All-New BMW Z4

BMW expects to launch a follow-up to the Z4 roadster before the end of the decade, as part of a collaboration with Toyota.

BMW’s chief engineer says development costs could be shared with the Japanese automaker as part of the companies’ cooperation, which besides the common sports car architecture includes collaboration on powertrain electrification and sharing lightweight technologies.

“I would like to see a Z4 successor in this decade,” Klaus Froehlich, BMW’s new head of R&D, told AutoNews Europe when asked about the launch date of the all-new Z4. But the priority for BMW is to find a cost-effective way to update the car, as demand for two-seat roadsters and coupes has dropped worldwide. “If you look at the volume … we have to realize that these segments are shrinking,” the executive explained.

BMW Z4 sales fell 11 percent to about 5,300 units in Europe last year, while US deliveries declined by 13 percent to 2,150 cars. The biggest single markets for the Z4’s segment are the US, UK and Germany.

On top of that, two-seat roadsters are not popular in the world’s largest market. “Car buyers in China are not interested in roadsters,” said Froehlich. That’s because customers there favor privacy, something an open top car doesn’t provide. Additionally, poor air quality in many major Chinese cities makes roadsters an unlikely choice.

As a consequence, BMW is more preoccupied with other upcoming launches than with the Z4’s successor. 

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BMW Zagato Roadster Concept

The BMW Zagato Roadster, which was constructed in just six weeks, certainly looks a lot like its fixed-roof sibling.

But that's not a bad thing as the aggressive, “three dimensional” (in Zagato talk) front end with the large air intakes, contoured hood with integral air scoops, the black A-pillars, the sculpted sides and the overall solid stance and minimal overhangs of the concept make for a muscular look.

"Our success in finishing the car in such a short space of time shows what is possible when two successful companies pool their resources," says Andrea Zagato.

"BMW is a high-achieving carmaker boasting a vast well of knowledge and technical capability in this area. When you combine that with our expertise in the creation of micro-series, everything is in place to produce a beautiful model like the BMW Zagato Roadster in double-quick time," he added.

Compared to the Coupe, the Roadster features a lower-slung rear end and an additional line which, BMW says, “forges a visual connection” between the sill and the rear apron and sets of the car’s rear-end nicely.

Of course, there is the issue of the roof – or more accurately, its absence. Instead of a folding hard top, like the standard Z4, BMW and Zagato have opted for a soft top. Mind you, despite being a roadster, it doesn't fail to incorporate the “doppia gobba” or twin roof domes that are a Zagato signature mark in the roof cover panel.

This being an open-top car, Zagato has designed a pair of roll bars for additional protection. “The low, dynamic roll-bars, inspired by an airplane wing, are an eye-catcher that makes the BMW Zagato Roadster recognizable from a distance”, says Zagato’s head of design, Norihiko Harada.

According to BMW, the grey paintwork makes the Roadster’s body look like it is wrapped in a cloak of liquid metal, as it changes from dark grey to light silver, depending on how it is lighted.

Unsurprisingly, the cabin is identical to the Coupe’s. The main difference is that instead of the fixed-roof version’s all-black interior, in the Roadster there’s a lot of brown leather starting from the door sills and extending to the top of the dashboard and behind the seats, including the roll-over bars.

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BMW Z4 Zagato Coupe

From the late 1990s, BMW has been producing coupe versions of its Z series roadsters, namely the Z3 Coupe and the first generation of the Z4, both of which adopted a "love or loathe it but you cannot ignore it" kind of styling.

By replacing the soft-top with a retractable hardtop on the second-generation Z4 roadster, many assumed that the move would mean the end of the coupe model.

The Italian firm's vision of a Z4 Coupe embodies traditional Zagato styling traits such as the double bubble roof and the classic Kamm Tail. But there is more to the Zagato Coupe as virtually every panel of the Z4 roadster has been redesigned.


Among other highlights that stand out are the countless small matt Zagato “z” letters that make up the double kidney grille, an elongated bonnet with air scoops and more muscular rear fenders.
“For me, the BMW Zagato Coupé holds a very special magic. It exudes a certain spontaneity which, when combined with the type of unconventional solutions typical of Zagato, lend the car a very individual elegance,” says Zagato chief designer Norihiko Harada.


The interior was more or less left in stock form aside from model-specific trim and colors.
So is the Zagato Coupe a pure concept or does BMW have a production model in mind? Well, hard to say because BMW avoided using either term in its official press statement.


For starters, BMW does not use the word 'concept' simply referring to the car as the Zagato Coupé. Furthermore, BMW and Zagato state that this is not a static study but a fully functional model that is registered for road use and meets all the legal requirements worldwide. The car has even been driven at high speeds during testing on the BMW test track.


"Zagato has always provided its customers with ready-to-drive cars which can be sent into action on the road or race track without further ado – and the BMW Zagato Coupé fits the same template," says Dr Andrea Zagato.


He continues: "It is relatively easy to build a design study which is not intended for use on the road. Not having to meet any stipulations governing crash safety or pedestrian protection opens up a host of new avenues in terms of design. The challenge lies in injecting the emotional appeal of a concept car into a road-legal machine. And we think we have succeeded in doing just that with the BMW Zagato Coupé."


Taking everything in consideration, and until BMW clarifies its intentions, we could say that the Bavarian company could be looking for feedback before it makes any decision on the production of the Zagato Coupe. That said, what do you think: should BMW build the Zagato Coupe? Tell what you think in the comments section below.

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