The 2019 BMW Z4 M440i First Edition has made its glorious debut at Pebble Beach, ushering in the sixth-gen of BMW Z cars. It comes with concept-based styling, a plush interior, and a 340-horsepower inline-six that BMW says can walk to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds. That makes it a couple of seconds quicker than the model it replaces, but it has all the right design principles to make it a true, German-bred, driver’s car. Keep reading for the finer details.

2019 BMW Z4 Details

The 2019 BMW Z4 M40i Roadster First Edition comes complete in a Frozen Orange Metallic exterior finish with a BMW Individual High Gloss shadow line, a white top made from anthracite fabric, LED headlights, black mirror caps, and two-tone 19-inch wheels. The fabric top stows away in as little as 10 seconds which reveals the black leather interior with contrast stitching, power seats, and two large display screens. As we’ve seen from the various leaks, spy shots, and rumors, the interior isn’t exactly of the minimalist nature, but it does present a true sports car feel. The center stack is oriented toward the driver, the digital instrument cluster is centered and compact, and the driver’s seat sits relatively low to give it that special feel. It’s too early to say, but the car appears to have a low center of gravity thanks to its relatively low ride height.

2019 BMW Z4 Performance

The 2019 BMW Z4 Roadster M440i First Edtion comes with a 3.0-liter inline-six that BMW claims can deliver 340 horsepower. Torque figures are still withstanding, but BMW says the little roadster can sprint to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds. It’s also said to be extremely agile and perfectly balanced thanks to a 50:50 weight distribution and compact wheelbase. As for the sprint to 100 mph, you can probably expect that to come in around 6.5 to 7.0 seconds, and top speed will undoubtedly be capped at 155 mph if it is rated beyond the 133-mph rating of the last-gen model. In comparison, the old Z4 delivered 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet from a similar inline-six which was good enough for a sprint to 60 mph in about 4.8 seconds. That makes the new model a bit faster all of the way around, however, it’s not exactly the speed demon that everyone was hoping for. This is a sporty roadster, people, not a supercar.

Final Thoughts

In the end, the new Z4 is more aggressive, more powerful, and more technologically advanced compared to the model it replaces. Of course, the last Z4 had been around since 2009, so that’s to be expected. It appears as if BMW has adapted the Z4 the current market trend and desires of consumers, however, it’s a bit more aggressive than some may be hoping for. The 50:50 weight distribution, lower driver position, compact wheelbase all harken back to the very first Z1, however ,this thing is the edgiest of the Z cars to come out of BMW’s stable yet. The new Z4 goes on sale in the spring of 2019, and complete details of the whole lineup should be released by Septemeber 19th. That gives you a good six months to decide whether or not you want to make the plunge and if you want your new roadster to rock a BMW badge or a Toyota badge. Even better yet, maybe you should get both.

Further Reading

2019 BMW Z4

Read our speculative review on the 2019 BMW Z4}

2017 BMW Concept Z4

Read our full review of the 2017 BMW Concept Z4}

2015 BMW Z4

Check out what we had to say about the last-gen model in our in-depth driven review of the 2015 BMW Z4}