2021 BMW Z4 M40i Convertible

The changes to the 2021 model year remain some minor changes in the trim features. The new BMW Z4 gets Android Auto and satellite radio as standard with the trims, which was not the case earlier. The BMW Z4 M40i starts at an MSRP of $63,700 and offers a lot for the money. The combination of performance and handling makes it a great option for enthusiasts in the segment. The 2021 BMW Z4 M40i competes against the likes of the Audi TT Roadster, Porsche 718 Boxster, and the Jaguar F-Type Convertible. 

The 2021 BMW Z4 M40i is a standalone trim level of the 2021 BMW Z4 lineup. The biggest reason why you should consider upgrading to the M40i trim is the sportier driving dynamics and a more powerful engine. The BMW Z4 M40i adds a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine over the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with the base sDrive30i trim level. The Z4 M40i comes with all the features you get with the base trim and adds 19-inch wheels, keyless entry, a heated steering wheel, lumbar adjustment for front seats, remote engine start, parking sensors at front and rear, ambient lighting, heated front seats, wireless charging pad, and adaptive cruise control.

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The 2021 BMW Z4 M40i is a single trim level of the Z4 lineup. The Bimmer comes loaded with modern tech and features inside the cabin. The M40i trims get some additional features to ensure sportier driving dynamics. The Dynamic Handling package comes standard with the M40i trim which adds the M Sport package, upgraded brakes, sport differential, and adaptive suspension setup. There are many optional packages and features available with the BMW Z4 M40i. Since it is already an expensive car for the segment, you can avoid them or get them based on your budget and requirements.

The 2021 BMW Z4 M40i comes with a significant upgrade in terms of the engine compared to the regular BMW Z4. The Z4 M40i is powered by a potent 3.0L Twin Turbo Inline 6 engine. The motor churns out a healthy 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and the power is sent to the rear wheels. 

The power and torque figures are both impressive for the segment. Any of the cars in the competition including the BMW Z4 M40i does not fall completely in the sports car territory and are just the entry-level sports car for their respective brands. That is evident looking at the performance of the cars in the segment as they offer better performance compared to other luxury cars in the segment, but not enough to match a proper sports car. 

The BMW Z4 sdrive M40i will impress the buyers with its outright acceleration figures and overall performance. The performance of the car is seriously better than the base 4-cylinder engine. The 2021 Z4 M40i takes an impressive 3.9 seconds to reach from 0 to 60 miles per hour. The quarter-mile timing is not bad either as it takes 12.3 seconds for the same. The engine responds well to the driver inputs and the power is available right from the lower end of the rave band. The power band is fairly wide and you do not encounter any turbo lag either.

The BMW Z4 M40i comes with the most powerful engine in the segment. The power and torque figures are both ahead of the competition with a significant margin. The performance of the car tells the same story and it is the fastest car in the segment to reach from 0 to 60 mph. The 2021 Porsche 718 Boxster comes next in the o to 60 mph run with 4.9 seconds but is the fastest car in the quarter-mile run. The 2021 Jaguar F-Type Convertible P300 and the 2021 Audi TT Roadster are closely matched in terms of overall performance. 

How well does the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i handle?

The rear-wheel-drive BMWs have been the dream for many drivers who love driving in terms of handling and driving dynamics. Well the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i might disappoint you a bit in that regard. It does not mean the handling of the car is not good, but it is not on the same level that the Bimmer has set over the years for their RWD drivetrain cars. The steering wheel of the Z4 M40i is similar to newer BMW cars. There is not much feedback from the steering wheels, but it is pretty direct and precise. The car changes the lane quickly. The only area where the steering wheel lacks is the kind of feedback that the Bimmer was known for.

The driving dynamics of the car will impress most buyers. The car feels planted on the road for most parts. You may have to slow down a bit in the corners, but the overall cornering ability of the Z4 is decent for the segment. However, when it comes to the comfort factor, it again becomes a mixed-bag experience. The BMW Z4 M40i drives well on good roads and the ride quality is also fine. But show it some bad patches of road and it will start showing you its quirks. The ride feels bouncy and switching to the Sport mode makes it only worse. 

How good are the brakes of the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i?

The braking performance really starts to matter more when it comes to the sports car segment. The kind of acceleration the Z4 manages requires some impressive braking system to stop the car. The 2021 BMW Z4 gets 13.7 inches brake rotors for the front wheels and the rear wheels get 12.8 inches rotors. The brakes offer a good bite and manage to stop the car really well. The only downside is that the brakes feel a bit grabby at lower speeds in the city. It takes away from a smooth braking experience at lower speeds. However, the stopping distance is excellent as it manages to stop the car from 60 to 0 mph in under 101 feet. 

The BMW Z4 M40i offers the best braking performance in the segment when it comes to the overall braking distance. But the braking is not as smooth as some of the other rivals in the segment at city speeds. The 2021 Audi TT Roadster comes at the second position taking two feet extra to come to a halt from 60 miles per hour. The 2021 Jaguar F-Type Convertible P300 comes next with a braking distance of 109 feet from 60 to 0 mph. The 2021 Porsche 718 Boxster comes at the last position in terms of braking distance, but the margin is not that big.

The fuel economy of the BMW Z4 M40i is among the strongest in the segment. BMW is known for managing an impressive fuel economy figure out of powerful engines. The 2021 Z4 M40i delivers 22 miles per gallon in the city, 30 miles per gallon on the highway, and 30 miles per gallon of combined fuel economy. The BMW Z4 sDrive 30i offers even more impressive fuel economy figures. The fuel tank capacity of the BMW Z4 is not as big as some of its rivals. It gets a 13.4-gallon fuel tank which does a decent job in terms of overall mileage. You can expect a maximum highway range of around 411 miles with the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i.

The 2021 Audi TT Roadster offers the best fuel economy in the segment. The 2021 Jaguar F-Type Convertible P300 is also similar to the Audi TT in terms of fuel economy. The BMW Z4 sdrive M40i convertible follows the Jaguar with a small margin and offers good overall fuel efficiency. The 2021 Porsche 718 Boxster delivers the least fuel economy in the segment but it is not that bad either. The Jaguar F-Type Convertible offers the best in class highway range touching almost 500 miles as it gets the biggest fuel tank in the class.

On paper, you might confuse the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i to have a cramped space inside the cabin as the dimensions are small. But you will be surprised when you enter the cabin as the BMW engineers have managed the space inside the cabin very well. The interior feels roomy for two passengers, and by the way, all the cars in the competition only offer a single row of seating. Even when the roof is up there, the headroom is surprisingly good even for taller passengers. The same goes with the legroom and shoulder room for the driver and the co-passenger.

The cabin doesn’t feel claustrophobic which is the case with some of the other rivals. However, good space inside the cabin doesn’t mean the practicality is also good. You can feel the lack of storage options inside the cabin. The center console doesn’t even get cup holders. The ingress and egress are not an issue, but you surely require some effort. The driving position is fairly comfortable and the visibility in the front is decent considering it is a sports car. The quality of the cabin is top-notch and you do not find any cheap materials inside the interior of the car. 

The 2021 Jaguar F-Type Convertible P300 is a clear winner in terms of the interior space as it is ahead of the competition in every regard except for the headroom. The BMW Z4 M40i goes ahead of the Jaguar in terms of the headroom and the cargo area. The Audi TT Roadster comes with the best in the class cargo area when it is at its maximum. However, the BMW Z4’s trunk space remains the same even when the roofs are down. The Porsche 718 Boxster comes with the smallest trunk space in the segment. Standout interior features in the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i are:

• 10-way power-adjustable front seats
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
• Heated leather steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Keyless ignition
• Cruise control

What is there to keep you entertained in the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i?

The 2021 BMW Z4 M40i does not disappoint the buyers when it comes to the tech inside the cabin. The 2021 Z4 gets a 10.25-inch central touchscreen infotainment system. You also get a digital instrument cluster of the same size. The infotainment system features BMW’s iDrive 7.0 system which is considered among the best in the luxury car market. The control for the infotainment feels intuitive and the screen feels responsive too. There are a ton of connectivity options for the infotainment system including USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity. 

The biggest addition to the infotainment system with the 2021 model year is the addition of the wireless Android Auto which was not the case earlier. The wireless Apple CarPlay still remains there with Android Auto. The SiriusXM satellite radio also became standard with the 2021 Z4. The voice control for the infotainment works surprisingly well and you can control a ton of features just using the voice commands. The 10-speaker audio system does a pretty decent job but there are better options in the segment for music lovers. Standout infotainment features in the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i are:

• 10.25-inch infotainment screen
• BMW iDrive 7.0 system
• USB and Bluetooth connectivity
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• 10-speaker audio system

The exterior styling of the 2021 BMW Z4 does not feel like an entry-level sports car but is more like a proper sports car. The aggressive exterior styling of the car will attract many eyes on the road. The BMW Z4 was completely redesigned in 2019 and the car looks fresh and young. Every small bit in the exterior of the Bimmer has been designed with perfection. The front gets BMW’s evolved kidney grille with blacked-out trims which makes the overall look sporty. The sleek and elongated headlights on the front look like an aggressive eye looking straight at you. 

The muscular design language of the car gives it a great presence out on the road even though it comes with relatively small dimensions. The sharp curves on the bonnet of the 2021 Z4 will attract your attention from the front. The story remains pretty much the same even from the sides. The bigger 19-inch wheels with the M40i give it a better stance compared to the standard 18-inch wheels. The rear of the Z4 is not boring either. The rear gets various sharp lines and curves making it a sight worth beholding. The LED taillights and the single exhaust at either side of the car keep the sportiness alive at the back too. 

The 2021 Audi TT Roadster comes with the smallest dimensions of all the rivals in the competition. It is the shortest of all but the wheelbase is longer than the BMW and the Porsche. The BMW Z4 sdrive M40i convertible is not very long either and is shorter than the Porsche and Jaguar counterparts. The 2021 Jaguar F-Type Convertible P300 is bigger than the rivals in every aspect. Standout exterior features in the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i are:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic LED headlights
• Heated exterior mirrors with power adjustments
• Rain detecting wipers
• LED Brakelights
• Power convertible top

Safety is generally not a concern with the German luxury car makers and BMW is surely one of them. The BMW Z4 never had any complaints in terms of safety in all these years it has been in the market. The 2021 Z4 has not been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). 

Still, the Bimmer is among the safest cars in the segment. It comes equipped with a generous list of standard safety tech and driver assistance features. There are also some of the optional driver assistance features that you can opt for to make it even safer. The safety features include in the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i are:

• Post-collision safety system
• Pre-collision safety system
• Self-leveling headlights
• Traction control
• Stability control
• Emergency braking assist

BMW Z4 sdrive M40i convertible vs. Audi TT Roadster

The 2021 Audi TT Roadster is one of the most affordable convertibles in the segment. The exterior styling of the Audi TT did not get a complete redesign since its launch, but still, it looks stunning. The performance is not one of the fortes of the Audi TT. The BMW Z4 convertible is way ahead of the Audi TT Roadster in terms of performance. The Bimmer also comes with a more spacious cabin and a more updated design from the outside.

BMW Z4 sdrive M40i convertible vs. Porsche 718 Boxster

The 2021 Porsche 718 Boxster is the sportier of the two for sure. Since the newer Bimmers do not get the same level of feedback from the steering wheel and the driving dynamics are not that agile either, the Porsche 718 Boxster is a better option for the people who love to drive. If you can stretch your budget, you can also get the more powerful variant of the Porsche 718 Boxster. The one area where the BMW is ahead of the Porsche is the interior space. The Bimmer also delivers a better fuel economy. 

BMW Z4 sdrive M40i convertible vs. Jaguar F-Type convertible P300

The 2021 Jaguar F-Type convertible has started to show its age now as the design is not as fresh as the Bimmer. Still, it can turn more heads out on the road compared to the BMW Z4 or any other rival in the competition. The driving dynamics of the Jaguar F-Type Convertible are still up there among the best in the class. It is also the most spacious convertible in the segment. The downside is that the base engine is not as powerful as the BMW Z4 M40i and upgrading to the more powerful engine makes it even more expensive.

The new BMW Z4 M40i is one of the strongest contenders in the segment. The exterior styling of the Z4 M40i is nothing less than a proper sports roadster. The roomy interior makes it a perfect choice for long highway trips. The performance is up there among the best in the class. The handling is not up there with the earlier BMWs but it is not that bad either. The convertible comes loaded with tech inside the cabin and the addition of Android Auto for the infotainment is a move worth appreciating. To conclude everything, the 2021 BMW Z4 M40i is a sensible buy if you are looking for anything similar.