When the first-generation Z4 launched in 2002, it was a wonderful exercise in measured unusualness. As a replacement for the Z3, it was a pretty bold step; the Z3 had the classic roadster profile – long bonnet, rearward cabin, stubby tail – and the Z4 built on these design touchpoints, but added in a whole heap of design quirks, which was great news; life’s too short to drive boring cars, after all, and BMW’s decision to infuse some genuine design flair into a model they knew would be a volume-seller ought to be robustly applauded.
When the second-generation model launched in 2009, BMW had refined the formula and created something even better: the E89 Z4 had a folding hard-top, which eliminated any hint of compromise. Base models came in sDrive form, and M Sport trim was optional – this brought in 19” wheels, leather sport seats, redesigned and sportier-looking bumpers, sports suspension and an M Sport steering wheel.
Z4s of this era also benefited from BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology, including such treats as regenerative braking, stop-start, driving mode selection and directional headlights. With the option of iDrive, it was a thoroughly grown-up package: a distinctively designed open-top sports car full of clever tech and engaging dynamism.
This example, an sDrive 20i M Sport, is very much the sweet spot in the spec range. It features the revered N20 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo, an engine that offers visceral thrills and impressive economy in equal measure.
The specification is just where you’d want it to be, with the M Sport trim counterpointing dark paint with light leather, and the real allure of this particular car is the gentle life it’s lived. Yes, it’s been enjoyed as BMW intended and has carried out its share of European road-trips and B-road hijinks, but moreover it’s been kept as a thing for occasional use, fastidiously serviced and very well looked after.
There are just 23,500 miles on the clock, which works out to an average of around 2,600 miles a year throughout its life. And that’s not something you come across every day!
Indeed, it’s this relative inactivity that’s motivating the sale today. Having owned and enjoyed the car for five years, the current owner feels that, with the Z4 not seeing a lot of regular use, it’s time for this lovely car to find a new home where it can enjoy a whole new chapter of its life.
This is exactly the type of paperwork file you’d hope to find in a car like this. All of the original books and manuals are here, with the service book having been comprehensively stamped. There’s also some period showroom literature to accompany this.
Originally supplied by Cooper Thames Ditton, it was serviced by Cooper Cobham until 2015, then Ocean Plymouth, and more recently it’s been looked after by Barons Hindhead: this is where the current owner bought it from in 2016 and there’s a receipt showing that he paid £22,776.
The most recent bill is for a full health check from Barons in June of this year, and all of the old MOTs are present too.
It’s very clear from the condition of this interior that the car has always been looked after, and the presentation neatly backs up the impressively low mileage. The M Sport trim brings all of the desirable extras, with the seats being a particular highlight – the sports seats are trimmed in soft leather, beautifully supportive and with no notable wear.
They both recline forward correctly to allow access to the storage area behind. The carpets are in excellent condition, as is the headlining inside the hard-top, and the door cards are superb with no signs of wear around the control buttons.
The steering wheel is an M Sport item with assorted button controls, behind which are the paddle-shifters for the 8-speed auto ZF transmission. This car is equipped with iDrive, and this is all in proper working order with the pop-up audio/sat-nav screen raising and lowering correctly. The dash is all in good order with no marks or damage and no warning lights illuminated.
Inside the boot it’s all dry and tidy. With the roof down and stowed inside the boot, there’s still room for some storage beneath, and with the roof up there’s oodles of luggage space. Beneath the various lift up flaps we find the original (unopened) first aid kit and OEM-spec BMW battery, the original warning triangle is mounted within the bootlid, and we also find the sleeve for the windbreak in there.
It really is poetry in motion, watching the folding hard-top do its thing. Brilliantly, as well as operating the roof from inside the car, you can also do it from the keyfob as you approach, and what’s perhaps even more impressive than the way the various roof panels dance around and fold themselves away is how it all happens in absolute silence. The roof really is the Z4’s party piece.
Black is a superb exterior colour choice for this model, especially in M Sport trim with the more sculptural bumpers, and in the bright sunlight of our shoot we can see how all of the panels are free from dings or dents and every one sits straight and true.
There are a few very minor blemishes to the paintwork here and there, most notably some light scratches along the passenger side and some stone-chips and minor scuffs to the paint around the kidney grilles, but with a small investment in a simple professional paint correction it’d surely all come up gleaming like a new pin. This is nit-picking though really, as overall it’s very well presented and cuts a handsome profile.
The car wears the optional 19” M Sport wheels, which have matching Bridgestone Potenza tyres with decent tread. The centre caps are a little flaky and two wheels are missing their M emblems, but these things are cheaply and easily available from your favourite online auction sites. The wheels on the passenger side have a little light kerbing around the rims, although this would be a simple job to remedy for a professional refurbisher.
All of the correct trim pieces and badging are present, and the light lenses and window glass are in good order. On the whole, a very presentable example in a desirable colourway.
The mechanical package in the sDrive 20i is a formidable one.
The 2.0-litre turbo engine serves up 181bhp, backed up by a robust 199lb.ft of torque, and this enables a brisk 0-62mph run of 6.9 seconds. Mated to the intelligent 8-speed auto (which can either self-shift or be operated with the paddles), impressive frugality is possible too. The best of both worlds.
With much lower mileage than average and a full and fastidious service history, this Z4 behaves impeccably, as one might expect. It fires on the button, idles perfectly, pulls strongly, and is a joy to drive. There are no issues to report with the suspension, brakes, steering or transmission – everything is just as it should be.
There are many reasons why you’d want to buy and enjoy a Z4 in M Sport spec. There’s the fabulous design, the superlative equipment levels, the engaging and entertaining driving experience… and with this one in particular, it’s all backed up by an extremely reassuring history. With such very low mileage, and a full dealer service history, it’s lived a gentle life and always been pampered.
It has the performance, the equipment, the desirability… and, of course, that fabulously clever roof. It’s a roadster and a coupe at once, and in either form it’s a thoroughly pleasing thing. A grown-up sports car with a mile-wide mischievous streak.
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As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
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2012 BMW Z4 sDrive 20i M Sport
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