The BMW Z4 is available as a roadster with a convertible top or a fixed-roof coupe. For the roadster, there are two trim levels: 3.0i and 3.0si. The Z4 3.0i comes with features such as 17-inch wheels, stability control, antilock brakes, power mirrors and windows, manually operated seats and vinyl upholstery. A 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine rated at 215 horsepower is standard, as is a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic is optional.

The classic roadster format — engine up front, two seats in the middle, drive wheels in back, soft folding top — is BMW in its purest form. From the 18-hp Wartburg Sport introduced only two years after this company entered the business in 1928 to the 2007 Z4 M Roadster, BMW’s roadster lineage runs straight and pure. While others chase hideaway hardtops, V8s and mid-engine layouts, BMW holds fast to its heritage.

Religious adherence to tradition sounds stodgy, but you won’t find a hint of arthritis in the Z4 M Roadster’s moves. This car is fire under the hood, legs underneath and a soul nurtured by those who know and care about driving.

Make that driving fast and hard whenever, wherever possible. With 330 high-revving horses hauling only 3,200 pounds, the “Motorsports” part of this car’s nameplate (that’s what the “M” stands for) says it all.

The Z4 3.0si features 18-inch wheels, a few upgraded interior features and a 255-hp 3.0-liter inline six. A few options are also available for both trim levels, including a Premium package with a power-operated top and a Sport package designed to improve the vehicle’s handling capabilities. The Z4 Coupe is offered in the 3.0si trim only.

There’s something intrinsically cool about a small, hatchback sports car. It’s reminiscent of an era when a serious sports car dude might have a car like this as his only ride. The Z4 M Coupe picks up that vaguely retro vibe with its cab-rearward proportions, although the design does not attempt to re-create anything.

The new M Coupe’s shape certainly is more successful than the previous-generation car’s (although I will confess to being a fan of that one, too). BMW expects the new coupe to account for one-quarter of Z4 M sales, whereas last time, four M Roadsters were sold for every M Coupe that found a home.

As was the case previously, the new coupe is offered in M and standard Z4 strength. The latter is sold with the 255-hp, 3.0-liter engine only and not the 215-hp 3.0-liter that is also available in the Z4 droptop.

2007 BMW Z4 Models:
2007 BMW Z4 Roadster 3.0i
2007 BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si
2007 BMW Z4 Roadster 3.0si

The 2007 X5 is a 4-door, up to 7-passenger luxury sport-utility, available in two trims, the 3.0si Sports Activity Vehicle and the 4.8i Sports Activity Vehicle. Upon introduction, the 3.0si Sports Activity Vehicle is equipped with a standard 3.0-liter, I6, 260-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 23-mpg on the highway. The 4.8i Sports Activity Vehicle is equipped with a standard 4.8-liter, V8, 350-horsepower engine that achieves 15-mpg in the city and 21-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive

The X5 is taller than a Jeep Grand Cherokee and weighs nearly as much as a Chevy Tahoe, but BMW buyers still want a vehicle that drives like a BMW. The X5 has always had some of the sprightliest footwork of the luxo-utes, and BMW claims to have stepped it up big time with the new model. The new suspension configuration reads like a spec sheet for a proper sports car: Unequal-length control arms in front, and a multilink independent rear, with optional active damping (Electronic Damping Control) and variable rate roll stiffness (Active Roll Stabilization) on Sport Package–equipped vehicles. This layout is obviously better equipped for switchbacks than the Rubicon, but the last time we saw an X5 or Cayenne off-pavement was at a fruit stand.

Like the outgoing X5, the new model will offer both a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine and a 4.8-liter V8. But X5 buyers might be a little confused by BMW’s promise, in a recent statement, that the new model’s engines will have “more power and greater efficiency.” While the base engine is indeed more powerful — horsepower is up to 260 hp from 225 hp — the outgoing 4.8-liter V8 has five more units of hp than the new one, 355 hp vs. 350 hp.
This leads us to believe that BMW is planning to equip the X5 with something even more powerful than the 4.8-liter V8. The company needs something dramatic, since Porsche has raised the bar with its new 520-hp Cayenne Turbo S.

Behind the wheel, the changes from the previous iteration are more apparent. An i-Drive controller, which BMW claims manages a simplified interface, now resides on the center console next to a new electronic gear shifter that is similar in function, albeit not placement, to the unit in the 7 Series. The instrument panel, specifically the gauge cluster, looks especially fresh, resembling that of a 5 Series. In addition to a roomier front row that offers 2.0 inches of extra shoulder room and nearly an inch of additional legroom, the driver and front passenger also get treated to more comfortable 10-way power seats and an upgraded CD/MP3 12-speaker audio system.

Second-row shoulder room and legroom are up as well, with the latter gaining 1.2 inches. As a consequence of the X5’s larger dimensions and lack of a spare tire (all X5s now feature run-flat rubber), the optional third row can be folded flat into the floor.|

Compared with the Mercedes-Benz M-class–its chief rival that is built around the corner in Alabama–the new X5 is still a little firmer, edgier, and more aggressive in the way it translates driver inputs. The four-wheel air suspension offered on the previous model has been dropped due to low demand, but air-sprung rear wheels are standard with the V-8-equipped 4.8i and available on the six-cylinder X5 3.0si. As always, BMW’s active steering is an acquired taste. It makes maneuvering the X5 nearly effortless, but expect a learning curve before you’re able to dial in precisely the appropriate amount of lock at any given speed. While the active antiroll bars do their thing all by themselves, the driver can stiffen the damper setting by hitting the Sport button.

2007 BMW X5 Models:
2007 BMW X5 3.0si Sports Activity Vehicle
2007 BMW X5 4.8i Sports Activity Vehicle

BMW’s X3 SUV gets its first update since being introduced as a 2004 model. It receives a makeover for the 2007 model year that includes minor cosmetic changes, added muscle, new features, assorted refinements and a new official name: X3 3.0si.

While the X3 features BMW’s X-Drive all-wheel-drive system, this is not a machine built for off-road exploration. The X-Drive system lacks a low range for serious muck extraction and the suspension doesn’t have the long travel needed to climb boulders. Instead, the X3 is built to deliver an exciting all-weather, on-road driving experience with some of the best steering and handling of any small SUV. And it has an exceptionally eager power plant that, unlike virtually every other small SUV, is offered hooked to a six-speed manual transmission. As in every BMW, the best seat in the X3 is the driver seat.

Less expensive and inherently more nimble than its nominally larger stablemate, the X5, the BMW X3 is based on the acclaimed 3 Series line of compact sport sedans, just as the larger X5 SUV is based on the midsize 5 Series sedan. Unlike the X5, which is built in the U.S., the X3 comes to our shores from Graz, Austria.

Yes the X3 is also luxurious, but in an understated way; there’s very little chrome anywhere on the vehicle and the on-board entertainment system options don’t include video monitors to entertain the children. Instead there are well-shaped seats covered in perfectly stitched hides, easily read instrumentation, sweet wood accents and switches that operate with the precision of a surgical instrument.

Fuel-economy ratings have not yet been posted for the 2007 version, but last year’s model was rated by the EPA to be 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway with the manual, and 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway with the five-speed automatic. Ratings for the 2007 model shouldn’t change significantly.

Exterior styling updates include a new bumper design, a larger kidney-shaped grille and revised headlamps up front. If you order the Cold Weather Package, the included headlamp washers now retract into the front bumper. There’s also new horizontal taillamps with adaptive brake lights that get brighter during panic stops to better alert motorists behind the vehicle) and a new bumper with chrome exhaust tips at the rear.
Exterior styling has been enhanced with new front and rear bumpers and head and tail lamp assemblies. New wheel designs are used and 18-inch wheels become a stand-alone option. The X3 interior also becomes more refined with new dashboard material, wood trim, door panels, and special stitching when leather seats are ordered. The steering wheel also has been redesigned. Sixteen-way “comfort” seats are available and feature a two-piece adjustable backrest. Option packages also have been changed. For example, the Premium package now includes such things as a compass in the rearview mirror, a universal garage door opener, and power-folding and auto-dimming exterior mirrors. The Cold Weather package adds heated front seats and headlight washers.

Standard Engine:

3.0L I6, 24 valve, 260 hp @ 6600 rpm

• 6 speed manual (standard) or 6 speed automatic transmission
• 19 mpg city / 26 mpg hwy
• Green Rating: 60

Standard Features:

• Passenger Airbag Cutoff Sensor
• Hill Descent Control
• Diversity Radio Antenna

The Z4 M Coupe tested here shares its free-revving 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder enginewith the recently introduced Z4 M Roadster. It produces 330 hp and 262 pound-feet of torque that run vigorously to an 8,000 rpm redline. The base Z4 3.0si Coupe packs enough performance for most drivers, so think of the Z4 M Coupe as the most-aggressive and singularly focused BMW sports car.

The new M Coupe’s shape certainly is more successful than the previous-generation car’s (although I will confess to being a fan of that one, too). BMW expects the new coupe to account for one-quarter of Z4 M sales, whereas last time, four M Roadsters were sold for every M Coupe that found a home.
As was the case previously, the new coupe is offered in M and standard Z4 strength. The latter is sold with the 255-hp, 3.0-liter engine only and not the 215-hp 3.0-liter that is also available in the Z4 droptop.

Building a hardtop version of a roadster seems counterintuitive, as people like convertibles, but BMW consistently places engineering over popularity. With the 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe, BMW relies on people to appreciate the performance of the car rather than whether you can get a suntan in it. And the M Coupe performs fantastically, with an engine that sounds angry when the rpms get significant.
But this isn’t a stripped-down speed machine–the M Coupe gets a full raft of cabin tech to make the car a helpful partner in everyday driving. Our test car shipped with a pop-up navigation screen, Bluetooth cell phone integration, and a thumping stereo system that handles MP3 CDs.
The M Coupe gave us an adrenaline-filled week, but it’s not without drawbacks. The rudimentary interface for the cabin gadgets makes it seem like the engineers, in a fit of pique over all the bad press about iDrive, only put about five minutes of work into it. And you can have much more fun with the M Coupe by turning off the overly aggressive traction control, which doesn’t let you get away with anything. The suspension also felt a little rubbery where we expected a rigid sports car feel.

BMW’s twin-kidney grille is one of the car kingdom’s most recognizable facial features. Special M touches are a more-aggressive, below-the-bumper bib in front, tricolor M badges adorning the flanks and tail, and no less than four large exhaust pipes aimed out the back like small-caliber cannons.
The roof sweeps rakishly rearward to strike an elegant visual balance with the long hood. The cocked-and-ready profile whispers “come hither” to every car enthusiast. The Z4 M Coupe’s shape is such a distinctive departure from a traffic stream teeming with SUVs and innocuous sedans that it’s a powerful magnet for even the most jaded eyes.

The potent BMW Z4 M Roadster is the high-performance version of the more mild-mannered Z4 Roadster. It’s geared toward spirited driving and therefore isn’t the best choice for sun-seekers looking for a leisurely cruiser.

The Z4 Coupe is one of the highlights of the sports car segment and, in M guise, delivers a performance that is way beyond criticism. Nevertheless, everything can be made that little bit better. HAMANN took up the challenge and has not only created an aerodynamic kit for the Z4 M but also boosted the engine output. Additionally, a large range of accessories contributes to greater individuality.

German tuning company Hamann is offering its own styling touches and performance upgrades for the new BMW Z4 M Roadster. Hamann has developed an aggresive body kit for the car, including a front spoiler, side skirts, and a rear spoiler on the trunk. A selection of Hamann wheels are offered, in both 19 inch and 20 inch sizes. Extra performance comes from a specially-developed exhaust system which adds an additional 15 horsepower, totaling 358 bhp in European form.
End of Hamann BMW Z4 M Roadster review.

The need to accommodate a folding convertible top kills a lot of cargo space in an already tiny trunk. Then again, practical considerations are probably not the No. 1 priority for Z4 M Roadster shoppers.

The one question that must be asked - if BMW was so persistent about the vehicle not existing, why bother to release it now? Fierce competition and stagnant sales is the answer, and in short, its what Munichs blue and white propeller is facing in the hotly contested, albeit somewhat slow roadster market segment. Lets
face it, when reputations are on the line, particularly among one that creates some of the worlds finest driving machines, you cannot afford to fall behind, particularly against arch-rivals.

Given four years have elapsed since its launch, 2006 is just about right for a mid-life Z4 update. While theres no denying that BMWs roadster was a brilliant step forward from the slapdash Z3, which featured 80s E30 3-Series
suspension components and lackluster powerplants (M-Roadster aside), the Z4, possibly due to its radical and therefore controversial styling, never managed to match up to the hype of its predecessor. An observant eye would have seen this update coming from a mile away, given the exhibition of the near production-ready Z4 Coupe Concept at Frankfurt, and now the M-Roadster variant.