Summarize

Bain’s Kloof Pass is a bastard. Rough as all hell, twisty and gnarly as it adheres to the mountain contour, its a challenge to drive at snails pace, but flat out it exposes the very worst from any chassis as the car struggles to keep all four wheels on the floor among all the other challenges — a horrid tarmac surface shifts the car around and braking becomes a real challenge, the later you clamp it.

So you’d expect a roadster to really struggle there, no? Which makes that stretch a brave choice for any PR out to impress fastidious journalists on their first impression. But the all-new BMW Z4 stunned on Bains Kloof Thursday morning — not just treating all the pass’ tests as of they were child's play, but there was not a creek from the car and that was perhaps even more impressive.

Our M40i was completely in its element, skitting across the bumps with racecar alacrity, braking with aplomb; diving into corners and blasting out as early as I dared put the power down despite this being the one with the heavier lump in the nose — the only real casualty being the driver panting as we emerged from a frantic run.

Z4 was impressive on the other Cape passes too, but not quite as deft as it was on the bastard Bain’s Kloof - it’s a tad skittish in the quicker bents, but nothing untoward — that it is as sorted as it is in the most difficult one, is a feather in its cap indeed.

Controversial from the outset thanks only to its kinship to the Supra to the despair of those Two-Jayzee disciples, this first impression certainly bodes well for its Japanese cousin too, but I digress. Z4 adds to BMW’s rich roadster history and as you have read, the new Z4 clearly adds to the legend. 

It’s grown quite a bit — 85mm wider and 13mm taller on a 26mm shorter wheelbase with 98mm wider front annd 57mm wider rear tracks (no wonder it likes it so tight!) in a lighter and remarkably tauter shell, no wonder it likes it so tight! Add its central seating position, low centre of gravity and ideal 50:50 weight distribution and you get what BMW calls intoxicating dynamism...

Available in our 250kW 500Nm straight-six direct petrol injection turbo Bain’s Kloof BMW M Performance option good for 100km/h in 4.6 seconds and 7.1 l/100km at 162 g/km CO2, I found myself wondering about those 2JZ screams — this lump is lighter too and a big part of that pass poise. There’s also the probably even wieldier 145kW 350Nm Z4 sDrive20i turbo four-pot good for 6.6 seconds to 100, 6.0 l/100km and 137 g/km, which I look forward to driving soon.

Both models drive the rear wheels through latest-generation eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and electronically controlled M Sport differential and feature a newly designed double-joint spring strut axle up front and a new five-link rear with Adaptive M Sport suspension and variable sport steering and M Sport brakes. The 2-litre rides on standard 18-inch mixed-size light-alloy wheels with a 19-inch option that’s standard on M40i and three Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus chassis modes are toggled by a Driving Experience Control switch. 

The new Z4 brings an interesting design evolution in a crisper, more purposeful look this time around while that soft top lifts and drops in an instant at up to 50km/h to expose a driver-focused cockpit to the elements boasting new BMW Operating System 7.0 with Live Cockpit Professional with context-based customisable graphics running all functions via iDrive Controller, steering buttons or voice control and all the connectivity you need and expect.

Add a broad array of driver assistance systems from Collision, Lane Departure and Pedestrian Warnings with City Braking function standard. Options include Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go, distance info, Lane Change Warning, Rear Collision Prevention and the Speed Limit Info and BMW Head-Up Display.

Z4 continues in an apparently diminishing roadster market but it has a deadly rival the most capable 718 Boxster,  ut from first impressions, the Beemer does a damn good job at countering it.