BMW Z4

Our verdict

The BMW Z4 Roadster is a solid, edgy sports car with some great engines and a very rapid hood.

Comfort

Not a very comfy car, the Z4 is too sporty for total ease. But the hood is well insulated and deals very well with road and engine noise.

Performance

Choose between 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 or 3.2-litre ‘M'. The 2.0-litre will get to 62mph in 8.2 seconds with its 150bhp. The 3.0-litre has 265bhp and will sprint in just 5.7 seconds, but if it's fast you want then why not go for the 3.2-litre ‘M' with 340bhp? It's basically a de-tuned M3 motor. Five seconds to 62mph and you'll hit the 155mph limiter quite hard.

Cool

Not as cool as the fixed-head by a long chalk, but a nicely-specced one still turns heads.

Quality

Great quality, solidly finished.

Handling

Like most modern BMWs, the Z4 is ultra stiff thanks to run-flat tyres and the German tendency towards a firm suspension set-up, but it goes and stops like a Roadster should. Not quite the Porsche Boxster it would like to be. But close.

Practicality

The hood is a real joy to use thanks to its ‘Z-fold' design - super-quick and super neat. The boot is small-ish with 240 litres, but if you want huge then look elsewhere.

Running costs

Gravely expensive to insure, and a tax nightmare if you go for a big engine (which you must). Only the M version gets near to delivering enough fun to justify costs like these.