Page 6 - CLub Braman 2020 Fall-Winter Magazine

Zuperlative

THE “Z” DESIGNATION BESTOWED upon Munich’s succession of small
roadsters has always proven symbolic. Eschewing the traditional
numeric label for the trailing letter of the English alphabet, the
Z-Series was ironically never top-of-mind. This wasn’t due to a lack
of design flair or brilliant marketing strategy—who could forget the
Z3’s iconic 1995 debut in James Bond’s GoldenEye—however the latter
part of the 20th century brought the rise of the SUV, as well as stiff
competition from the more sporting Porsche Boxster.

Of course, the 1990s have long passed; and the 2020 BMW Z4 is no
longer an also-ran.

Make no mistake, many of the Grand Touring elements that grew
overly-pronounced in the previous generations have been carried
over…but no longer at the expense of an exciting and engaging
driving experience. Drivers will remove the top in the Z4 not to be
better seen by others, but to further immerse themselves in the thrill
of aggressive acceleration.

This shift in focus is immediately apparent throughout the cabin.
While offering an incredible range of comfortable positions, the sight
lines and placement of the controls feel best when hunkered down
inches from the floorboard. The abnormally thick steering wheel
is rock solid and confidence-inspiring. The brake pedal provides
plenty of initial bite, while remaining linear throughout its travel.
It’s typically unnoticed aspects like these that have a more dramatic
impact on the daily driving experience than headline-grabbing
horsepower figures or wild design cues.