The BMW Group presented its exciting new take on a BMW roadster at the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach. Dynamic, progressive and an irresistible purveyor of thrills, the BMW Concept Z4 boasts flexible and compact proportions, a dynamic silhouette and an emotionally appealing use of forms. The attention-grabbing design study offers a look ahead to the series-production version of the car set to be unveiled over the course of next year, encapsulating the BMW Group’s vision of a modern roadster.
The BMW Concept Z4 adopts classical roadster design cues, such as a long wheelbase, a low-slung, stretched silhouette and a compact rear end, wraps them in a fresh, confident package and enriches them with the contemporary BMW design language. A shorter bonnet ensures the driver sits closer to the centre of the car and gives the new proportions a focused, sporty and agile feel. The large domes stretching out rearwards from the cabin elegantly integrate the function of rollover bars and provide a sporting conclusion to the low-to-the-road silhouette at the rear.
The clearly sculpted shark nose at the front end spawns dramatic surface contouring that extends the full length of the flanks. The surfaces and forms therefore create an extremely modern and emotionally engaging impression. Light and shaded surfaces develop in a rising movement towards the rear, then twist to form muscular wheel arches and athletic volumes. The dramatic interplay of lines and surfaces underscores the wedge shape of the flanks and infuses them with even greater dynamism. And the low door sills, with their distinctive crease, make the body appear closer to the road when viewing the car from the side.
The design of the BMW Concept Z4’s front end is undeniably sporty in nature. The relationship between the low-set, broad kidney grille and the positioning of the headlights higher up sparks deliberate associations with the BMW Z8. In place of the customary bars, the inside of the kidney grille features elaborately designed mesh, whose vertical orientation recalls the sporty, functional kidney design of early BMW roadsters. In a departure from the BMW norm, the Concept Z4 provides a vertical interpretation of the classical four-eyed headlight look, with two overlapping tubes on each side.
The front apron cuts a genuinely athletic figure with its sculptural design language. The large air intakes are an indication of the powerful engine further back and so carry the promise of a dynamic driving experience.
The wide and low design of the rear picks up the lines of the car’s sides and blends them into a modern rear of alluring precision in terms of surfaces and styling elements. The powerfully flared wheel arches give the car broad haunches, which are emphasised by the slim, L-shaped rear lights and therefore further enhance the car’s athletic stance. Above the rear lights, the boot lid – complete with prominent spoiler – stretches across to the burly wheel arch extensions, sending out a message of power-infused agility.
The kinship between the interior and exterior of the BMW Concept Z4 is evident in both forms and colour scheme. The design language of the interior takes the powerful, three-dimensional character of the exterior and adds another voice to the dynamic chorus. Much of the interior adopts the colour of the car body, creating a clear visual link between the interior and exterior. Only a classy chrome trim strip provides separation.
The instrument cluster and central information display form a high-quality cluster of screens that are integrated into the driver’s cockpit to flawless ergonomic effect. They work together to deliver the right informationat the right time. Above the instrument cluster, the Head-Up Display presents the key driving information within the driver’s direct field of view.