When I was young and foolish, I owned a 1958 Triumph TR3 convertible sports car. It was beautiful, unreliable, and taught me what a sports car was supposed to be – a two-seat visceral driving experience slung low to the ground with the wind in your face, enhanced by a manual transmission that maximized your control of the engine on winding roads.
Fast forward more years than I want to admit and there are not many convertible sports cars with manual transmissions anymore. The most affordable is the Mazda MX-5 Miata, which is modeled after the basic Triumph, MG, and Fiat sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s, but with modern reliability and technologies. A big step up in dollars and refinement is the BMW Z4, which is a genuine luxury vehicle that nevertheless recreates the joys of early sports car driving with its next-to-the-road seating, cloth convertible top, and available six-speed manual transmission.
Of course, after so many years, the 2024 Z4 offers features and technologies I could not have imagined when I owned the TR3. As all British auto buffs know, it was powered by an only slightly modified four-cylinder tractor engine. The Z4 is available with two far more powerful turbocharged engines, a based 2.0-liter inline 4 that produces 255 and a 3.0-liter inline 6 with 382 horsepower in the M40i version.
The base transmission is an 8-speed automatic, which is nothing to be ashamed of, considering how sophisticated they are these days. But the manual is part of a Handschalter ("hand shift" in German) package which includes stiffer anti-roll bars, a retuned adaptive suspension system, and special, larger wheels and tires.
That was the version that showed up in my driveway in a gorgeous San Remo Green Metallic paint job, which is best described as metallic British racing green, despite its German roots. It was offset by black wheels and a black cloth top, which can be folded down and up with the touch of a button on the console in 10 seconds at speeds up to 31 miles per hour – another unimaginable advance that we are all used to these days.
I first drove a previous generation of the Z4 several years ago during a Run to the Sun relay comparison of high-performance vehicles through Central Oregon organized by the Northwest Automotive Press Association. I remember it being small and nimble, like a more sophisticated version of the Miata that was also included. The current version is bigger and even more refined, almost closer to a GT than a sports car. Purists will balk, but the change reminds me of the late Fiat 124 Spider that was based on the MX-5 but with a softer ride, a bigger trunk, and a longer hood to accommodate a turbocharged Chrysler 1.4-liter MultiAir engine. I liked the Fiat and am disappointed production stopped in 2020.
For those that worry the Z4 might be too soft, the turbo 3.0 in my tester was plenty powerful, especially in the Sport mode which increased responsiveness and stiffened the suspension. But I also appreciated the more forgiving ride in the Eco Sport and Comfort modes, which made it easier to navigate the poorly maintained streets in my my neighborhood. Both settings still handled the twists and turns like a real sports car with punishing me over the potholes and rough pavement.
The interior of the Z4 is everything anyone could expect in a BMW, including a clean design, high quality materials (especially the gorgeous leather seats) and every advanced automotive technology. The display is tastefully small and well integrated into the dash. Thankfully many controls are still buttons and knobs, which are a lot easier to use than deep dives into the display, which can be hard to read when the top is down.
Speaking of which, the Z4’s convertible top is a bit of a blessing and a curse. It seals so tight, there is no wind noise at freeway speeds. But it is so low – in keeping with the sports car profile – that it takes a little twisting and turning to get into and out of the driver’s seat, especially because the steering wheel does not have the flat bottom it should. But I’ll take it over the one on my TR3 any day. It leaked like a sieve in the rain and once completely detached from the windshield frame on the freeway in the rain. What designer that snap-button connectors were a good idea? The same one that thought it was OK to have to remove the entire front cowl to replace the radiator, no doubt.
But I’m not complaining. Sports cars that don’t cost a fortune are hard to find these days. I count the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 (even though they have small back seats), along with the Nissan Z, Toyota Supra, and, of course, the lower-priced Chevy Corvettes. But convertible sports cars with available manual transmissions are even scarcer. I’m counting four, including the Z4, MX-5, and a pair of Porsches, the 911 and the 718. Let me know if I’m missing anything.
Fortunately for those who want a convertible but not necessarily a sports car, there are many available, including the Ford Mustang retro Pony Car, the retro Ford Bronco, the Jeep Wrangler, and a wide range of sport coupes that include usable back seats. In fact, the overall available of convertibles is a pleasant surprise, considering they almost completely disappeared in the 1980s and 1990s. Serious car buffs scoff at them now, but there was a time when the Chrysler Lebaron, PT Cruiser, and Sebring were just about the only affordable ones available.
The 2024 Z4 is a cause for celebration, especially the M40i version with the available six-speed manual transmission. Sports cars with old school charm like it are getting harder to find these days. BMW deserves credit for so successfully keeping their spirit alive.
2024 BMW Z4
Base price: $55,225 (sDrive30i)
Price as tested: $74,520 (M40i)
Type: Convertible sports car
Engines: turbocharged 2.0 inline 4 (255 hp, 295 lbs-ft); turbocharged 3.0 inline 6 (382 hp, 369 lbs-ft – as tested)
Transmissions: 8-speed automatic; 6-speed manual – as tested
Drive modes: Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport
EPA estimated mileage: 23/31; 19/26 – as tested
Overall length: 143 inches
Curb weight: 2981 pounds
Final assembly: Graz, Austria
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