BMW has added a cheaper, less powerful two-litre alternative to its Z4 roadster range.
On sale from this month it costs £22,755 and becomes the only model in the range to use a four cylinder engine. It undercuts the six cylinder 2.2-litre version by almost £2,000 yet still offers decent performance.
The UK-made engine is the same as that used in the latest BMW 320i saloon, with a power output of 150bhp. In the case of the Z4 roadster this is good for a 0-60mph acceleration time of 8.2 seconds and a top speed of about 130mph.
An SE version at £23,465 adds additional equipment to the same level as that of the Z4 2.2i SE, including front fog lights, heated door mirrors and an on-board computer.
The new four-cylinder engine offers significant power and torque increases over BMW's previous four-cylinder petrol unit. These have been achieved by improving the intake and exhaust systems while a new electronic control unit gives a quicker throttle response equivalent to that of the sporty M3 and M5 models.