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MOTORING

ALL YEAR ROUND
ALL YEAR ROUND

BMW Z4 sDrive 20i

by Alan Rosenmeyer

he 3rd Generation Z4 recently test of the Supra not only featured the unapologetically only 2 seats, and a long
launched by BMW, interestingly, coupe option but also the 3l V6 engine. bonnet that stretches out ahead of the
Treturned to a soft-top instead of This time around, the lithe little roadster is driver. The engine delivers 145kW and
the complicated folding hard-top of the powered by the tried and trusted 2L petrol 320Nm through the familiar 8-speed
previous generation. engine. automatic transmission. Typically from
BMW, multi-modes are available and
Much has been written about BMW’s co- The new Z4 is in the true tradition these alter suspension and handling
development with Toyota and my recent of a roadster. Small, compact, with characteristics as well as engine mapping.
Very little can compare to engaging
Sport+ and carving your way through the
twisties, especially with the top down to
exaggerate the sound effects.

The cabin is familiar territory to anybody
who has driven any recent BMW product,
but this is no criticism. It’s all there and
then some, but I still find the I-Drive
controller a touch clumsy to operate.
Many may consider a two-seater roadster
to be a selfish car, and it probably is, but
in a dream world what could compare
with a Sunday blast? Similarly, there is
the more powerful 3L V6 version costing
approximately R280 000 more than the
R759 442 tag for the test car. Personally,
this one would suffice for me.

52 INTRA MUROS MARCH 2020