new 2010 Z4 spied!

[diablolique]

Think I might throwup from that paint scheme but you can tell the shape better than when it had on all that body cladding stuff.

[Randy Forbes]

Laughs about paint job comment ;)

Those look like solid rubber tires; talk about your low-profile!

[ROM3N]

Looks kinda dull :thumbdwn:

[wildag]

Realizing that this is a mule, and that visual characteristics are supposed to throw off the looks, here's some interesting points.

1) It has the same single outlet dual exhaust that the 335i has, which should be a pretty big hint about the engine. Obviously the current 3.0si replacement.

2) The antenna is in a VERY weird spot. I understand that this is a mule, but even then its still extremely odd.

3) That appears to be a folding hardtop. Or maybe a very shiny, very smooth soft top... But I don't see any support ridges, and there's a nice groove where the hardtop would fold back.

[da geez]

I like it well enough, but not well enough to buy it.

I'd rather have a '01 or '02 M Coupe or Roadster and I'll continue looking for one.. I am grateful they've left the styling pretty close to the cars we're driving now so as not to date our rides so much.

[Zuzax]

Looks like their camo guys have resorted to buying contact paper.

[RCK]

Looks kinda dull :thumbdwn:

:tsk:

[Palantirion]

Thanks for the link. My comments are on the main thread.

[Billd104]

This seems to be the new standard issue BMW camouflage these days. It screams LOOK AT ME... I'M A PROTOTYPE!! I agree on the exhaust hinting of the TT motor. Looks kind of like a mini 6 series vert.

[iamwiz82]

This seems to be the new standard issue BMW camouflage these days. It screams LOOK AT ME... I'M A PROTOTYPE!! I agree on the exhaust hinting of the TT motor. Looks kind of like a mini 6 series vert.

Yes it causes attention, but then the lines of the car are lost in all of the busy-ness. With just standard black vinyl camo the straps can come loose, the lines are not well hidden, the vinyl has to be custom fitted. With this all you need is contact paper and a razor to fit it.

[DCC]

Hey I see 'Zoom Zoom' following close behind
:)

[Vinci]

I am impressed. That camo job is extremely effective. I can't see them releasing it with wheels that big, though. They would be getting bent all the time.

[bten]

2) The antenna is in a VERY weird spot. I understand that this is a mule, but even then its still extremely odd.



If you are talking about the one on the driver's side, It is in the same place as the earlier mules. They moved it further up because the trunk lid is larger to hold the folding hardtop. This was more noticeable on the earlier pictures.

[philippek]

You can tell the proportions are correct, but aside from that, who knows :dunno:

[BFLZ4s]

I guess they hunchbacked it to clear the clamshell top.

What's wrong with a roadster being a roadster? Leave the luxo crap to Mercedes and Lexus ... and Mazda. :p

[bten]

looks like the hood lifts up from the windshield and goes forward. The lines on the hood appear to be fake.

[z3power]

Interesting to see dual pipes out back (335i/135i)...things to come?
Hate the side mirrors, really hope they DO NOT do that.

[EdCT]

I like, I want, I will get.

End of story.

Ed

[SP330]

The kidney's look obnoxiously large.

[enigma]

It's a bit too early to tell, but here're some random thoughts:

1. The car seems to be a tad bigger than the current generation (I wish it wasn't :mad:).

2. If I were buying a roadster, I want mine with a soft-top. If I wanted a hard-top version, I would have gotten a MB instead. If BMW really makes it a hard-top covertible, will they make the coupe version?

3. The blind spot seems to be much smaller than the current Z4. :thumbup:

4. What's with those ugly yellow side blinkers on back mirrors? :confused:

5. The controversial 45* line seems to be gone. I guess it could be a good thing since it has been one of the most talked about and polarizing design elements.

[Sia Bani]

what controversial 45 degree line? The hatch?!?! that's controversial? i think it looks great...same on teh 6 series.

[gilpinshay]

Having something controversial keeps you in the news and in peoples minds.

[mace92]

Interesting to see dual pipes out back (335i/135i)...things to come?
Hate the side mirrors, really hope they DO NOT do that.

Personally I think the N54 engine is for sure going to be in the next Z4. It's too good of an engine not to put in it.

[philippek]

Hate the side mirrors, really hope they DO NOT do that.

I doubt they will. They've taped off the front and rear clusters so much that there are no directional blinkers. Looks like there are a couple of small dots on the rear bumpers which serve that function for the rear. I doubt any of those elements will make it to the finished version, but in order for the mule to be street legal they do have to put directional blinkers on it somewhere.

[SamN]

It looks like a cross between a Z4 and a 6-series... almost like like a smaller M6.

[AndyM]

Interesting to see dual pipes out back (335i/135i)...things to come?
Hate the side mirrors, really hope they DO NOT do that.

135 has one muffler and dual tips on one side. The 335 has 2 mufflers with single tip on each side. I assume the 3er has to compete with the A4 (visually) where the 135 does not.

[GBimmer]

Can I order it in the white-squiggly-line paint job?


It looks like a cross of the Z3 and the Z4. It has the lines I love from both cars and the ones I don't love are gone. I think it'll be a real winner!

[andyjr]

If the real thing looks as good as what seems to be under the camoflage, I'm a buyer for sure. The proportions are perfect, the top looks better than either the current coupe(which is what I have now) or the soft top, (though I'd rather have a coupe, not a hardtop convertible), and hopefully the verticle part of the Z fender line is gone.
I read somewhere about an optional twin turbo four cylinder for the next model. Anyone hear about that?

[GBimmer]

If the real thing looks as good as what seems to be under the camoflage, I'm a buyer for sure. The proportions are perfect, the top looks better than either the current coupe(which is what I have now) or the soft top, (though I'd rather have a coupe, not a hardtop convertible), and hopefully the verticle part of the Z fender line is gone.
I read somewhere about an optional twin turbo four cylinder for the next model. Anyone hear about that?

a twin turbo 4-banger can easily be made really, really fast....

[zombiewuff]

IMHO, the rear and rear three-quarter view of the E86 coupe is sublime. From what I can make out from the disguised mule, the new design dilutes this significantly. On the other hand, I think the front end of the current model leaves something to be desired. The larger kidneys on the mule are intriguing. I'll be interested to see the final product here.

What I'd really love to see is the back half of the E86 married to a front reminiscent of the Z8, preferably with a naturally aspirated, inline six. Too bad the cylinder walls are too thin to do a magnesium-aluminum variant of the S54. A lighter weight NA, I6 M Coupe would be just the answer!

[bten]

I wonder if they will call it a Z4. Looks lik they are pushing it larger and wider. I think they may be going to Z6. Look at the back....

I say this for another reason. BMW has not made 2 versions of the Z car yet, just a mid season refresh.

Think about it Z1 , Z8, Z3, Z4, Z6?

[Palantirion]

I wonder if they will call it a Z4. Looks lik they are pushing it larger and wider. I think they may be going to Z6. Look at the back....

I say this for another reason. BMW has not made 2 versions of the Z car yet, just a mid season refresh.

Think about it Z1 , Z8, Z3, Z4, Z6?
-Z2, Z6 and Z9 are the most likely, based on net rumors and published materials. Z2 will bring the Z4 experience to a cheaper price point (ala 1 Series), Z6 will allow more $ for selling what is essentially a Z4 (ala 3 Series increase), Z9 will compete with the SL class.

[DOJguy]

New chop based on those spy pics i think.
Looks great to me. Less flame surfacing = good IMHO

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w239/J78628/bmwz4front.jpg

[GBimmer]

the front doesn't look like it belongs on the rear on the chop. I hope there's some subtle differences in the production version.

[Erhan]

well, this looks like the current z4 with an uncompelete surgery for the back. it looks like the back of the car is falling or melting.

[HotDogWater]

1) It has the same single outlet dual exhaust that the 335i has, which should be a pretty big hint about the engine. Obviously the current 3.0si replacement.

Looks like there's an intercooler to me.

[GBimmer]

Looks like there's an intercooler to me.

yep. I agree. pic #2 shows it really well.

[diablolique]

yep. I agree. pic #2 shows it really well.

n54 engine ftw ? :yikes:

[Fast6]

Looks like there's an intercooler to me.
Well, it's certainly a heat exchanger of some sort. Any reason in particular you think it's an intercooler?

[Ragnarok]

These pics remind me a little of a Hyundai. This is not a good thing for a Z4. We'll see what the production car looks like; I'm not passing judgement here...

[GBimmer]

Well, it's certainly a heat exchanger of some sort. Any reason in particular you think it's an intercooler?

I just doesn't look like a radiator. Most radiators aren't that low due to debris. You can drive with and intercooler leak. Radiator leaks, on the other hand...

[MGRMLN]

It does look like a mini 6.

Hmm, folding 'vert? Merc influence?

Did anyone else notice the intercooler peeking out under there. I wonder if this is canary powered.

[MGRMLN]

New chop based on those spy pics i think.
Looks great to me. Less flame surfacing = good IMHO

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w239/J78628/bmwz4front.jpg

That's some nice 'Chop work!

I'm not feeling it.

[GBimmer]

That's some nice 'Chop work!

I'm not feeling it.

I think I figured out what's wrong with the rear-end. If the bumper/fender-line was level rather than sloped downward it would give better flow to the back and eliminate the droopy-butt look.

[terps]

Eh, waiting for the Z2...

[lust41]

Eh, waiting for the Z2...

That's been confirmed?? :yikes:

[davec_ias]

Did the first pic in that series scream "Mitsubishi Eclipse" at anyone else? I don't know, something about the front end... just a sudden quick impression.

Schmeh. Not feeling it. But it's just a mule.

LOL at the thin tires, looks like they just wrapped some construction paper around the rims! I really wish this tiny thin tire trend would stop. Going that far on the wheels doesn't even look good, it looks like you forgot to put your tires on (I realize this is a mule but some folks kind of like that look, ugh).

[zackck]

Looks way too soft to me. And those windows looks awful.
And I think it got bigger... hope it didn't.

[enigma]

I think I figured out what's wrong with the rear-end. If the bumper/fender-line was level rather than sloped downward it would give better flow to the back and eliminate the droopy-butt look.

+1.

I hope the final production version doesn't look anything like the picture, especially in the rear.

Also, as for the Z2/Z6 rumor, I don't know if I buy into it. When the Z4 is struggling to sell, what's BMW's motivation to increase the number of models? The 1-series made sense since the 3-series was selling briskly and BMW wanted to attract new/younger buyers who would otherwise not consider BMW.

[z3power]

Interesting to see dual pipes out back (335i/135i)...things to come?
Hate the side mirrors, really hope they DO NOT do that.

I doubt they will. They've taped off the front and rear clusters so much that there are no directional blinkers. Looks like there are a couple of small dots on the rear bumpers which serve that function for the rear. I doubt any of those elements will make it to the finished version, but in order for the mule to be street legal they do have to put directional blinkers on it somewhere.

I really hope so...those side mirrors are just FUGLY!