2006 BMW Z4 M Roadster and Coupe

In 1972, German automaker BMW decided to enhance its burgeoning motor sports position by creating its own in-house racing group known as BMW Motorsport. Soon, this group began designing, engineering and developing hot BMWs for the street, starting with a limited run of enhanced 5 Series cars between 1974 and 1980. It became a full-fledged development company in 1983 and 10 years later shortened its name to BMW M. When a new Motorsport group took over BMW racing activities in 1995, the M group was able to focus all its energies on M Cars, BMW Individual (custom-ordered cars) and BMW Driver Training.


Through the years, BMW's high-performance M cars have become legendary among enthusiasts, and their availability has spread across more model lines. Today's U.S.-market BMW M stable includes the long-running favorite M3, the awesome 500-hp V-10-powered M5 sedan and M6 Coupe, and the recently introduced Z4 M two-seat roadster and coupe.

Styling

The current Z4 roadster, introduced in 2003, got mixed reviews for its aggressively sculpted styling, but universal raves for its performance and dynamics. The Z4 M roadster, powered by essentially the same 330-hp inline six as the revered M3 performance coupe, debuted early in 2006 and was soon followed by swoopy new coupe models of both Z4 and Z4 M. Both are built in BMW's Spartanburg, SC, U.S. assembly plant.


In front, the Z4 Ms sport their own distinctive look with a deep spoiler, large lower air intakes and black vertical slats inside chrome-ringed BMW twin-kidney grilles. The standard Xenon headlights boast auto leveling, a high-intensity cleaning system and luminous rings around the inboard lamps that double as park lamps. A pair of longitudinal "precision lines" on the aluminum hood also distinguishes the M versions. Around back, they sport a lower air flow diffuser, M-trademark quad exhaust outlets and new-for-2006 taillights with three horizontal LED strips that illuminate under hand braking as part of BMW's Adaptive Brake Light system.


Inside, M logos adorn the doorsills, the steering wheel center spoke and the headrests, while premium leather covers the seats, steering wheel, door panels, console arm pad, brake grip and shift knob. The dash and console are trimmed in hexagon-pattern aluminum set off by a "pearl gloss galvanic" finish on the door handles and pulls, climate controls and instrument surrounds. Instead of the aluminum trim, buyers can order carbon leather or (at extra cost) Madeira walnut.