With all the new crossovers and electric vehicles making the headlines right now, compact roadsters such as the BMW Z4 have really taken a backseat in terms of popularity, which is putting it mildly.
Last year, BMW sold just 2,941 Z4 roadsters in the United States, according to Carsalesbase, with models like the Mercedes-Benz SLC and the Audi TT attracting even fewer buyers. However, with the right spec, cars like the BMW Z4 can be extremely rewarding behind the wheel.
This particular model is an sDrive M40i and is currently on display at the Bavarian company’s Abu Dhabi showroom. It is finished in Sapphire Black Metallic (a $550 option) and sports a set of 19-inch M double-spoke cerium grey wheels, which cost a further $600.
Read: AC Schnitzer Boosts BMW Z4 M40i To 400 PS, Sharpens Its Handling And Looks Too
Inside, we can see the Magma Red leather upholstery with black contrast stitching ($1,700) and the Aluminum mesh effect trim – a no-cost option. We also suspect this car has the Premium package, which adds wireless charging and WiFi hotspot, remote engine start and a head-up display, as we can see the latter’s cut-out in the upper dashboard.
U.S. pricing for the 2020 BMW Z4 sDrive M40i starts from $63,700, although this particular spec would definitely set you back at least $66,550 by our calculations.
As for what makes the Z4 M40i an appealing proposition, that would be its 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder that sends 382 HP to the rear wheels via an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. According to BMW, that’s enough for a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) sprint of just 3.9 seconds.