Next Z4 Prototype Drive....

[FoMoJo]

Unfortunate belt line.  Makes it look very pedestrian.

[MX793]

Unfortunate belt line.  Makes it look very pedestrian.

The proportions kind of remind me of an SLK.

[Submariner]

Front end looks like a Kia.

The back end looks like an exaggerated SL550.

The last one was much better looking.  The concept was much better looking.

[Payman]

Front end looks like a Kia.

The back end looks like an exaggerated SL550.

The last one was much better looking.  The concept was much better looking.

Lol Kia needs to do one based off the Stinger, and undercut this by $20,000. And offer a manual.

[CaminoRacer]

Unfortunate belt line.  Makes it look very pedestrian.

The proportions kind of remind me of an SLK.

Yup. No thanks.

[CALL_911]

Obviously the BMW is better proportioned... but

You know, the Eclipse looks pretty good in that picture. I actually always thought that gen looked decent.

[Payman]

Yup. No thanks.

Thank a texting pedestrian.

[Payman]

You know, the Eclipse looks pretty good in that picture. I actually always thought that gen looked decent.

Dat ass tho'.

[2o6]

Thank a texting pedestrian.

I'm not convinced. The ND Miata has to pass the same tests and it doesn't look lien ass and has really good proportions. I think blaming pedestrian standards is a cop out.

[cawimmer430]

In the photos it looks so small, but I've seen the prototypes up close in my city and this thing is rather wide and  long.

In a few days/weeks they should have one on display at BMW Welt. I'll check it out and then I can decide if I like it or not. Seeing the car in person is always best.

Also, I am curious how the kidney grille would look in silver. I think black kind of dulls it down a little.

[MX793]

I'm not convinced. The ND Miata has to pass the same tests and it doesn't look lien ass and has really good proportions. I think blaming pedestrian standards is a cop out.

The ND Miata wasn't designed to accommodate a turbocharged, Inline-6 engine under the hood while still meeting all pedestrian safety standards.

[CaminoRacer]

The front end isn't the problem. It's the sharp rising bodyline going from the brake "vent" to the hips. It makes it look like a cheap cartoony hot wheels.

[12,000 RPM]

The ND Miata wasn't designed to accommodate a turbocharged, Inline-6 engine under the hood while still meeting all pedestrian safety standards.

I imagine the ND's engine is a similar height to the Z4's B58. Plus it had more size to play with to really dial in the proportions

2o6 is right; the ND looks a lot better.

[Laconian]

Mazda is freer to design hoods and grilles that are right for the car. They aren't burdened blessed by stylistic H&H to the extent that BMW is. BMW is contractually obligated to incorporate kidney grilles and Hoffmeister kinks into all of their cars.

[12,000 RPM]

Front end looks like a Kia.

Kia slander is hereby verboten

Kia could easily crank out a better looking roadster than this.

[Laconian]

So is this going to be a sports car (first gen Z4), or a grand touring drop top for aging golfers (current gen Z4)?

[MX793]

So is this going to be a sports car (first gen Z4), or a grand touring drop top for aging golfers (current gen Z4)?

Automatic only, bigger than the current gen...  Probably more the latter.

[MrH]

I should care about this car. Why don't I care?

It's significantly over my toy budget and doesn't appear to be any more fun than an ND.  Doesn't mean much to me.

[AutobahnSHO]

I saw a Z4 finally with the top down today. White, looked great!

I never see verts with the top down around here! Even in perfect 70ish weather....

[Payman]

The 3.0 340 and 380hp Jaguar F-Type Roadster is still available with a manual for 2019. So, suck it BMW.

[12,000 RPM]

Nobody's buying, man. They probably sell more I-Paces a day than they will sell those manual F-Types all year.

[Payman]

Nobody's buying, man. They probably sell more I-Paces a day than they will sell those manual F-Types all year.

Sadly true for all sports cars really. Man, this Z4 makes the F-Type look gorgeous. It's even available in satin orange with the blackout trim option. I need to find a spare $85,000.

[12,000 RPM]

The F-Type IS gorgeous. I feel like the ownership experience would not match up to its beauty though. They are lead pigs with dynamic issues.

[Laconian]

The F-type is a size too large IMO. I see a couple on a regular basis, the driver's head just looks too small relative to the rest of the car. It looks much better as a coupe where the mismatched car to human ratio is less evident. The butt is positively X rated.

[r0tor]

I can't stop seeing the giant happy face under the weird nostrils

[Payman]

The F-type is a size too large IMO. I see a couple on a regular basis, the driver's head just looks too small relative to the rest of the car. It looks much better as a coupe where the mismatched car to human ratio is less evident. The butt is positively X rated.

Unless that's a grinning Oompa-Loompa, the Z4 isn't all that svelte either.

[FoMoJo]

The F-type is a size too large IMO. I see a couple on a regular basis, the driver's head just looks too small relative to the rest of the car. It looks much better as a coupe where the mismatched car to human ratio is less evident. The butt is positively X rated.

Not a small car, but bigger than it looks.  For all its svelte lines, it looks fearsome even standing still.