[Brookside]

Ready, z-eady, go for baby BMW
Auto Express's network of spies have been on Z alert all month... and finally, their patience has paid off!

AutoExpress, July 17.
We can reveal that BMW is set to unleash a sporty three-door coupé which will blend the company's reputation for building exciting drivers' cars with low prices like never before.

Called the Z2, the machine revealed here will spearhead a new class of desirable, affordable coupés, and it's set to go head-to-head with Volkswagen's new Scirocco.

This is the new baby BMW many sports car fans have been waiting for. Based on the 1-Series platform, the rear-wheel-drive, front-engined model will be available as either a coupé or roadster, and both variants will offer a competitively priced alternative to the next-generation Z4 sports models.

The Z2 will be the last member of the expanding 1-Series family to arrive - both three-door and cabriolet variants will have gone on sale before it.

Advanced prototype versions of these two models have already been caught on test by Auto Express spy photographers. The imminent introduction of the 3-Series CC - with its folding metal roof - has left a gap in the range for a fabric-top cabrio, hence the launch of the 1-Series convertible.


Yet while BMW's new 1-Series variants are set to be unveiled next year, the Z2 will remain under wraps for a bit longer. Expected to appear in 2009, its launch is being timed to coincide with the on-sale date of the second-generation Z4. BMW is concentrating on offering a pure driving experience with the Z2, and it will be tuned to be sportier than the rest of the 1-Series line-up. Although engines will be borrowed from the 1, by the time the new model goes on sale, the company will have added the latest turbocharged units to the hatchback range.

The flagship twin-turbo powerplant is shared with the new 335i Coupé, and will deliver blistering performance, while a naturally aspirated 3.0-litre straight-six will also be offered. The majority of Z2 variants sold will come with four-cylinder engines as BMW tries to keep prices to a minimum.

To ensure the new machine has the looks to match its performance, it will be given extra visual muscle with the use of short front and rear overhangs and a large BMW front grille. Other design cues will be adopted from the maker's Mille Miglia Concept Coupé, which was revealed in May this year.
Inside, the coupé variant above has room for four. The design of the dash will be similar to that of the 1-Series, while keeping costs down without compromising quality will be a priority.

The convertible model's fabric hood will save weight, space and cost. BMW engineers are set to use the same fully electric mechanism as the Z4 Roadster, and the top will disappear in a matter of seconds at the touch of a button.

While it's far too early for BMW to be disclosing specification details, prices for the Z2 are likely to start at around £19,000 for entry-level variants, rising to £30,000 for flagship models.

Yet these small sports models won't be the only addition to the Z-car line-up. At the top of the range, the German giant will reintroduce the Z8.

The exclusive V8-powered two-seat roadster was originally launched back in 2000, and its successor will aim to move BMW into the supercar elite once again. Expect to see a completely new V10-engined Z8 in 2009.


A note of caution...AutoExpress is extremely unreliable and the photoshop
image (taken from an earlier photoshop of VW's upcoming Scirocco) is pure speculation...BUT...more grist for the mill.