New BMW Z4 spotted in India for the first time

-  A camouflaged test mule of the G29 BMW Z4 was spied in Chennai.

-  Expected to be launched in the first half of 2019.

-  Powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six producing 340bhp and can do 0-100 in 4.6 seconds.

The all-new BMW Z4 Roadster made its official public debut at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours in Monterey in August. The Z4 Roadster retains much of its style quotient from the stunning concept we saw a year before that. And now, the drop-top is coming to India sooner than we anticipated. A camouflaged prototype of the new G29 Z4 was spotted in Chennai hinting that BMW might launch the soft-top in India pretty soon. 

Yes, the G29 Z4 now comes with a soft-top compared to E89’s retractable hard-top. Developed closely with the resurrected Toyota Supra (which will debut at the Detroit show next month), the Z4 is powered by BMW’s iconic 3.0-litre straight six in the M40i guise. However, a slightly more affordable turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine – in the 20i and 30i variants – is also available and we think that these two models will surely arrive in India. 

The new Z4 is built ground-up on a new CLAR platform. Appearance wise, the Z4 has the same ‘long bonnet-tight rear’ proportions as before. However, every element in the car is now modern and feels more premium. The new LED signature in headlights is now ‘vertically aligned’ and the new BMW kidney grille gets a mesh design instead of vertical louvres like the traditional styling. 

The front bumper gets black inserts all around those imposing air-vents and the creases on the bonnet further add to its masculine appearance. This Roadster has a large vertical vent on the front fender behind the wheels and it rides on 18-inch wheels. At the rear, the sleek taillight design is the new BMW signature element and it gets a nicely sculpted deck-lip spoiler and contrasting diffuser. On the inside, the cabin is unmistakably BMW with a no-nonsense, functional layout, rich materials and sporty bits. The driver-focused cockpit gets a new digital instrument cluster and an advanced infotainment system. 

When launched in India, the 2019 BMW Z4 will lock horns with the Porsche 718 Boxster, Jaguar F-Type, Audi TT and Mercedes-Benz SLC. The price tag is expected to start around Rs 80 lakhs and could cross the Rs 1.1 crore mark for the top-spec M40i guise. 

Picture Source: Automobili Ardent