BMW brings TwinPower Turbo tech to Z4 range

BMW Australia has announced it will introduce TwinPower Turbo technology to its entire Z4 range, with the rollout due in November. Out go the old normally aspirated inline six cylinder engines from the 150kW sDrive23i and 190kW sDrive30i. In comes the new world order of 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo power in the form of a 135kW sDrive 20i and a 180kW sDrive28i.

These changes have been made in the chase for cleaner and greener engines. Fuel consumption figures for the two entry models have fallen to 6.7l/100km, a reduction of 1.7l/100km against the old six cylinder units. This means the sDrive20i and sDrive28i will be exempt from the luxury car tax. And that means they will be cheaper to buy. Compared to the replaced models pricing has dropped $9300. Quite a tidy saving really.

While it is a shame to lose BMW’s classic inline six from the Z4, performance won’t be greatly affected. Indeed, the sDrive28i can reach 100km/h in 5.7 seconds (0.1 second faster than the sDrive30i).

The existing six cylinder 225kW sDrive35i and 250kW sDrive35is will remain, albeit with reduced pricing. Gotta be happy with that.

More from BMW Australia after the break.

BMW Turbo-Charges its Entire Z4 Roadster Line-Up

• Two new BMW TwinPower Turbo engine variants join the range.

BMW has again underlined its powertrain prowess with the debut of a new TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder petrol engine in the BMW Z4 range.

Available in two outputs, 180 kW and 135 kW, the powerplant reflects a new era in BMW engine development utilising advanced turbo-charging technology to maximise both power and fuel economy.

Codenamed N20, it features a twin-scroll turbocharger with VALVETRONIC, Double-VANOS and High Precision Injection.

Spearheading the new four-cylinder turbo range is the 180 kW TwinPower Turbo Z4 sDrive28i.

It sprints from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds (0.1 seconds quicker than the naturally aspirated predecessor Z4 sDrive30i) thanks to a 13 per cent increase in torque (from 310 to 350 Nm).

Fuel consumption reduces by 21 per cent, improving from 8.5 litres per 100 km to 6.7 litres.

This not only provides a direct customer benefit, but also positions the new Z4 sDrive28i easily below the federal government’s fuel efficient luxury car tax threshold.

As a consequence, BMW has been able to significantly improve the customer value offered by the Z4 sDrive28i with a retail price of $89,400, compared to $98,700 for the predecessor Z4 sDrive30i.

The switch from six to turbocharged 4-cylinder engine has endowed the Z4 sDrive28i with the combination of remarkable performance and retail price below $90,000.

For the new Z4 sDrive20i, a turbo-charged four-cylinder engine replaces the previous naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engine in the Z4 sDrive23i.

Delivering 135 kW and 20 Nm more than before (from 250 to 270 Nm), the new engine reduces fuel consumption by 1.8 litres to 6.7 litres per 100 kilometres.

The Z4 sDrive20i also slips in below the fuel efficient luxury car tax threshold and is priced from $76,900, compared to $86,200 for the outgoing Z4 sDrive23i.

This represents a new entry price point for the BMW Z4 Roadster in Australia.

In order to harmonise prices across the range, BMW has also announced new retail prices for the Z4 sDrive35i ($107,500) and flagship Z4 sDrive35is ($120,500).

In addition to the standard 6-speed manual transmission, the Z4 sDrive20i and Z4 sDrive28i will also be available with the new 8-speed Sport Automatic Transmission which is unique in the segment.

Offering fast, smooth gear changes and excellent fuel efficiency, the new transmission also includes unidirectional gearshift paddles (utilising M shift logic).

The new BMW Z4 sDrive20i and Z4 sDrive28i will be available in Australian showrooms in November this year, whilst revised prices for the Z4 sDrive35i and Z4 sDrive35is are effective immediately.

Manufacturer’s Recommended List Prices:

• Z4 sDrive20i: $76,900
  
• Z4 sDrive28i: $89,400
  
• Z4 sDrive35i: $107,500
  
• Z4 sDrive35is: $120,500

*Manufacturer’s Recommended List Price is shown and includes GST and Luxury Car Tax (LCT) but excludes dealer charges, stamp duty, statutory charges and on-road charges which are additional and vary between dealers and States/Territories. Customers are advised to contact their nearest BMW dealer for all pricing inquiries.