BMW Z4 roadster (2009-2016) - Interior & comfort

Bearing in mind that the BMW Z4 is a two-seater sports car, it's actually quite practical and comes with a lot of equipment as standard. The folding metal roof means the interior is as quiet as a normal car’s, but it can still quickly transform into an open-top roadster.

BMW Z4 dashboard

Behind the wheel, you notice that a lot of thought has gone into making the Z4 feel very special. All the materials used feel robust and look good, with soft-touch material in evidence throughout, including on top of the dashboard.

The sat-nav and infotainment system is controlled by the BMW iDrive wheel, which sits on the centre console and lets you operate all the main functions.

Equipment

Even the basic BMW Z4 sDrive gets 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, bright xenon headlights and automatic wipers. The stereo offers DAB digital radio and a CD player that has MP3 playback capability.

M Sport models add 18-inch alloy wheels, carbon-aluminium interior trim, restyled alloys, stiffer suspension, a sports steering wheel and body-hugging seats.

The top-of-the-range Z4 sDrive35is gets unique 18-inch alloys, adaptive suspension (which can be adjusted to be stiffer or more comfortable), a seven-speed automatic gearbox and a louder sports exhaust.

Options

All models can be specced with a host of extras, including a heated steering wheel. You can beef up the stereo by adding one of BMW’s loudspeaker systems that adds extra speakers and power output, costing from £575. A Comfort package is available for £1,550, adding cruise control, a wind deflector, more storage, parking sensors and auto-dimming mirrors. We think it's well worth the outlay. A couple of Design packages alter the interior trim and upholstery, throwing in a few extras such as sports seats, but these are expensive at over £2,000 a pop.