AC Schnitzer Gives BMW Z4 with 424HP Diesel

The BMW Z4 roadster is exclusively offered with gasoline engines, which is probably why tuner AC Schnitzer decided to experiment and fit it with a massive diesel unit.

The AC Schnitzer ACZ4 5.0d is a one-off vehicle based on the BMW Z4 sDrive 23i, but with a major change: instead of the standard gasoline engine, it features an M50d diesel unit – the same triple-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six that is used on the BMW M550d. 

The engine has been upgraded and fitted into the ACZ4 5.0d, with output and maximum torque figures increasing from 381PS (375hp) and 740Nm (546lb-ft) to 430PS (424hp) and 840Nm (619Nm). 

Besides the new engine, the ACZ4 5.0d also features the rear axle gear and limited slip differential from the BMW M3 (E92), while the standard manual gearbox has been replaced with an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters.

Needless to say, these modifications have a strong impact on the car’s performance, with the AC Schnitzer ACZ4 5.0d sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds and reaching 300 km/h (186 mph). It is also capable of lapping the Sachsenring circuit in 1:37.22, making it the fastest diesel-powered car on the respective track.

Besides mechanical upgrades, the ACZ4 5.0d also features lightweight construction, including the folding roof and the boot lid made of CFC. These modifications alone account for a 90kg (198lbs) weight reduction. Furthermore, the standard silencer has been replaced by a lightweight silencer, saving 19kg (41.8lbs). 

A further 25kg (55.1lbs) are saved by the AC Schnitzer forged alloys Type VIII. In total, with a few further measures, 131kg (288.8lbs) have been saved, with the car tipping the scales at 1,469kg (3,238lbs), despite the significantly heavier M50d power plant.

According to AC Schnitzer, the "ACZ4 5.0d is a concept vehicle not for sale, which was produced to customer specifications and at the same time acted as a technology platform for AC Schnitzer product development. In its current form, the vehicle would cost € 113,965."

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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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