It seems BMW was miffed that pictures of its upcoming Z4 were leaked online before its planned reveal at the prestigious Pebble Beach Car Show. So the company went ahead and released official pictures of the sporty new roadster.
The BMW Z4 has been under development for quite some time. BMW had entered a joint venture with Japanese automotive giant Toyota to co-develop two distinct models from a single platform. Toyota branded its variant of the JV as the Supra while BMW planned to replace the aging Z4 with the other result of the partnership. The Bavarian automaker was trying to keep the Z4 under wraps until a reveal at the Pebble Beach Motor Show. With leaked pictures of the roadster surfacing online, the firm thought it best to reveal the car's details in photos before the reveal.
Seen in the pictures, the BMW Z4 is in M40i trim. It looks very similar to the concept BMW had showcased some time back. The signature long bonnet stays, and so does the short, stubby rear end. Inside, a new three-spoke multifunction steering wheel is clearly visible. The instrument cluster looks like the one present on the new BMW 8-Series. The center console has the usual iDrive touchscreen infotainment system surrounded by metallic trim inserts. The air-con vents are slimmer than in the previous Z4 and are again highlighted by the metal inserts. There is also a retractable panel below the touchscreen that is said to hold your smartphone and its charger. Quite a thoughtful feature to provide in an open-top sports car.
The 2019 BMW Z4 will be available with a varied choice of engines. BMW has confirmed that the M40i spec Z4 will pack the biggest punch in the form of an "extremely powerful" six-cylinder engine. The company didn't divulge a lot of details of the powertrain and transmissions the car will come with. We know for sure that the M40i will get a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter six-cylinder petrol motor that will make 380 horses.
Additionally, BMW has also confirmed that the roadster will have a locking rear differential and lowered sports suspension with electronically controlled dampers. The Munich-based automaker will reveal the brand new 2019 Z4 in full at the Pebble Beach Motor Show on August 23.
