BMW Z4 Roadster (03-08) - Review

The Z4 is BMW's alternative to the Porsche Boxster and replaced the lacklustre Z3 in 2003. It's great to drive with sharp handling and a well balanced chassis plus it looks good too - the Z4’s swooping design, classy looks and road-hugging stance attracts more than its fair share of admiring glances, especially with the roof down. There's a decent choice of engines and even the entry-level 2.0-litre unit offers strong performance, but it's the six-cylinder 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre engines which really appeal. The super-fast electric roof retracts in just 10 seconds and the Z4 is practical with a surprisingly capacious boot. In 2006 the model was given a minor facelift which included new head and taillights plus a Sport model was introduced. Certain criticisms still remain though, including a lack of equipment that you'd expect to be standard given the considerable list price