BMW Z4 Final Edition Review

At BMW, the roadster was never a core pillar of the range in the way it was at Porsche or Mazda, but the brand has delivered a handful of notable interpretations over the years, from the pre-war 328 and 507 to the Z8 of the 2000s. The Z4 turns out to be the last of that line: after three generations and nearly a quarter of a century in production, this two-seat roadster bows out with the Final Edition, a farewell series offered for a limited ordering window that has every chance of becoming a future collector’s item. On the road, the Z4 will now become rare, though its status should keep it in demand. We tested it in sDrive30i guise.

The Z4 itself spans three generations. It first appeared in autumn 2002 (E85), built in Spartanburg in the United States, with its long bonnet and set-back driving position. The second generation (E89, 2008) introduced a folding aluminium hardtop. The third (G29), unveiled in 2018 at Pebble Beach, returned to an electric soft top and a stripped-back, driver-focused cabin. A technical cousin of the Toyota Supra, whose run has also come to an end, it is built by Magna Steyr in Austria. It is this third generation that the Final Edition crowns.

The special edition is identified by its exclusive Frozen Black paint finish, paired as standard with the glossy BMW Individual Shadow Line and lightweight M Sport brakes with red callipers. Inside, contrasting red stitching runs across the dashboard, centre console, door panels and M Sport seats trimmed in Vernasca leather and Alcantara. An Alcantara M steering wheel and specific door sills complete the package. The Final Edition was available across the entire range, from the sDrive20i (197 hp) to the M40i (340 hp, straight-six), via the sDrive30i (258 hp), always in M Sport trim. Only the M40i, the mechanical cousin of the Toyota Supra, offered a manual gearbox alongside the automatic. The other engines were only available with the eight-speed Steptronic gearbox. The option was priced at 4,500 euros on the sDrive30i and M40i, and 7,500 euros on the sDrive20i.

Contrary to popular belief, this European Final Edition was not limited to a specific number of units: BMW never released a production figure. Its rarity comes from a restricted sales window rather than a capped production run, with assembly taking place only over a short window in spring 2026. Volumes were modest in any case: BMW registered only around 2,860 new Z4s in Germany over the last full year, giving a sense of the small quantities involved. Alongside this European offering, there was also a Z4 M40i Final Edition reserved for the American market, also time-limited and drawn from this same final series, meaning its production has likewise ended.

On the technical side, the sDrive30i is built around a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 190 kW (258 hp) and 400 Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox and rear-wheel drive. It sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, from 80 to 120 km/h in 4.1 seconds, and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. Official WLTP fuel consumption is rated at 7.2 to 7.4 litres per 100 km, with CO2 emissions of 163 to 167 g/km. At 4,324 mm long, 1,864 mm wide and 1,304 mm tall, with a 2,470 mm wheelbase and a kerb weight of around 1,540 kg, it offers 281 litres of boot space and an electrically operated soft top.

On the road, the sDrive30i delivered on its promise. Its low driving position just ahead of the rear axle, quick steering and near-balanced weight distribution gave it a neutral, reassuring character that was easy to place through a sequence of bends. Torque arriving early made the four-cylinder feel eager from low revs, while the automatic gearbox shifted briskly and appropriately, never catching the driver out. The roof opened within a few seconds, even on the move at low speed, extending the fun. The main criticisms were a digital instrument display that was less legible than good analogue dials, and driver assistance systems that occasionally intervened too eagerly.

In the end, the Final Edition provides an elegant and fitting send-off for the Z4. With production now over and confined to a short window in spring 2026, the Munich roadster will quickly become scarce on our roads. At a time when petrol-powered sports convertibles are becoming an endangered species, this announced rarity should only sharpen enthusiasts’ interest, and likely its future value too. For anyone after a BMW roadster with genuine collector potential, the window is narrow, but the opportunity is real.

Specifications — BMW Z4 sDrive30i Final Edition