The BMW Z4 is nearly dead. We all knew this was coming, what with its Toyota GR Supra sibling being available in a Final Edition model, but being prepared doesn’t really make losing a sports car sting much less. The only question I had was how BMW would commemorate the end of its current roadster, and boy, did everyone get this wrong or what?
Right off the bat, there will be no 2026 BMW Z4 M. Obviously, homologating such a low-volume S58-powered car would be uneconomical. There’s also no limited-run model of that stunning Z4-based Concept Touring Coupe shooting brake concept we saw several years ago at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Nope, instead BMW’s taking a rather dour approach, and that just doesn’t quite sit right.
The 2026 BMW Z4 M40i Final Edition gets matte black paint, a black interior with red stitching, red brake calipers, and that’s about it. The only choice on the $78,675 Z4 Final Edition will be whether you want an automatic transmission or a manual. It all feels particularly anticlimactic, especially when you consider the history of the Z4 nameplate.
When the first Z4 launched for the 2003 model year, it had big shoes to fill. Not only did its Z3 predecessor benefit from being James Bond’s ride, it was a classically proportioned roadster with broad haunches and clean styling. Penned by Anders Warming, the Z4 had the difficult task of making BMW’s then-new design direction appeal to a segment of traditionalists. Sure, some of the details were a bit fussy, but it mostly worked. The interior, with its big slab of trim and unique steering wheel, really worked, and a full lineup of powertrains was available.
Depending on the market, you could get the early first-generation Z4 with a two-liter four-cylinder engine, a 2.2-liter straight-six, a 2.5-liter straight-six, or a three-liter straight-six. Power output ranged from 148 to 228 horsepower, and that’s before it got a real kick in the trousers for the facelift. Not only did a new brace of inline-sixes up the power of standard models to as much as 260 horsepower, but a Z4 M came online with the 330-horsepower 3.2-liter straight-six from the E46 BMW M3 and hydraulic power steering. The result was epic, a truly enthralling driver’s car with huge drama and performance. Those who know generally regard the Z4 M Coupe as the best BMW from the golden era of M. High praise.
Things would change dramatically for 2009 with the second-generation Z4. Curb weight ballooned by around 200 pounds to 3,241 pounds for the naturally aspirated straight-six variant, but for a good reason. Instead of having to choose between the security of a metal roof and the joy of the open air, BMW went with a retractable hardtop to give owners both. No matter, the second-generation Z4 was still lighter than the equivalent 3 Series, and thanks to styling penned by Juliane Blasi, one of the best-looking BMWs of all time. The proportions, the surfacing, the details, it’s all excellent. There was no M variant of the second-generation Z4, but a 335-horsepower twin-turbocharged sDrive35is model wasn’t a bad compromise.
Sadly, by the mid-2010s, the market had turned on roadsters. While the second-generation Z4 came onto the scene strong, selling more than 20,000 units a year, that eventually plummeted into five-digit territory. It didn’t make sense to develop a two-seat convertible alone anymore, so the Z4 nameplate went dormant. But not for long.
Enter Toyota. The largest carmaker in the world. It wanted to revive the Supra nameplate but came to a similar conclusion that going it alone wouldn’t work out. Especially if the Supra were to offer a potent gasoline-powered straight-six, an engine Toyota didn’t make at the time. One partnership and two years after we last saw a Z4, it was time to meet the Z4 and GR Supra twins. Initially, the Z4 outsold the GR Supra due to a longer effective 2019 selling year, but we’re still talking low volume. A softer chassis tune than the GR Supra probably didn’t help, nor did being automatic-only.
Then, in early 2024 for the 2025 model year, a parts-bin miracle happened. See, the Z4’s Toyota GR Supra platform-mate gained a manual transmission for 2023, so with a version of that six-speed gearbox, revised suspension, a recalibrated differential, and double-staggered wheels, the Z4 Handschalter was born. To date, this 382-horsepower roadster is the last three-pedal BMW sold in America that isn’t a full-fat WBS-VIN M-Car, and it’s exactly what everyone wanted.
We’re talking about a classic formula: Straight-six up front; row-your-own gearbox in the middle; drive to the back. Unsurprisingly, this new drivetrain option had an effect on sales. When the calendar flipped to 2025, the Z4 had logged 2,129 sales in 2024. Not an enormous number, but still a 13.1 percent increase over 2023. By the third quarter of 2025, sales were up another nine percent year-over-year. True, the Z4 still a niche product, but so is the XM SUV. And the Z4 outsold the XM on raw volume by 31.28 percent.
However, even that wasn’t enough to save the Z4. From February to April 2026, the Final Edition will be the only Z4 produced. It’s dressed for its own funeral, but isn’t a sports car supposed to celebrate life? BMW has so many great colors in its back catalog, from the blurple of Velvet Blue to the pop of Atacama Yellow to the richness of Imola Red – surely it wouldn’t have been absolutely impossible to bring a handful of those over.
A sports car should be about joy, and there are better ways to spark joy than slathering one in matte black paint. Other colors will still be available for a few months, but once February rolls around, BMW’s draining the rainbow from the fields. When did we forget how to have fun? Anyway, godspeed Z4. The sports car beacon will shine a little less brightly without its presence.
Top graphic image: BMW
I’ve had two E86 Z4s. The first was a 3.0 and by far the best car I’d ever owned at that point. Other than it’s dead steering, and arguably it’s open diff, it was perfect. Great engine, dramatic looks, a lovely place to sit for a few hundred miles belting across the country. Plus you can take the wheels off an MTB and pop it in the trunk. Weirdly practical.
The second one was a Z4 M Coupe. And that might actually be perfect. The steering is hydraulic and actually feels like it’s connected, and there is even a LSD. Plus the engine is even better. You can’t fit a bike in it though, the quad exhaust muffler moves the battery into the trunk so there isn’t room. Also it’s purple.
The Z4 is one of the few BMW’s from recent decades that I could actually see myself owning.
The first and second gen Z4s are both beautiful designs. I think the E86 coupe is the best argument for Bangle’s design language – it’s the most well-resolved of all the Bangle BMWs, the one where everything comes together as well as it can, and it’s aged incredibly well. The second gen e89 is one of the few cars that’s legitimately stopped me in my tracks – just a gorgeous car with the lines of something from Italy in the 60s. The third gen was… fine. It never really stuck out the same way as the other two. I mourn the loss of anything with 2 doors and no roof, but the G29 might as well have been in matte black from the beginning for all it ever stuck out to me.
This Z4 has aged way better than I would have expected.
I had admittedly low expectations, but this car was one of my biggest surprises. Had the 4cyl as a rental and it was way, way better than I thought it would be.
The few stickshift B58 ones are probably a riot and guaranteed future classics.
A paean to the early Z4. I am nourished.
I am also still trying to figure out what the fuck is going on with the fuel/ignition/timing, but I’ll choose to reflect on those gorgeous machined aluminum slabs that are the trim.
And the miata soldiers on.
I very briefly considered a Handschalter. Once I saw the price, it was quickly ruled out. Especially since the current gen Z4 isn’t a particularly pretty car. If it was 10k cheaper and European delivery was still an option, they might have got me.
Black, black, black. I’m so sick of boring, safe black. It isn’t “tough”, it’s predictable. These days even beige is daring.
It does look sorta funereal. I’m imagining a black veil across the windshield header and a white bouquet on the hood.
A classic case of funereal disease. Sad.
With all the great colors they have—especially that emerald green and purple—they chose this. To add to the stupidity, gloss paint has less drag than matte.
… and then there were nearly all gone.
So many manufacturers in the 1990s scrambled to come up with 2-seat (not 2+2) RWD roadsters after the Miata rightfully took off into a sales success.
The Corvette and Mercedes SL have been around forever. However, the only new entrants left in the US outside of supercar territory are the Miata and the Boxster… with the SL’s long-term fate in question for a while now.
RIP fun.
Reminds me of the late 70s – when the only 3 convertibles available in the US market was the Rolls Royce Corniche, the VW Rabbit, and the Mercedes-Benz SL.
But that was driven by expected US legislation to essentially ban ragtops. After the legislation failed to happen, the big 3 were fairly quick bring back droptops.
Today’s loss of droptops is due to the CUVification of cars and the fact that 2-doors don’t sell well.
I had no idea these were available in manual.
I had no idea they were available at all!
Sad, but oh-so-typical of this worst timeline we live in.
BMW continues to be completely dead to me. Was fun while it lasted, very glad I got while the getting was still good, and my 328! wagon will be pried from my cold, dead, fingers.
I think matte black was a mistake. Both matte black and battleship gray are passe and matte colors immediately connote vinyl wrap to me.
BMW should have done a bright glossy or metallic so you can clearly appreciate the lines of the body.
It’s a pity BMW didn’t do another Clown Shoe
BMW usually charges 5 grand for matte paint! I could do it for cheap with a belt sander.
Username checks out lol
All else aside, this makes one fewer manual transmission car available in the US for 2027. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to count all the manual transmission cars sold in the US without taking off your shoes.
Is that not the case already? Damned few left.
According to the way the EPA counts, there are 21 MY2026 vehicles available with manual transmission. That includes separate entries for things like the 911 Carerra T and Carerra T Cabrio. Either way, you’ll still need to take off your shoes 🙂
Depends on how many toes you have. I have a cousin who was born with 12 of them. Polydactylism doesn’t only happen in cats. 🙂
Removed when he was just a baby though.
Damn you,I had this whole thing queued up about polydactylism and then scrolled down. It feels even dumber cause your comment has been there for four hours, I’m not even ninja’d haha
LOL – no worries! I am surprised someone else even knew it was a thing.
Is Clive Owen willing to do one more BMW Film as a sendoff to the Z4?
No back seat for Madge.
Based on recent pics, I think they could fold her up and put her in the trunk relatively easily.
If James Brown can ride shotgun, so can she.
It probably doesn’t help that F1 discovered leaving the clearcoat off is lighter, but the matte paint bruh trend is starting to get played out.
Not sure why BMW won’t allow a special order color. Shirley, there is a price for it.
Not that I am in the market for one of these, but I cannot stand matte finishes on cars. Not even on my video game cars.
I feel like matte finishes will age like milk.
They’re also super high maintenance and we know the average consumer is not going to bother with the upkeep
These final edition type cars are for collectors anyway.
I remember reading the M3 Frozen Black paint care manual. It is not for the faint of heart if you intend to keep it up in any kind of way.
Give me a final edition, but of the gorgeous previous gen (E89), not this insect-looking atrocity.
https://www.cataloge.eu/media/bmw/53/en/bmw-z4-e89-facelift-2014.jpg
The only way this thing’s send off could be more German is if it was a matte gray instead of a matte black
As with most new BMWs i have experienced, it is a fantastic, yet flawed car. Wife and I rented an M model this past Aug on a trip to the bay area. Handling and engine response were excellent, but dash interface left a lot to be desired. We had it for 5 days and just over 500 miles. I think if I drove it everyday I would eventually figure it out, but it was maddening trying to just adjust the bass on the sound system.
I turned it in realizing there must be some secret BMW owners meeting when you buy one that teaches you how to address it “Hochdeutsch” like the police dogs so that it works, how else could a car this expensive be so hard to operate?
BMW infotainment is complicated for sure. I appreciate it now that I’ve figured it out in our 330e, but it took longer than any other car. It’s pretty logical once you start to understand how it’s organized, but until that clicks, it seems really confusing. They also let you adjust more things than most cars, but also, some of the things they don’t let you adjust are maddening. Like I want to be able to pick between regen levels in my custom electric drive mode, but it doesn’t let you pick that, even though it adjusts the level of regen in other drive modes. I think it just comes down to being German or something.
German logic is indeed very illogical to outsiders!
Yet more proof that BMW has run out of ideas.