A Faustian pact : The new Z4 is a grown up

I am thoroughly depressed these days. And the reason for my despondency, curiously enough, is a car. It's the new BMW Z4 to be specific. Now, technically there's nothing wrong with it — the problem is that I own the soft-top version. And after driving the new one I couldn't help but notice what a mongrel my Z is.

Despite its Teutonic lineage, the previous Z4 was a feisty little number. It might wear a German badge, but it is — here comes some sacrilege — a tail-wagging, muscle car at heart. Accelerate enthusiastically midway through a roundabout and you'll soon be facing oncoming traffic. The ride is so hard it literally shakes trim pieces loose. And the cabin? I'm not a big guy by any stretch of imagination and even I feel claustrophobic.

Then there's the stuff that goes wrong with the old one. The ignition coils like to occasionally blow up for no reason and the folding canvas roof sometimes has a mind of its own. Compared to the new Z4, it's, well, horrid.

 Change is good

Drive the normally aspirated 3.0-litre sDrive30i and it's immediately evident that the new model is much more user-friendly and driver focused. It's softly sprung and, despite the runflats, has an extremely compliant ride. So you won't need reconstructive surgery done on your spine every time you drive over a pothole. Interestingly though, the soft ride doesn't seem to have adversely affected the handling. Even if you give it a bootful midway through a corner all you get is gentle oversteer. The chassis is sublime and you are immediately aware the moment the back steps out of line. This of course gives you the confidence to push harder. Until you eventually run out of grip and talent and slide wide. But even then, it never feels dangerous or out of control. The only slight complaint I have is the steering. It's nice and weighty at slow to medium speeds, but feels artificial when dispatching a series of quick bends. But overall this is still a superb driver's car. However, I wouldn't recommend you test the limit of adhesion on public roads.

There are some things that you can try though. The straight line speed, for example. Granted it won't astonish you (that's a job for the twin-turbo 35i), but it's still plenty quick. Even though power from the inline six is up to 258bhp and torque to 310Nm, the new Z4 has also gained weight. The fancy metal folding roof and bigger dimensions — it's nearly a half-foot longer and roughly an inch wider — have added an extra 140kg. The 0-100kph sprint is down to 5.8 seconds — a smidgen faster than the outgoing model's 5.9sec time, but still good enough to give rivals a good hiding.

To hit that figure you'll need to jab the go-faster Dynamic Drive Control button on the transmission tunnel. There are three settings to play with — normal, sport and sport plus. These affect gear shifts, throttle response, steering boost and suspension damping as well as traction control (which is switched off in sport plus).

In maniac mode the responses are noticeably sharper, but the ride is never bone-crunchingly harsh. Even with the TC off, it's never unpredictable or intimidating — which is not something I can say about its predecessor.

Then there's the interior. This was the old Z4's Achilles' heel. The E85's cramped cabin, which I think was mostly made from melted down duct tape, has thankfully been reworked in the new model. There are swathes of plush leather and wood and the fit and finish is on par with the new Porsche Boxster, if not better. The interior accommodation has also increased, so you get 5mm more headroom and 20mm more shoulder room. Although the few bits that have been carried over from the previous Z4, such as the hideous sun visors, are still an eyesore.

Outside, it's quite the opposite to the previous Z4, which was a radical design in its time. The new version takes things a step further, but by taking a step back. Every line and curve has been toned down and smoothed out, so the new Z no longer looks outlandish. It's extremely good looking, but in a very conventional sort of way. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it's a tad too text-bookish.

The two-piece metal roof, which folds down in 20 seconds, also does a great job of protecting you from the elements and cutting wind noise.

In every quantifiable way, the new Z4 is a dramatic improvement over its predecessor. It's grown up, well rounded and sensible. And ironically, that's why I'm not sure I fully approve of it.

Replacing the soft top with a trick metal lid makes the car feel ordinary. It's too eager to please. The bonkers styling of the outgoing model made it stand out in a sea of restrained Merc SLKs and Audi TTs. It was charismatic because it went against the grain. That's what's missing in the new Z4. It's too mainstream.

So now you know why I am disappointed. The new Zed is an awesome car, but it no longer has the flawed charm or feisty personality of its pre-adolescent days. It's matured into something that could be just another German cruiser; fantastic to drive but a bit sterile. It's a brilliant car, but I do wish they hadn't sanitised it so much.

The new Z4 has gained a lot of leather, gadgets and technology, but in the process it has lost something much more important — its soul.

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