The manual Z4 quickly forms a strong emotional connection with the driver on the switchbacks through the mountains in Germany.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
The best sports cars are the simple ones with the least amount of technology to get in the way of driving. The Mazda Miata is an easy example. But after the recession in 2008, sales of sports cars plummeted. There was less disposable income for personal pleasure craft and many were eventually discontinued. The BMW Z4 would have likely shared that fate if it hadn’t been for the agreement with Toyota to share a platform with the Supra.
Despite being bona fide performance cars, the new Supra and Z4 weren’t available with a manual transmission when they first went on sale. The Supra got one in 2023 after practically being strong-armed by the automotive community into offering it as an option. Now nearly two years later the Z4 finally gets a much-deserved six-speed manual.
The Z4′s main competitor is the Porsche 718 Boxster. The Porsche has always been the better driver’s car but the Bimmer’s relaxed, grand touring vibe certainly has its charms. The BMW is for cars and coffee meets and impromptu getaways. It can be driven every day and you get the wind in your hair and enough handling performance to have fun on a back road. Unlike the Porsche, it wasn’t designed to set lap records.
The manual can only be paired with the three-litre straight-six, which makes 382 horsepower, plenty for the little roadster. It can rip to 100 kilometres an hour in 4.2 seconds, three-tenths slower than the automatic, but you’ll never feel the difference. And if you’re buying a Z4 purely for the performance numbers you’re in the wrong dealership.
Manual Z4s are tuned to feel sharper and have remapped software for the dampers, steering and rear differential. They can also be fitted with optional staggered wheels and tires that measure 19 inches in the front and 20 at the back. The Z4 has classic roadster proportions with its mile-long hood and a stubby rear end capped off by wide hips that wrap around those meaty rear tires, a bit like a modern-day Shelby Cobra.
The manual Z4 gets 19-inch wheels on the front and 20-inch ones on the rear.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
You sit far back, almost on top of the rear tires. The cosseting seats and cozy cabin envelop you like a protective blanket. Digital instrumentation and modern-day infotainment screens feel a little cold and austere in a roadster, but it’s hard to fault BMW’s infotainment system and ergonomically laid out controls.
The power soft-top retracts in 10 seconds and can be done on the move at up to 50 kilometres an hour, but the most important thing about this Z4 is the stick. The company says it’s been designed specifically for the Z4. BMW’s gearboxes have always had a rubbery shift action, but this one feels better and more mechanical.
With perfectly sunny skies over southern Bavaria, the Z4 is in its element. It’s not often that we get to test how fast these cars are outside of a track and even then, it’s not easy to run at top speed. But Germany is a special place where BMWs and Porsches roam free and driving more than 200 kilometres an hour on unrestricted sections of the Autobahn is legal.
The Z4′s cabin is perfectly calm at normal highway speeds, provided the wind deflector is in place and the windows are rolled up. North of 150 kilometres an hour, however, conversation with your passenger will be near impossible. The powerful straight-six punts the Z4 past the 200-kilometre-an-hour mark with ease. As it approaches its electronically limited top speed of 250 kilometres an hour, it’s remarkably stable and feels like it can keep accelerating.
Trading the glass-smooth autobahn for the undulating switchbacks scything their way through mountains and forests, the manual Z4 quickly forms a strong emotional connection with the driver. It carves graceful arcs through the corners, leaning just enough to let you feel the tires load up. Dropping a gear before a corner is extra rewarding and judicious throttle application on exit will bring the tail out before the stability control reins things in. The manual forces you to be present and makes you an integral part of the driving equation. That’s missing in the automatic Z4.
Regardless of transmission choice, the Z4 is a comfortable sports car with a generously sized trunk, perfect for weekend luggage or a set of golf clubs. It even gets good gas mileage provided you’re not travelling at 250 kilometres an hour with the top down.
By all intents, the Z4 shouldn’t exist. It costs too much, has limited use cases, and is outperformed by commuter-grade EVs. But that’s not the point here. The Z4 is a throwback to a more analogue era, and even though the new manual option doesn’t make it any faster, it adds emotional appeal. And in a car like this, that’s the most important thing.
The manual Z4 is not as sporty as the Porsche 718 Boxster but is a better daily driver.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
Tech specs
2024 BMW Z4 M40i
- Base price / as-tested: $82,000 /$90,150*, plus $2,480 for freight and pre-delivery inspection plus fees and tax
- Engine: Three-litre inline-six cylinder that produces 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque
- Transmission / drive: Six-speed manual / Rear-wheel drive
- Curb weight: 1,593 kilograms
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): 12.6 city; 8.9 highway; 10.9 combined
- Alternatives: Porsche 718 Boxster, Jaguar F-Type Convertible, Chevrolet Corvette convertible, Two Mazda Miatas
*pricing estimated as test car was a German market build
Looks
The Z4 received a mild facelift last year but is still one of the best-looking cars BMW makes. It’s low, wide and exotic and will turn heads everywhere you go. And it’s not common so people won’t know what it is.
Interior
There are few gimmicks and everything is straightforward to use. There’s lots of room for two passengers but it still feels cozy. Headroom can be a little tight for taller drivers but the roof can be lowered in 10 seconds, eliminating that issue if it isn’t raining.
The new Z4 has lots of room for two passengers but it still feels cozy.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
Performance
The manual transmission makes the Z4 slower to accelerate but more fun to drive. It’s not as sporty as the 718 Boxster but is a better daily driver.
Technology
The manual Z4 is about as simple as it gets for a new BMW. It has an advanced infotainment system and that’s pretty much it. The lack of tech is exactly what makes this roadster so appealing. There’s no four-wheel steering or adaptive anti-roll bars and it doesn’t even have all-wheel drive.
Cargo
Compared to the old metal folding roof, the new soft top takes up much less space in the trunk, which can easily hold a weekend’s worth of luggage. There’s also a ski pass-through and a small net behind the seats.
The trunk has enough space for a weekend's worth of luggage or a set of golf clubs.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
The verdict
The new six-speed manual turns the BMW Z4 from a good car into a great car.
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
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