BMW Z4
Three generations. All incredible.
Z4
GEN01 E85
Z4 GENERATIONS OVER TIME
GEN01F E85, E86
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2003 - 2005
GEN02 E89
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2006 - 2008
GEN03 G29
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2009 - 2016
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2018 - 2026
There have been 3 formal generations of the BMW Z4 over 24 years of production. A “facelift” occurred during the first generation (GEN 01F) which in 2006 improved on a number of features of the car and introduced a short 3-year run of Z4 coupes (E86 chassis). There were also facelifts in 2013 for the E89 and 2023 for the G29 though they were less significant and are not segmented out here.
Learn more about Z4 Generations
The Z4 Line
| Model | Generation | Model Years | Chassis | Market Avail | Roof | Trim | Drive Train |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z4 | 1st Gen | 2003 - 2005 | E85 Roadster | Abundant | Soft TopOptional Removal Hard Top | Naturally AspiratedManual + Automatic | |
| 1st Gen Facelift | 2006 - 2008 | E85 Roadster | Abundant | Soft TopOptional Removal Hard Top | Naturally AspiratedManual + Automatic | ||
| 2006 - 2008 | E86 Coupe | Scarce | Fixed Roof | Naturally AspiratedManual + Automatic | |||
| 2nd Gen | 2009 - 2012 | E89 Roadster | Common | Retractable Hard Top | Naturally Aspirated TurbochargedAutomatic; Limited Manual Availability |
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| 2nd Gen Facelift | 2013 - 2016 | E89 Roadster | Common | Retractable Hard Top | Naturally Aspirated TurbochargedAutomatic; Limited Manual Availability |
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| 3rd Gen | 2018 - 2026 | G29 Roadster | Available | Soft Top | TurbochargedAutomatic; Limited Manual Availability |
E85/E86 Chassis
GENO1 & GENO1F
The first Z4 replaced the Z3 in 2002 with a longer wheelbase, a more aggressive stance, and a design that Anders Warming drew in roughly a year during the late 1990s. It was polarizing at launch. It is not polarizing now.
Two chassis codes define this generation. The E85 is the roadster — the one that launched the Z4 nameplate at the 2002 Paris Motor Show. The E86 is the coupe, which arrived three years later with the 2006 facelift, a different designer, and a fixed roof that more than doubled the chassis's torsional rigidity. They share a platform. They do not share a character.
Every engine in the E85/E86 range is naturally aspirated. Inline-fours for Europe, inline-sixes for everyone else, and the S54-powered Z4 M at the top — the same engine that defined the E46 M3. The E85/E86 is the last Z4 generation without a turbocharger, and for the people who care most about that, this is the one.
Nearly 198,000 were built. Just over 17,000 were coupes. The Z4 M variants — roadster and coupe — account for fewer than 10,000 cars worldwide.
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