New cars: BMW Z4

Car and Driver

Men, if you’re having a midlife crisis, the new Z4 convertible “eases the grieving.” The turbocharged version hits 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and 100 mph in 12, although the brakes began to fade after repeated stops. For long-distance comfort and cruising, though, the Z4 is just the thing for that market segment associated with thinning hair and “sexual overcompensation.”

The New York Times

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Surprise—two female designers are chiefly responsible for the “masculine swagger” of the interior and exterior of the all-new Z4. Two major challenges in revamping the vehicle were maintaining the coupe-like appearance with the top up, and also preserving “the long hood, short-deck proportion of a roadster.” The asymmetrical center console is angled toward the driver to emphasize that this is very much a driver’s car.

Automobile

With this revise, the Z4 has said goodbye to its “awkward adolescence.” A re­tractable hardtop is now standard, and the slow-selling hatchback coupe is no longer available. The base model offers a 255-hp, 3.0-liter power plant, while a twin-turbocharged six is optional. A six-speed manual is standard on both models, but the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is exclusive to the turbocharged variant.