After an interminable wait, countless spy photos, and a bevy of rumors, the 2019 BMW Z4 is finally here for an unveiling at Pebble Beach. Specifically, this is the inline-six-powered M40i trim in First Edition specification. Despite the name, this model won't actually arrive in showrooms first. The Z4 30i will go on sale in spring 2019, and the hotter M40i won't hit dealers until the second quarter of the year.
The M40i trim features a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine that pushes the roadster to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in an estimated 4.4 seconds. BMW's U.S-spec press release doesn't detail the Z4's power, but European models produce 335 horsepower (250 kilowatts). Due to the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure emissions test, it's possible the American version could be more powerful. In addition to the potent powerplant, the First Edition comes with adaptive dampers, M Sport brakes, and an electronically controlled rear differential. BMW won't spill all the beans about the Z4 yet and will reveal details like the horsepower on September 18.
Update:
Thankfully, the production Z4 actually looks better than in some of the leaked photos, and the First Edition comes in a Frozen Orange Metallic exterior. A complex front fascia incorporates a mix of mesh grilles and inlets for a sporty aesthetic. The brand's iconic kidneys stretch across the nose, and stacked headlights lend a new style to the company's vehicles. To lend a more eye-catching appearance to the hood, there is a pair of creased sections on each side.
In profile, gills behind the front wheels pull hot air away from the brakes. Unlike the current Z4, the new one switches to a soft top. Black 19-inch wheels have five pairs of dual spokes. A very short rear deck incorporates a ducktail spoiler into the tip of the trunk. The back features a pair of trapezoidal exhaust outlets.
Inside, the Z4 goes high tech with a head-up display, digital instrument panel, wide infotainment monitor, and tiny screen for the HVAC readout. The center console features buttons to alter the driving mode, gearshift, and rotary dial to control the infotainment system. Occupants sit in sporty, highly bolstered seats with a sunburst-pattern of seams on the headrest. A Harman Kardon Surround Sound stereo lets folks enjoy their music while enjoying top-down motoring.
Source: BMW
Gallery: 2019 BMW Z4 M40i
Promise Delivered: The World Premiere of the All-New BMW Z4
in Pebble Beach.
BMW Unveils Z4 M40i Roadster First Edition on the Pebble Beach Concours
d’Elegance Reviewing Stand During Monterey Car Week.
Pebble Beach, CA – August 23 10:30am PST…Today, BMW unveiled the all-new 2019
BMW Z4 M40i First Edition, the latest chapter in the history of BMW Z Roadsters which began
thirty years ago with the production of the BMW Z1. With athletic proportions and a new
emotional design language, the open-top two-seater takes the classic roadster concept into
the world of tomorrow.
The latest generation of the BMW Roadster celebrates its World Premiere at precisely the
same location that served as the stage for the World Premiere of the BMW Concept Z4 last
year: The Reviewing Stand of the world renowned Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where
on Sunday one outstanding automobile will be presented with the prestigious Best in Show
trophy. During the presentation last year, BMW Group Design Chief Adrian van Hooydonk
stated “The BMW Concept Z4 Roadster is a promise of a production version planned for the
future”. That future has now arrived.
With its pure and progressive design, the BMW Concept Z4 Roadster presented a vision of a
charismatic sports car which now becomes a production car reality. Just a glance at the all-new
BMW Z4’s proportions leaves no doubt about its sporting potential. The central sitting position
for the driver, the low center of gravity, perfectly balanced 50:50 weight distribution; the new
BMW Z4 fulfils these expectations in every aspect.
Vertically stacked headlights, the BMW kidney grille sporting a mesh design, the long clamshell
hood stretching over the front wheels, large air breathes on the front wheel arches and the
distinctive spoiler integrated into the rear lid all contribute towards the characteristic look of the
new BMW Z4. The design of the interior places the focus on the pure sports driving enjoyment
of the new BMW Z4. The driver-oriented cockpit styling is underscored by dynamic forwardoriented
lines. Likewise, the clearly structured arrangement of all control elements enhances
the focus on the driving experience inside the new BMW Z4.
For a perfect start into a new roadster era, the new BMW Z4 M40i First Edition offers specific
design and equipment features that add exclusive accents to the car’s sporty flair. The
expressive body paintwork in Frozen Orange Metallic is combined with an electrically operated
textile soft top in anthracite with silver effect, the BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line,
black exterior mirror caps and 19-inch light alloy wheels boasting a two-tone, double spoke
design. The interior of the First Edition model features Vernasca black leather trim with
decorative stitching, electrically adjustable seats with memory function and the Harman Kardon
Surround Sound System. Adaptive LED headlights, BMW Head-Up Display featured for the
first time in a BMW roadster and the BMW Live Cockpit Professional with two high resolution
digital displays, offering the latest networking technology underpin the advanced status of the
tradition-steeped two-seater, open-top sports car interpretation that is being presented by
BMW in the all-new Z4 Roadster.
Power for the new BMW Z4 M40i First Edition is provided by an uprated 3.0 liter inline 6-
cylinder engine producing 382 hp (US model rating) and 369 lb-ft of torque which will be
enough to propel the BMW Z4 M40i from 0-60mph in under 4.4 seconds (estimated). A BMW
M tuned sports suspension with electronically controlled dampers, M Sport braking system and
an electronically controlled M Sport rear differential will ensure that this latest M Performance
Model can carve through the twists of the Laureles Grade as effortlessly as cruising along the
Pacific Coast Highway to Big Sur.
Full Z4 model details and specifications to be announced on September 18, 2018. The all-new
2019 BMW Z4 30i will arrive in U.S. BMW Centers in Spring 2019 with the BMW Z4 M40i
(including the First Edition) arriving in the Second Quarter.
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United
States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW
brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars;
Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; technology offices in Silicon
Valley and Chicago, and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing
Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models
and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, and X6 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales
organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 346 BMW passenger car and
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 153 BMW motorcycle retailers, 127 MINI passenger car
dealers, and 36 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s
sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
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