Wanna ride shotgun with the GRM crew?
Welcome to this week’s test vehicle, the 2023 BMW Z4 M40i–the convertible cousin of the Toyota Supra.
Sure, both get a similar 382-horsepower straight-six and a zero-to-60 time of under 4 seconds, but do the two cars really have in common?
Saw this thing yesterday when they dropped it off at my place, although I haven't had a chance to drive it yet.
It's so, so purple. It's like if Grimace did Crossfit for a few months and turned into a car.
I'd really love if they still made a coupe version, because I thought the previous gen coupes were some of the best looking cars ever, but I get why they don't need to compete with the Supra.
Yeah, an M coupe version of this body would look terrific.
Totally love the color. I actually passed this very car before they dropped it off and thought, Please, please tell me that’s our car.
If I could magically make my M3 wear this color, I’d do it.
JG Pasterjak said:It's like if Grimace did Crossfit for a few months and turned into a car.
Sentences I never knew needed to exist for 800, please.
And tomorrow we’re taking the Z4 on a bit of a road trip–some highway, some back roads, some city driving, some through the country.
Questions? LMK.
At first glance when the page was loading, I almost thought the image was of a Fiat 124.
It looks a lot better than most of the current BMW lineup.
I was never a fan of the pervious generation car, but those are about the best looking BMW at the moment.
David S. Wallens said:
If I could magically make my M3 wear this color, I’d do it.
I seem to recall at least one GRM article about painting a project car using rattle cans. Still got Per's number?
That is a really good looking car! I love the color!
Send it back with a Toyota engine cover!
On more serious note, would be interested in how noisy the brakes are. Whatever compound Toyota selected for the Supra are super noisy once warm braking to a stop from barely rolling. Like honking the horn loud.
I'm curious about the ride quality and cabin comfort as it pertains to longer drives. To me previous Z4s always seemed hit or miss in terms of ride and ergonomics.
That thing is really wide. Had a E85 Z4MR, was a blast, but didn't handle very well.
I’ll say that, just looking at it, it’s slammed.
Backing up files this afternoon but hope to get out later this evening. (Plus it’s raining.)
In reply to David S. Wallens :
If you go quickly enough, rain will pass right over the cabin. =)
Yesterday’s road trip went well: Ormond Beach (Daytona) to Longwood (Orlando) to Gainesville and then back to Ormond–so about five hours total covering interstate to back roads, urban to small town.
Around town, the Z4 excels: plenty of acceleration to put you anywhere in the flow of traffic and a snappy gearbox that, even in fully automatic mode, never leaves you hanging. The seats are borderline a tight fit (for me) but they didn’t get tiring. Good support. Plenty of bottom cushion.
On the highway, the Z4 is more comfortable than a Miata but not as relaxed as an M2. The Z4 has a bit of that “I’m driving on R-comps” edge that forces you to pay attention as the chassis wants to follow any tracks in the pavement. The Longwood to Gainesville leg took us about two hours. I was ready for the break, to be honest. (We took the Florida Turnpike, and its pavement has seen better days.)
The Gainesville to Ormond Beach leg also took two hours but was all on back roads. The BMW felt a better suited for that trip–top down, pavement not as beat up from 18-wheelers.
More observations:
Confidence-inspiring brakes.
Grippy, meaty steering wheel.
No real wind noise from the top.
Good headlights, especially through the dead of night.
Logical controls plus you can change fan speed without accessing a menu on the screen.
The car sits low yet didn’t scrape when leaving the parking garage’s super-steep driveway. (Major “whew” there.)
A few pics from the tip.
Lunch stop where I got a darn good torta.
And the parking garage in Gainesville.
Also, easier egress/ingress with the Z4 than the Supra.
On the Supra, even after some time with the car, I’m bonking my head 50/50 when getting in our. And I’m not that tall.
With the Z4, zero head bonks so far.
Good car for a drive up along the Atlantic on A1A: quick, comfortable, top goes down.
So, I had a thought while sitting in traffic last night in the Z4.
First, pics or it didn’t happen.
Could this car replace my Miata, M3 and 911?
Hmmmm...
And, yes, I’d have to get the purple.
I would opt for this over the Toyota version on styling alone. The BMW is true to the older Z4s while I'm not sure where THIS came from:
The big thing for me on the Supra is getting in and out of it. I’m not that tall–like 5-foot-8 if I don’t slouch–and I have hit my head so many times.
Getting the manual box in the Supra was more of a game changer than I expected, to be honest. The auto is good, but the stick is really good.
In the BMW, though, I don’t mind the automatic. Seems to better fit its role as more of a cruiser.
Aaron_King said:I was never a fan of the pervious generation car, but those are about the best looking BMW at the moment.
Which is a bar so low that even the Jamaican limbo busker guy can't make it under.
The more I think about this one, the more I really like it. Yes, the Supra might be faster, but for “civilian” use, this could be a winner. But could I sell the 911, the Miata and the M3?
In reply to David S. Wallens :
can you get 3x the editorial out of this car than you do from the others? ;)
Gotta say, that top down beach shot makes it look good.
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