It was back in late 2014 that we got wind BMW was reigniting it’s “Z” lineup with three different cars wearing a Z badge. Finally, in January of 2016, we laid eyes on a prototype for the first time. Since then, we’ve seen the new Z car playing in the snow yet again, we’ve created a rendering of what it might look like, and we finally learned that BMW’s upcoming sports car would indeed be called the Z5. Now, things are starting to unfold even further, as BMWblog has reported some new information, quoting “a reliable source.”

BMWblog first confirmed that the successor to the Z4 would, in fact, be built alongside the new Toyota Supra, but we already figured as much after hearing the news that both models would be built by Magna Steyr. More importantly, however, is what we’ve learned about the chassis and drivetrain of Bimmer's upcoming Z5. Despite the fact that Toyota and Subaru produced almost identical cars from their partnership, the relationship between Toyota and BMW will yield two cars that are largely different from one another. The first evidence: the Z5 will sport the chassis designation G29 (like all of the other new “G” named Bimmers), while the Toyota Supra will get a chassis designation of J29.

If you know about the current Z4, you know that a folding metal roof adds a lot of weight, but it’s likely that the upcoming Z5 will ditch the metal roof altogether in favor of a lighter power-folding soft top. The Z5 will be RWD only, and according to BMWblog source, will come with two different engine options under two different trim levels. The entry-level Z5 will be dubbed the sDrive30i, and should sport the new B48 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger. The range-topper will be called the M40i, and should produce significantly more power with the new B58 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six.

The rated power output for the two variations of the Z5 are still up in the air, but we do know that Bimmer wants to compete directly with the Porsche 718 Boxster and Boxster S. That means the sDrive30i should produce somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, while the M40i should produce around 350 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque. These figures are based on the output of the Boxster and Boxster S, so it’s quite possible that Bimmer could try to one-up the competition and push that output up a little bit higher on each model.

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Luckily, BMW is sticking to what it knows, and will keep the Z5 a roadster. Plus, the new lighter top should make things much smoother. Furthermore, it’s great news that the Z5 will remain a roadster despite the fact that the Supra will carry on as a coupe. Unfortunately, BMW probably won’t come out with a full-fledged M-model anytime soon, but with the potential for 350 horsepower from the range-topper, we’ll get over it. We’re expecting the new Z5 to make its world debut later this year or sometime in early 2017, so stick with us for future updates.

Why it matters

Read our full review on the BMW Z5 here.