Only hours before its official online reveal, the BMW Concept Z4 has been revealed thanks to Bimmerfile.com who managed to obtain a complete set of official images and press release. In short, this new Z4 is stunning, much like its big brother, the new 8 Series Concept. The car you're looking at is, of course, a concept, and it's making its live debut this week at the annual Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach. Remove the narrow side mirrors, polished wheels, and a few other minor details inside and out, and you've got the production-spec version.
BMW Group Design chief Adrian van Hooydonk describes it as "Dynamic, progressive and an irresistible purveyor of thrills, the BMW Concept Z4 boasts lithe and compact proportions, a dynamic silhouette and an emotionally appealing use of forms. This is total freedom on four wheels." Well said, Adrian. Like its Z4 and Z3 predecessors, the Concept Z4 continues with that classical roadster look: a short read deck and long hood. Only this time BMW has infused its latest styling language, featuring sculptured surfacing and nearly seamless sheetmetal that literally engulfs the chassis.
The driver now sits closer to the center of the car compared to its predecessors, thanks to shorter hood. Up front is the latest interpretation, again first shown on the 8 Series Concept, of BWW's twin-kidney grille. Below it and just rearwards of the front wheels are what BMW describes as large "Air Breathers," which are shaped the flow of the air as it exits" these vents. Essentially, the design, combined with the platform, short front overhangs, screams rear-wheel-drive. Awesome. The concept is doused in Energetic Orange frozen exterior paint, but we doubt it'll be offered as an option on the production version, sad to say. The 20-inch light-alloy wheels are beautiful, but, again, their likely concept-only.
The driver-focused interior is also quite something. There are two driver displays, which are now positioned at almost the same height and close proximity to one another. There's also a Heads-Up Display above the instrument cluster. No mention was made of what's under the hood, but we know from previous reports a 2.0-liter four-cylinder will serve as the base, going up to a turbo inline-six. Now all we're waiting for is the reveal of its close cousin and platform mate, the new Toyota Supra.
