2007 BMW M

In the 2000s, one of the best things a manufacturer could do for their sales was to build a car that performed well in enthusiast magazine group tests. Although advertising was important, having automotive journalists vouch for your product was worth far more to buyers who loved driving. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the BMW Z3 M Roadster did remarkably well in group tests, pitted against cars like the Porsche Boxster, Chevrolet Corvette, and Mercedes Benz SLK-32 AMG, and when BMW debuted its Z3 replacement, the Z4 in 2002, there was bound to be an M version in its future. BMW first showed the Z4 M Coupe to the public at the 2005 Frankfurt Motorshow before starting production in the Spring of 2006, while the M Roadster debuted later in the year. Although the new car was devoid of the exaggerated fender flares of the Z3 M, the Z4 M coupe and roadster were much better-engineered cars and were ready to take on whatever competition would be thrown their way. Built in October 2006, this 2007 BMW Z4 M Roadster is finished in Sepang Bronze Metallic over Light Sepang Bronze leather interior and shows 16,431 miles at the time of cataloging. This is the third time this Z4 M Roadster has come through our hands at EAG, and it is an excellent example of the model. First sold through Newbold Toyota/BMW of OFallon, Illinois, this car remained under the care of its first owner until 2014. The combination of Sepang Bronze Metallic paint with Light Sepang Bronze leather interior is exceptionally rare, with an estimated 39 out of the 3,042 Z4 M Roadsters finished in this colorway. That number shrinks even further when you factor in the Dark Beige canvas soft top, which was rarely selected on the Z4 M Roadster. The exterior of this car is in excellent condition, showing just a few minor imperfections that would be expected on a car that has seen some road use, but unless you are really looking for flaws, this car presents in essentially showroom condition. The Light Sepang Bronze leather interior is accented by Madeira wood on the dashboard and center console. This combination gives the interior a very upscale feel that wasnt really offered in the Z3 Ms and feels closer in style to the E60 M5 than it does a small sports car. That being said, the Z4 M was produced just before large screens and i-Drive became the norm in BMWs, leaving this car with a simple radio and HVAC setup and a pair of hooded gauges in front of the 3-spoke steering wheel. The overall condition of the interior is excellent, with no perceptible wear shown throughout the cabin. Situated under the hood of the Z4 M Roadster is BMWs famed S54 inline-6, which in North American trim is rated at 330 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent through a ZF 6-speed manual gearbox and to the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential taken from the E46 M3. Whereas the Z3 M Coupe and Roadster leaned heavily on standard Z3 suspension components, the Z4 Ms took advantage of the E46 M3s parts bin to turn this car into an even more impressive performer. The rear subframe, sway bar mounts and wheel bearings were all E46 M3 and the front lower control arms are upgraded units from the E46 M3 Competition package. With all of these upgrades, it is no surprise that the Z4 M Roadster is a thrilling car for backroad driving, providing near instantaneous turn-in and next to no body roll in the corners. At EAG, we think that both the Z4 M in Roadster and Coupe form are underrated performers that offer pure driving enjoyment in a perfectly sized package. Only produced between 2006 and 2008, there are about half as many Z4 Ms as there are Z3Ms, and when you begin to divide them out into colors, some of them become legitimately rare cars.