On the surface, the Z4 sDrive23i looks like a typical watered-down entry-level model.
Compared to the Z4 sDrive35i, it has no iDrive, its electric seats don’t have adjustments for the lumbar support and its suspension cannot be tweaked on the fly.
There’s less fire under its belly, too.
But BMW didn’t just pop in a smaller engine than the one in the 35i.
The naturally aspirated 2.5-litre engine in question has been tuned to make 204bhp instead of the full 218bhp when applied to the 325i.
But for a car that’s chasing after the crowd attracted to the Merc SLK200, BMW is still offering a lot – both in terms of power and equipment level.
Z4 6-speed automatic is so good in Sport mode that you don’t need a fancy DCT (dual-clutch transmission).
There’s real substance to be more than a Z4 for cheap (it’s relative).
The 23i uses a conventional 6-speed automatic instead of the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) in the 35i.
If nothing else, the automatic is proof that you don’t need the newfangled DCT to have fun.
The 6-speeder is perfectly smooth. But in “Sport”, shifts are brisk and downright brutal.
Downshifts are matched perfectly with a violent flare of revs.
And while the brief lurch between shifts probably doesn’t actually improve performance, it does add to the overall sensation behind the wheel.
“Sport” also amplifies throttle sensitivity enough to make progress – especially out of slower corners – a bit choppy if you are not precise with the pedal.
It’s fun and direct, but probably best reserved for when you’re alone or if you have a sick passenger.
With 105bhp less than what the 35i’s engine produces, it’s actually easier to work the car without hitting superlative speeds.
In the best of Bavarian traditions, the inline-6 revs sweetly right up to its 7000rpm redline with an exhaust note that hardens with speed.
It’s only the in-gear acceleration that lacks the kind of punch you’d expect from a sports car that shows it up.
The Z4 suspension doesn’t give a magic carpet ride at low speeds but it does exhibit good body control, lending confidence easily.
But even as “Sport” sharpens the Z4 up to feel like a thoroughly manly machine, some of the grittiness and details that made the old Z4 so much fun seem to have been traded – for something that, for the lack of a better description, appeals more to the typical SLK crowd.
2009 BMW Z4 sDrive23i 2.5 (A)
ENGINE 2497cc, 24-valves, inline-6
MAX POWER 204bhp at 6400rpm
MAX TORQUE 250Nm at 2750rpm
GEARBOX 6-speed automatic transmission
0-100KM/H 7.1 seconds
TOP SPEED 239km/h
CONSUMPTION 11.2km/L (combined)
PRICE INCL. COE $198,800
