Developed in partnership with Toyota and sharing many nuts and bolts with the upcoming Supra, the BMW Z4 successor has made its Nurburgring spy video debut.
Rumor has it that it will wear the Z5 moniker and adopt an evolutionary design, one that will make it instantly recognizable as a BMW, but unlike its predecessor, which used a complicated and heavy folding hardtop, the Roadster will get a lighter folding soft-top instead.
Reports suggest that its architecture will employ carbon fiber and aluminum, with a selection of four- and six-cylinder turbo units providing power. There are also rumors of a hybrid offering combined with optional xDrive all-wheel drive, with the electric motors and gearbox said to be shared with its Japanese cousin.
Its open-top view of the sky, along with its dimensions and pricing, should make it a contender for the Porsche 718 Boxster, Audi TT, and Mercedes-Benz SLC when it goes on sale, likely in the second half of 2017. The all-new Toyota Supra is expected to follow it within a year.