We’ve known the days of BMW’s Z4 roadster were numbered, and the end is finally here: The automaker confirmed to BMWBlog that the final Z4 has rolled off the Magna Steyr production line in Graz, Austria.
When it went into production for the 2003 model year, the Z4 featured an inline-four or an inline-six, mounted up front and driving the rear wheels. It stepped into the shoes of the Z3 (1995–2002). Larger and stiffer than that car, the first Z4 wore fresh, Bangle-era sheetmetal and replaced the Z3’s E30-era semi-trailing arms with a fully modernized rear suspension design.
The second generation Z4 (2009–2016) twisted the dial from tossable sports car to more soft-sprung, luxury cruiser, replacing the soft-top and coupe with a single model with a power-operated sunroof. The third- and final generation (2018–2026) moved closer to the car’s roots. Available exclusively with a soft top, the third-gen car was a return to sports car form.
Famously, the Z4 and the Supra were built by Magna Steyr on the same line. BMW collaborated with Toyota on their hallmark sports cars, co-developing the chassis dimensions and sharing its B58 3.0-liter turbo straight-six, plus some interior componentry. The Z4 eventually got a manual transmission, like the Supra. The BMW needed the manual, too, as Eric Weiner wrote in his review of the 2025 BMW Z4 M40i Handschalter. The 382-hp 3.0-liter turned the Z4 into a “rocketship,” but the eight-speed auto version was … not it.
Hopefully, the “very small number” of Final Edition Z4s were mostly ordered with the six-speed manual. Available exclusively in black over black, the finale was announced in November, about six months after Toyota announced its Final Edition Supra.
The Z4 was always a niche model geared toward enthusiasts, but take one look at the sales numbers over the past 10 years, and it’s obvious why it had to go. BMW still makes a few convertibles, all part of the 4 Series family: the 430i has a 295-hp turbo-four, the M440i 386-hp turbo-six, and the M4 a 523-hp twin-turbo six. However, none have the option for a manual transmission.
For now, say goodbye to the Z-series BMWs. They’ll be missed.
Report by Grace Jarvis for hagerty.com
