BMW's body art

By DAVID LINKLATER

There's something odd going on at BMW. The German carmaker is introducing a new model-naming system that gives odd numbers to mainstream models such as sedans, and evens to specialist vehicles such as sports cars.

There's something especially odd about the new Z4 roadster, set for launch at the Paris Motor Show in September. Not the model name, obviously - it's an even number in keeping with its sports-car status - but rather the newcomer's striking styling.

Forget about the outgoing Z3's bulbous curves and retro details - the Z4 is the second production-car to showcase BMW design boss Chris Bangle's controversial "family look" for the brand. The first, the new 7-series sedan, was released in New Zealand earlier this year.

The classic roadster proportions remain in the Z4, which wears a long bonnet, short overhangs and a low seating position. But the whole package is wrapped up in radically different sheet metal.

"We are blending sharp, sculpted lines with softer curves, creating an interplay of convex and concave surfaces, hard edges and gentle curvature," says Bangle. "This creates new transitions of light and shadow from every angle, shaping the very special character of the BMW Z4."

One Bangle signature on the car is the pronounced line in the door area that continues the shape of the windscreen almost to the road surface. This meets a softer line that marks out the bottom edge of the door. Unusual exterior details include BMW logos that light up when the indicators are activated.

Certainly weird, arguably wonderful, the new Z4 should be a genuine driver's car. The Z3 was a cynical machine in some respects, splattered with BMW badges but underpinned by an outdated, semi-trailing arm rear-suspension system that made it much less agile and enjoyable than the 3-series sedans.

The Z4 boasts BMW's current Z-axle rear-suspension set-up, has an even 50/50 weight distribution and has been designed to take six-cylinder engines from the start. In fact, the acclaimed 170kW, 3-litre straight six is likely to be the only powerplant offered when the new car is launched in New Zealand in the third quarter of 2003. The six-speed manual version rockets to 100km/h in just 5.9 seconds. A five-speed automatic gearbox is optional.

The line-up will later be bolstered by a 141kW, 2.5-litre version, then eventually an entry-level, 2.2-litre, four-cylinder model. Also expect a successor to the M Roadster, with the latest 252kW, 3.2-litre M3 engine under the bonnet.

Kiwi specification won't be finalised until much closer to launch time, but expect the larger, more lavishly equipped Z4 to cost more than the outgoing Z3, which currently sells for $92,900 in the 3-litre form.

Advanced features such as run-flat tyres are likely to be standard. The semi-active Dynamic Drive Control (DDC) suspension system introduced on the 7-series is fitted to all models. DDC is activated by pressing a button on the centre console and allows the engine management system to deliver a sportier accelerator pedal-response curve and a more direct steering feel.

The cabin includes a bespoke sports steering wheel and a rollover safety system. The car's fully automatic hood is claimed to be one of the quickest in the class. It folds in a Z-shaped configuration and comes with a heated rear window made of glass.

The Z4 is larger than the car it replaces, with gains in both passenger and luggage space. The boot is now 260 litres - enough for two golf bags, says BMW.

Like the Z3, the car will be built exclusively in America at BMW's factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina.