The debut of the BMW Z4 E89 second-generation models took place in 2009 at the North American International Auto Show. By spring, they were already being sold. The versions of the cars with hard folding roofs replaced the E85 roadsters and E86 coupes.
The Bavarians began to produce these vehicles. Assembly was carried out in Germany, not in America, because specialized aluminum parts were used.
Significant investments were required for the production of hard folding structures, combined with the latest technologies. They stopped producing them in the summer of 2016 because the Z5 models appeared.
Sports cars have well-deserved competitors, including Audi TT, Infiniti G37, Nissan 370Z, and Mercedes SLK models.
Exterior of BMW Z4 E89
The only body type for the BMW Z4 E89 cars is roadsters. The work of Julian Blasi, a German designer, involved transforming the appearance of the cars. Therefore, they have the characteristics of sports cars, incorporating recognizable elements typical of the company. The cars are sporty and modern.
- The cars look aggressive due to the dual radiator grilles.
- The narrowed optical shapes give them a predatory look.
- The cars have a multifaceted surface, giving them a swift appearance.
- The hoods have increased in length and acquired rounded edges.
- The rear parts feature passenger capsules.
- There are stampings on all body parts of the cars.
- The cars have an elegant appearance due to the new lines in the rear parts of the sports cars.
- The refreshed rear optics complete the graceful images of the cars.
- The folding and tight roofs give the sports cars weight, making them versatile for use in any climate. Converting the roadster bodies into coupes takes seconds, more than 20. The roofs have 2 sections and electro-hydraulic control made of aluminum alloy. The design work is so skillful that even with the roofs lowered, the individual and recognizable features remain present.
- Attention was focused on producing structures with maximum visibility and practicality of the roofs.
- The cars have wide rear windows, with the side windows lowering separately in the vehicles.
Specifications
- Length — 4 m 239 cm.
- Width — 1 m 790 cm, considering the side mirrors, then — 1 m 951 cm.
- Height — 1 m 291 cm.
- Wheelbase — 2 m 496 cm.
- Ground clearance — 13 cm
- 17-18-inch wheels are used here.
- Fuel tanks with a capacity of 55 liters.
The cars also have some drawbacks:
- There may be extraneous noises when opening the roofs. However, the mechanisms are reliable. Therefore, lubricate the hinges periodically.
- The rear lights may leak due to weak seals. In this case, the constructions need to be replaced.
- Initially, there was no corrosion in the cars. Therefore, if you see rust when purchasing, know that there was an accident.
Roofs
The soft roofs are of a two-component design. Aluminum alloys were used for their production. The roofs work thanks to electro-hydraulic drives. Therefore, the complete folding/unfolding cycles take more than 20 seconds. This is a short amount of time for cars of that period. The efforts of the Bavarians were significant.
Optics
The standard equipment of the cars includes headlights. They have xenon fillings and high-pressure washers. This ensures maximum road illumination at night. The washers allow driving in heavy precipitation because the optics are always clean.
Windshields
The frames of the windshields are reinforced. Thus, maximum safety is ensured when folding roofs.
Interior Features
They are luxurious and at the same time sporty. Designer Nadia Arno, together with the Designwork USA team, contributed to this. Although led by a girl, femininity is absent.
- The dashboards are closer to the drivers. Panels are finished with aluminum inserts.
- The instrument panels are of a strict style, digital, providing a lot of necessary information.
- The three-spoke steering wheels fit very comfortably in the hands. Their surfaces have control panels.
- The central consoles have color displays of iDrive multimedia systems. You can easily access the Internet. The interfaces come with the Russian language. Below the screens are controls for climate and audio systems.
- Powerful audio systems with 14 speakers.
- USB ports. Bluetooth.
- Navigation systems equipped with 8.8-inch displays, with hard drives.
- The car's geolocation is determined by Connected Drive, so if needed, even repairmen can come.
- The interiors feature high-quality finishing materials: leather, plastic, aluminum, Alcantara.
- The cars have a wide area of windows, making the spaces very bright.
- In these cars, there is room for two people. The seats are sporty, with electric adjustments and memory. They are made of leather, treated with a special material to prevent sun glare from interfering with movement.
- Thanks to the enlarged roofs, there is plenty of space available.
- The trunks have a capacity of 180 liters; if the roofs are open, then — 310 liters.
- Batteries are located under the false floors.
- There are no spare wheels.
Engines of BMW Z4 E89
For our compatriots, petrol engines are offered in four variations.
- The cars iDrive20i, with 184 horsepower, and iDrive28i with 245 hp, feature four-cylinder, two-liter engines N50. The cylinder heads are made of aluminum alloys, with 2 balance shafts in each. The engine designs have 16 valves, direct fuel injections, turbochargers, Variable Valve Lift Valvetronic 3. Average consumption is around 6.8 liters.
To increase power characteristics, chip tuning can be used, and with Stage 1, the engine power will be 280 hp. With Stage 2, including intercoolers and downpipes, the cars can deliver 300 horsepower, but then the constructions wear out quickly.
Common engine problems are related to vibrations of the units. This is a sign that the injectors have become dirty.
If the revs fluctuate, clean the throttle valve or idle control valves.
If fuel consumption is high, pay attention to the flow meter.
- In the sDrive35i modifications, with 306 horsepower and sDrive35is with 340 hp, there are six-cylinder, three-liter units. They have TwinPower Turbo twin-turbochargers with aluminum cylinder heads, updated cylinder block heads with mechanisms for changing the timing of gas distribution during intake and exhaust strokes. The units have direct fuel injections and no Variable Valve Lift Valvetronic functions. The neighboring cars are left far behind at traffic lights because the cars accelerate from a standstill in 4.8 seconds. Consumption is 9.1 l/100 km.
Owners report potential issues with the high-pressure fuel pump. In this case, the car does not demonstrate its full power. The problem is corrected by replacing the high-pressure fuel pump.
- The restyling work on the BMW Z4 E89 cars included the addition of new two-liter engines with turbochargers, aluminum cylinder heads, and two balance shafts. The cylinder heads have Variable Valve Lift Valvetronic 3 functions and direct fuel injections.
Tuning can increase power from 156 hp to 280 hp. With a Stage 2 update, 300 hp can be achieved. The engines are economical — 6.8 l/100 km. The power unit resources show decent performance — 250 thousand km. Acceleration from 4.8 to 6.9 seconds/100 km. Consumption ranges from 5 to 6.5 l.
Important! Use engine oil with a viscosity rating of 5W30, 5W40 after 10,000 km of mileage.
Technological Features
The engines in the BMW Z4 E89 cars are rear-wheel drive, longitudinal. Engineers made efforts to intelligently distribute the axle loads and install lightweight aluminum suspensions.
The versions with 2.0-liter engines have six-speed manual gearboxes. The three-liter engines work with seven-speed automatic transmissions.
- The roadster steering wheels have electromechanical power steering. The cars have reliable brakes and DSC systems.
- Independent suspensions. MacPherson struts at the front with two control arms and multi-link suspensions at the rear.
- Base versions have passive shock absorbers.
Options include:
- Steering wheels with adjustable properties.
- Adaptive chassis.
- Ventilated disc brakes in the wheels.
Electronic Equipment
These cars have plenty of such mechanisms.
- Presence of multimedia devices.
- Multi-functional onboard computers.
- Efficient Dynamics and Drive Dynamic Control.
- Optionally — steering wheel heating, Hands-Free systems, Professional navigation, seat heating, electric seat adjustments.
- In basic configurations of sports cars, high-quality safety devices are included, with Brake Assist, ABS, seat belt tensioners, limiters, 4 airbags, ESP with traction control functions.
What's Included in the Basic and Optional Equipment of BMW Z4 E89
In addition to 4 safety airbags, seat belts, and ABS mechanisms, standard equipment includes:
- air conditioners;
- xenon headlights;
- audio systems;
- parking brake system with automatics;
- key-cards;
- reinforced frames for side windows.
Add-ons involve the installation of:
- devices for controlling high beams (can automatically switch to high or low beams);
- adaptive lighting for turns;
- rear and front parking sensors;
- tire pressure sensors;
- steering wheel, seat, electric drive heaters, advanced navigation devices, wind protection mechanisms.
In individual versions Pure Traction and Pure Balance, the links between the interior and exterior of the cars are correctly and clearly displayed. The M-type sports cars give the feeling of sitting behind a racing car, thanks to the sportiness of the seats, leather steering wheel, unique chassis elements, and aerodynamic characteristics.
Restyled and Pre-Restyled Cars
2013 was marked by facelift operations on the BMW Z4 E89 cars.
