Now in its 6th year of production, the BMW Z4 continues to offer the kind of exhilarating, top down sports car motoring one expects from one of the top European carmakers.
The Z4 comes as both a coupe and a roadster and we had the distinct pleasure of test driving the open-top, "M" version of the roadster.
"M" is BMW's designation for performance versions of all its model offerings and true to form; our Z4 M had all the special tweaks that allow it to wear that special badge.
Keeping with company practice, visual cues that set the M version apart from its lesser brethren are subtle; beyond the M logo displayed in key locations, our test car was set off by double-spoke 18-inch light-alloy wheels fitted with ultra-low profile performance tires. The only other variation was the lower air dam that lends a more aggressive look to the front end and the twin chrome dual exhaust tips protruding from the rear valance.
While visually the soft-top appears the same as the standard manual offering, owners of the M variant are treated to a one-button power top that stows behind the seats.
Under the hood is where the big difference can be found as the standard 255 horsepower 3-liter inline 6 is replaced by a 3.2-liter DOHC 24-valve in-line 6 that produces 330 horsepower and 262 pound feet of torque.
Mileage for the 3-liter engine is 20 miles per gallon city, 29 highway. The M's 3.2-liter engine gets 16 miles per gallon city, 24 highway.
Make no mistake about this car's intentions; there is only one transmission choice, a six-speed manual driving the rear wheels via a heavy-duty clutch.
Braking is provided by large, ventilated four-wheel discs, augmented by Anti-lock and Dynamic Stability Control technology.
Prominent in the interior are the special M-logo power leather sport seats with pronounced side bolsters for lateral support and the leather-wrapped, multi-function steering wheel. Our test Z4 came with the up-rated multi-speaker audio package and BMW navigation system.
Base MSRP for the standard 3-liter Z4 is $36,400 and that special M logo and all it implies comes with a starting price tag of $52,100. All Z4s carry a 4-year/50,000-mile warranty.
If top-down, high performance driving is a priority, then the 2008 BMW Z4 should fill the bill in style.