Njengoba sishilo ngaphambili, iBMW ilungiselela ukugcwala emakethe ngemodeli yayo enkulu kakhulu ehlaselayo eminyakeni emibili nje kuphela. Emkhakheni weziphakamiso zezemidlalo, ngaphezu kwe-i8 Spyder, ekugcineni sizohlangana nomlandeli we-Z4 roadster, okuyinto, ngokuphambene nalokho ongakulindela, ngeke kuthiwe i-BMW Z5. Izwi elivela kuLudwig Willisch.
Engxoxweni ne-AutoGuide, umphathi wamanje wezimakethe zaseMelika kwa-BMW uqinisekise ukuthi leli ngeke kube igama le-roadster entsha yomkhiqizo waseBavaria:
“Kuzoba nesports car yebo kodwa ngeke kube yiZ5. Lokhu kuqanjwe ngumuntu.” […] Imodeli entsha izobizwa ngo-Z ... mhlawumbe 4″
Ozongena esikhundleni se-BMW Z4, manje esifinyelela ekupheleni komjikelezo wayo wokuphila, uzoba umphumela webhizinisi elihlangene phakathi kwe-BMW ne-Toyota, ngakho-ke uzohlanganyela inkundla ne-Supra elandelayo.
Amaphuzu avelele, kucatshangelwa izithombe zenhloli ezenziwe esidlangalaleni, i-Z4 entsha izolahlekelwa i-metallic hood yayo, ibuyele ku-hood ye-canvas yendabuko.
Mayelana nemininingwane yezobuchwepheshe, kuyaziwa ukuthi uhlelo lwe-in-line-cylinder luzoba inketho ezinhlobonhlobo zezinjini. Amathuba okuhlanganisa injini eyi-hybrid kanye/noma isistimu ye-xDrive edonsa ngawo wonke amasondo ahlala evulekile, njengoba kwenza nogesi onamagiya ayisithupha oshintshwayo. Singalinda kuphela izindaba ezengeziwe ezivela eBavaria.