What is it?
2006 BMW Z4 Coupe and M Coupe
What's special about it?
During the introduction of the 2006 BMW Z4 Coupe and the high-powered M Coupe, BMW chairman Helmut Panke admitted the new two-doors "aren't drivers of significant retail volume, but will help to strengthen the brand's radiance." In other words, they're halo cars, built to keep BMW on the minds of enthusiasts even if they would never think about buying a coupe. Once the sheets were pulled off the new cars, however, we didn't see why Dr. Panke seemed so worried; these coupes are cool enough to make enthusiasts rethink buying anything else.
Unlike the previous-generation Z3-based coupes which have a squared-off rear end that looks like an aborted attempt at a hatchback, the fastback roofline of new Z4-based coupes is well proportioned and nicely integrated. You would think BMW started with the coupe first and then chopped off the roofs for the roadsters instead of the other way around.
There's a hint of the 7 Series trunk lid in back, but it's far less distracting. If anything, the addition of the new C-pillars only emphasizes the curves of the rear wheel arches making the cars look wider in back than their roadster counterparts. Standard wheels and tires on the Z4 Coupe are 17 inches in diameter; 18 inches for M Coupe.
As different as the Z4 Coupe and M Coupe look on the outside compared to the roadsters, all the hardware under the hood is the same. The Z4 Coupe gets BMW's latest 3.0-liter straight-six with 255 hp and 220 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; a six-speed automatic is optional. BMW claims a 0-to-60 time of 5.7 seconds.
The M Coupe is upgraded with a 330-hp, 3.2-liter six running through a six-speed manual gearbox only. Like the M Roadster, the M Coupe gets a sport suspension, engine-speed-sensitive steering, and 18-inch wheels and tires. Brakes from the lightweight, ultraperformance M3 CSL complete the package. No specs were offered on the weight of the coupes versus the roadsters, but BMW claims that with the added stiffness of the enclosed roof, the M Coupe is quicker around the Nürburgring than both the M3 Coupe and M Roadster, so if it's heavier, it's not by much.
Interior changes for the coupes are limited to the extra cargo area in back. In the Z4 Coupe you get 11.9 cubic feet up from 8.5 in the roadster, while the M Coupe's space is reduced to 10.5 cubic feet by a tire-repair system. The Z4 Coupe and Roadster come with run-flat tires standard.
The Z4 Coupe and M Coupe go on sale in the U.S. in May, with worldwide sales beginning a month later. Pricing was not announced, but the coupes shouldn't vary much from the Z4 and M Roadsters which start at $35,600 and $51,300, respectively.
What's Edmunds' take?
We always liked the old Z3 coupes, but these Z4-based hardtops are better. They may not have the "so ugly you love it" factor, but we'll take beautiful from every angle any day. — Ed Hellwig
2006 BMW Z4 Coupe and M Coupe
What's special about it?
During the introduction of the 2006 BMW Z4 Coupe and the high-powered M Coupe, BMW chairman Helmut Panke admitted the new two-doors "aren't drivers of significant retail volume, but will help to strengthen the brand's radiance." In other words, they're halo cars, built to keep BMW on the minds of enthusiasts even if they would never think about buying a coupe. Once the sheets were pulled off the new cars, however, we didn't see why Dr. Panke seemed so worried; these coupes are cool enough to make enthusiasts rethink buying anything else.
Unlike the previous-generation Z3-based coupes which have a squared-off rear end that looks like an aborted attempt at a hatchback, the fastback roofline of new Z4-based coupes is well proportioned and nicely integrated. You would think BMW started with the coupe first and then chopped off the roofs for the roadsters instead of the other way around.
There's a hint of the 7 Series trunk lid in back, but it's far less distracting. If anything, the addition of the new C-pillars only emphasizes the curves of the rear wheel arches making the cars look wider in back than their roadster counterparts. Standard wheels and tires on the Z4 Coupe are 17 inches in diameter; 18 inches for M Coupe.
As different as the Z4 Coupe and M Coupe look on the outside compared to the roadsters, all the hardware under the hood is the same. The Z4 Coupe gets BMW's latest 3.0-liter straight-six with 255 hp and 220 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; a six-speed automatic is optional. BMW claims a 0-to-60 time of 5.7 seconds.
The M Coupe is upgraded with a 330-hp, 3.2-liter six running through a six-speed manual gearbox only. Like the M Roadster, the M Coupe gets a sport suspension, engine-speed-sensitive steering, and 18-inch wheels and tires. Brakes from the lightweight, ultraperformance M3 CSL complete the package. No specs were offered on the weight of the coupes versus the roadsters, but BMW claims that with the added stiffness of the enclosed roof, the M Coupe is quicker around the Nürburgring than both the M3 Coupe and M Roadster, so if it's heavier, it's not by much.
Interior changes for the coupes are limited to the extra cargo area in back. In the Z4 Coupe you get 11.9 cubic feet up from 8.5 in the roadster, while the M Coupe's space is reduced to 10.5 cubic feet by a tire-repair system. The Z4 Coupe and Roadster come with run-flat tires standard.
The Z4 Coupe and M Coupe go on sale in the U.S. in May, with worldwide sales beginning a month later. Pricing was not announced, but the coupes shouldn't vary much from the Z4 and M Roadsters which start at $35,600 and $51,300, respectively.
What's Edmunds' take?
We always liked the old Z3 coupes, but these Z4-based hardtops are better. They may not have the "so ugly you love it" factor, but we'll take beautiful from every angle any day. — Ed Hellwig
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