SPY PICS: BMW Z5 xDrive could be in the wings

These are the latest Automedia spy photos of BMW’s upcoming Z4 replacement, the Z5.

As previously reported in a Z5 spy photo story on motoring.com.au, now we have these new pics that have surfaced which are of a soft-top convertible. Similarly proportioned to the existing Z4 and ostensibly connected to the upcoming Toyota sports coupe with which BMW is sharing its basic platform.

Other than existing speculation that the BMW will be powered by a range of engines related to the existing four and six-cylinder powerplants, there is little to be gleaned from the current crop of photos.

However the rumour mill continues to grind at a steady pace, with the latest speculations suggesting that, on top of the strong possibility of a hybrid X5, there is a chance that an xDrive AWD Z5 M version will also be offered, throwing a scare into the two-seat sports car segment where Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Audi are highly active.

Currently it is believed the Z5 will be revealed in full some time during 2017, with the Toyota iteration following a little later.

It is also being speculated that part of the reason for BMW going the soft-top route with the Z5 is twofold: A soft-top will be lighter than a convertible hardtop, and the Bavarian company is speculated to have a new coupe variant in the wings for release some time in the future.