bearing the legendary M badge. Our task was simple: in addition to not ruining BMW's prized classics, we took it upon ourselves to find out which is best, and we arrived at a favorite, although it might not be what you are expecting.

The First M Roadster

The BMW Z3 M Roadster (also called the M Roadster) launched in 1997 as a 1998 model and only lasted until 2002. In that time, BMW built 15,322 M Roadsters globally, making it rare compared to other mainstream M models. Early cars were powered by the same 240-horsepower S52 engine as the US-spec E36 M3, which is widely considered inferior to Europe's 316-hp S50 engine.

But BMW handed us the keys to a final model year 2002 M Roadster, meaning it had the S54 inline-six from the E46 generation M3 producing 315 hp. This stunning Imola Red II example included the matching black/red interior and staggeringly low mileage. It was a mint condition museum piece with under 1,000 miles on the odometer when we were handed the keys, and we were lucky enough to put on mile number 1,000. How else could anyone do that without access to a time machine?

Most enthusiasts prefer the M Coupe due to its rarity and absurdity, but we maintain that the M Roadster is special in its own right. At 3,131 pounds, it's around 600 lbs lighter than the E46 M3 Convertible and, this might be subjective, but we think it's much better looking. The S54 is slightly detuned from what it produces in the M3, and it only has a five-speed manual rather than a six-speed, but we never longed for more power or the extra gear.

There's something muscle car-like about the M Roadster; it's a tiny car with a hot motor crammed under the hood. Revving out the S54 is a rewarding experience that's vastly different from a modern car. Instead of induced pops and bangs from an exhaust programmed to 'sound good,' the Z3 M resonates with a sound that reverberates through your body. It's decidedly raw when you're on it, but doesn't ruin cruising by being overtly obnoxious. Experiencing it with the top down only adds to the drama.

Considering you can now buy an M Roadster for less than half the price of an M Coupe, we think it's a pretty amazing bargain.

Clowning Around

Though it wasn't as mint as the M Roadster, BMW also brought along an incredible Laguna Seca Blue M Coupe on the trip. BMW only built 2,858 M Coupes total, as there was virtually no leftover budget from the development of the car to market it properly, meaning most customers at the time chose the more powerful (and more modern) E46 M3. The S54 cars are even rare, with just 1,112 ever built and only 678 of those being sold in North America. This Laguna Seca car is one of only 41, and it's still not the rarest color. It also has one of the coolest and most humorous car nicknames of all time: the Clown Shoe.

Does this car live up to the hype? Sort of. It depends what kind of BMW experience you want. The M Coupe was a hodgepodge of parts from the E36 M3, an engine from the E46 M3, and rear trailing arm suspension from the E30 M3. It all adds up to an odd combination of classic and modern handling that might feel slightly sloppy compared to what came after. That's not to say the M Coupe isn't amazing to drive, but it's not our favorite.

Everyone Loves A Sequel

Much as Star Wars fans generally believe that Empire Strikes Back is a superior film to A New Hope, we believe that the BMW Z4 M Coupe is a more compelling car than the Z3 M Coupe. Like its predecessor, the Z4 was originally designed to be a Roadster only, hence why it's actually 11 lbs heavier than the Roadster. This car features the dramatic "flame surface" styling that made the Chris Bangle-era BMWs controversial (the Z4 wasn't a Bangle design, though, for the record). While the Z3 M Coupe had a goofy design, the Z4 M is stunning from all angles.

Much like how the E46 M3 cannibalized the Z3 M, the Z4 M had the misfortune of overlapping with the E9X M3 and its glorious 414-hp V8. BMW built 4,275 M Coupes and 5,070 M Roadsters from 2006 to 2008, with 1,815 and 3,042 sold in North America, respectively. It's far more common than its fabled predecessor, but the values bear that out; you can find one starting at around $30,000 as of this writing. Not only do we think the Z4 M Coupe is the prettier M Coupe, but it also offers a far superior driving experience.

The Z4 M featured the S54 engine; this time tuned to deliver 330 hp at a seismic 8,000 rpm redline. It may only have had 15 hp more than the Z3 M Coupe, but with a newly added sixth gear and other improvements, it could hit 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds, around three-tenths quicker than the S54-powered Z3 M. This was the only E86 Z4 to feature hydraulic steering (the rest were electrically assisted), with a tighter, more modern feel than the outgoing car.

While the Clown Shoe was entertaining to drive, the Z4 M feels far more serious. It's hard to drive smoothly in traffic and begs its driver to rev out the engine during every gap in traffic. Gear changes are crisp, made even more satisfying by the metallic shriek of the S54 up front. It's slow by modern BMW standards, but the Z4 M rewards the driver in a way that the current M cars do not. For us, the Z4 M Coupe represents the perfect point in BMW's history where modern technology was used to make the drive more enjoyable without feeling too assisted or too powerful for the street.

The M-Ish Z4

Though it doesn't not wear an M badge, the E89 generation Z4 did receive a cool sDrive35is model with the twin-turbocharged N54 inline-six from the 1 Series M. With 335 hp on tap, it produced the same output as the revered 1M, but it was not available with a manual transmission, only a seven-speed dual-clutch (the lesser 302-hp sDrive35i could have a six-speed manual). It's not our favorite Z car by any stretch, but for those seeking a purer driving experience than the existing Z4 with more modernity than the prior entries, the sDrive35is is a pretty cool way to have the same engine as the 1 Series M at a fraction of the price.

A Different Sort Of M

We finally reach the modern day, where the current Z4 is available in two trims: the sDrive30i and the M40i. The former produces 255 hp, while the latter develops 382 hp, more than any other Z car on this list and second only to the Z8.

We adore BMW's B58 engine, as it combines the turbocharged torque of the N54 with less lag and a throatier engine note. The whoosh of the turbos is audible over and above the throaty exhaust note, and pulling back off the throttle under load yields pops and bangs - dialed in for drama - that sound more natural than the synthetic noises many other OEMs like to create. The Z3 M's raspy metallic exhaust might sound more natural and pure, but BMW has found a way to make turbocharged engines entertaining.

It's not technically a full M car, but the performance is stout. The M40i is incredibly quick, with 0-60 taking only 3.9 seconds thanks to a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic. However, it's the least engaging and rewarding of the cars we drove, hampered by numb steering and suspension that's too stiff for cruising but too flexible for spirited driving. It's not quite a cruiser, but it's not a focused sports car either.

Overall, we prefer its platform stablemate, the Toyota Supra, because it delivers better ride quality without compromising handling, unique styling, and a manual gearbox, the latter of which may eventually come to the Z4.

Sadly, the latest Z4 doesn't remind us much of its predecessors. It feels like a different product that could have easily been called the Z5 (despite BMW telling us it wanted the car to connect back to the old models). It's a satisfactory experience in a vacuum, but much like how the M3 stole sales from the Z cars before it, we imagine the current Z4 will be overshadowed by other BMW models, specifically the M2 and M440i Convertible.

Don't Forget About The Z Cars

Though they've never garnered the same media or consumer attention as the M3, the M-branded BMW Z cars should not be overlooked. They offer the same M car thrills in a smaller, nimbler package. They often do so with the added fun of a convertible top or more eye-catching looks than the larger M models. The Z4 M Coupe is our favorite all-rounder, though we could also make a case for the Z3 M as the biggest smile maker. The previous generation E89 Z4 is an interesting blend of modern features with an old-school philosophy, and the new car would blow the doors off any of its predecessors objectively, but subjectively feels like the least entertaining. No matter what you want from a sports car, there is likely a BMW Z for you.