BMW Z4 sDrive20i 2020 Review

Scroll through car-review pages – here and overseas – and you’ll notice a bit of a trend. Cars, sporty or otherwise, are predominantly driven through an automatic transmission nowadays.

While understandable, it’s a trend that is at odds with the purity of certain models – like the BMW Z4 Roadster. This is a car that deserves a manual gearbox; even if its standard eight-speed automatic is about as good as it gets.

But forget the automatic... With a small engine that begs to be revved and a soft-top stowed behind the seats the Z4 is now alive with the control a manual transmission/rear-wheel drive combination brings to my favourite road. Every nuance of the turbocharged four-pot is felt –and exploited – and every snickety-quick throw of the gearshift makes me grin.

Surely this is what ‘driving cars’ is meant to be: an engaging connection between driver and machine. A car you fall in love with; a car that’s more than simply ‘transport’.

Okay, if the badge didn’t already suggest as much we’re not talking chump change here. The BMW Z4 sDrive20i starts at $84,900 (plus on-road costs) – and don’t think you’ll get a discount for buying a six-speed manual.

The DIY gearbox in the entry-grade Z4 is what’s known as a ‘no cost option’; meaning it costs exactly the same as that wonderful eight-speed auto. Tough call? Not for me. In this car the manual is the right fit, no two ways about it.

Of course a BMW wouldn’t be a BMW without a lengthy options list. Get a little too happy ticking boxes – or decide you want a little more horsepower – and the humble two-seat roadster quickly tops the six-figure barrier. For that money you could buy two top-shelf Mazda MX-5s.

Our test model is equipped with adaptive LED headlights ($2200), M Sport brakes ($1400 – and they’re worth every cent), M Sports Plus package ($3500), M seatbelts ($560) and BMW’s Ambient Light package ($550). As tested, the model costs $93,110 (plus ORCs).

BMW backs the Z4 Roadster range with a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and roadside assistance plan. Service intervals are ‘condition-based’, meaning the car lets you know when it’s due for a service based on the condition of various measured parameters, including your style of driving.

In a word, the BMW Z4 sDrive20i is about enjoying the drive. It isn’t about how quickly you’ll get there, or the excitement of the experience, per se. It’s a car that is built for drivers who seek to be involved with the process of driving, who drive for the sake of driving, and who own a car like this to escape the everyday.

If you’re an A to B-type driver that probably won’t mean a whole lot. You might be the type who sees the Z4 sDrive20i only as a statement of style, or a more affordable way to get that wind-in-your-hair experience, or simply a chance to own a prestige marque. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of that! In fact, it ought to be encouraged. If buying a car like this gets you interested in driving then the Z4 has done its job.

I hope people curious about what cars like the Z4 do for enthusiast drivers rubs off. The BMW Z4 sDrive20i is a wonderful car that can absolutely be enjoyed in even the most mundane commute. But more than that, it’s a delightful weekend companion that encourages a connection with the open road.

Matched to the slick-shifting six-speed manual the Z4’s zesty B48-series 2.0-litre engine revs freely. It reaches its torque peak early (1450rpm) and stays strong until the tachometer passes its midpoint. From here the twin-scroll turbocharger unites with BMW’s clever variable cam timing and valve lift system (known as Double VANOS) to rush the needle to its 6500rpm redline.

In a 1400kg car the results are effective: BMW says the Z4 sDrive20i will hit 100km/h in 6.8sec, and has a top speed of 241km/h.

Driving my favourite country back-roads the Z4 sDrive20i M Sport quickly feels familiar. It rides without crashing through potholes and maintains its poise over mid-corner bumps. Really, it takes a lot to shake its confidence.

There is a feeling that the Z4 could be driven on the throttle more assertively if the steering weren’t so banal. You get the sense that the grip outplays the feedback telegraphed to your fingers, but don’t dare test the limit for fear of coming unstuck. Mechanical grip is terrific in the Z4, and the optional 19-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot Sports tyres contribute to that, but communication to the driver is this car’s Achilles heel.

The current G29-series BMW Z4 commenced European sales in November 2018 and Australian dealerships received their first stock in May 2019.

The Australian connection to the third-generation Z4 runs deep. It was penned by Australian designer Calvin Luk, the roadster a favourite of the Sydney-born artist who drew inspiration from the 718-series Porsche Boxster and E52-series BMW Z8 in styling the sporty two-seat convertible.

As much as enthusiast drivers like me appreciate cars like the BMW Z4 a great deal, the truth is that manual roadsters are a niche within a niche.

There will only ever be a small number of people interested in – and let’s face it, able to afford – an $85k two-seat convertible. Most of those will likely prefer an automatic transmission and probably a more-powerful engine variant.

And that does make the Z4 sDrive20i something of an orphan. For all of its agility and appeal, its purity of driving, it’s a variant that simply doesn’t make as much sense to the broader car-buying audience.

Convertibles are hard to justify. They’re simply not as practical as a turbocharged hot hatch, for instance. The 281-litre boot is quite difficult to live with if your intent is to use the Z4 as a second car, while oddment storage within the cabin is slim, to say the least.

The Z4 sDrive20i (manual) is the entry model in the Z4 Roadster line-up. Starting at $84,900 (plus ORCs) the Z4 range steps through the higher-output four-cylinder Z4 sDrive30i (from $104,900 plus ORCs) and sizzling turbocharged six-cylinder Z4 M40i  (from $124,900 plus ORCs).

BMW ruled-out a Z4 M ahead of the current model’s launch, but insisted the manual gearbox would survive “for now”. If we want the manual gearbox to prevail, we need to continue buying manual cars.

I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to two-seat roadsters, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be objective. The banal electro-mechanical steering of the Z4 remains a point of contention in what’s an otherwise poised and agile chassis. Nor can I get my head around the fact this entry-grade model (and its aged Mercedes-Benz rival too, for that matter) is priced at $85,000.

Sure, it’s beautifully assembled and there’s little to criticise overall. And let’s not forget that the CLAR-based underpinnings of this long-nose/bob-tail roadster are so good that they form the basis of the all-new Toyota Supra. But I reckon you could punt the Z4 sDrive20i even quicker if you could trust the feel from the front-end.

Other than the steering, the Z4 is typically BMW. The infotainment technology, driver assistance systems and occupant amenity levels are absolutely on point. If the Z4 sat beside another BMW in your driveway you’d have no difficulty adapting from one to the other.

Once you lower yourself into the cockpit, the ergonomics and cabin ambience are spot-on. There’s a feeling of being ‘special’ here, of being cossetted every time you slip behind the wheel, and ultimately that adds to the overall experience.

And that’s exactly what the Z4 sDrive20i is all about. It’s more than a car; it’s an experience. It’s a reward to yourself, and a chance to rekindle your love of driving. I really hope cars like this continue to be made and that buyers with the means embrace them wholeheartedly – especially those with a manual gearbox. Together we can buck the trend.

How much does the 2020 BMW Z4 sDrive20i M Sport cost?
Price: $84,900 (plus ORCs); $93,110 (as tested, plus ORCs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 145kW/320Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined); 8.8L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 165g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star EuroNCAP (2019)