2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost details released

Officially Official: 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost details released

, Posted by Sports Cars Fans a

Rolls-Royce has officially dropped dozens of images and plenty of details on its new "baby" saloon, the Ghost. The new Roller won't be seen publicly for another week, when it'll formally bow in Frankfurt, but we now know that its 6.6-liter V12 generates an impressive 575 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm, along with 563 horsepower in U.S. trim. The 212.6-inch body stretches over a 129.7 inch long wheelbase, and the whole car weighs in at 5,445 pounds unloaded.

There are no surprises in the styling, which is unchanged from the 200EX concept displayed in Geneva last March. naturally, the Ghost retains the Phantom-style coach doors (don't call them suicide in the presence of a Rolls rep) with built-in umbrellas. Inside, the Ghost carries over additional Phantom quirks, such as the "Power Reserve" gauge the driver gets in lieu of a traditional tachometer. Aside from that, this is clearly more of a driver's car than the Phantom, whose opulent backseat accommodations show that it's more about being driven in. The Ghost's steering wheel is much smaller in diameter and has a thicker rim than its big brother, and the seats appear to have more contouring for lateral support, as well. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but plan on bringing a Halliburton attache case full of cash if you plan on buying one,

[Source: Rolls-Royce]

PRESS RELEASE:

ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST
INTRODUCTION

Autumn 2006, Paris motor show: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced that work had begun on a new model series. The new car would be in production and on sale by the turn of the decade. The only other facts confirmed at that stage were that it would be smaller than the Phantom saloon and priced somewhere between €200,000 and €300,000 before tax. Speculation about its style and specification began almost immediately...

Little was seen of the new car, codenamed RR4, until the spring of 2008, when Rolls-Royce released the first official sketches. The styling was instantly recognisable as a Rolls-Royce, although less traditional than previous models. At the time Chief Designer, Ian Cameron, said, "The RR4 has a more informal presence than the Phantom models with a greater emphasis on driving. In design terms this is expressed through its slightly smaller dimensions, yet with powerful, purposeful proportions. It is a true and uncompromising Rolls-Royce in every sense."

As sightings of secret development models on the road increased, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled 200EX, the experimental forerunner to Ghost, at the Geneva motor show in March 2009. An instant hit, 200EX bore the trademark Rolls-Royce design cues but in altogether more compelling fashion. It was a clear statement of intent.

What the design team was seeking to create was a modern Rolls-Royce that achieved a new dynamism but remained true to its luxurious heritage. They had found inspiration in contemporary furniture, architecture and yachts but also in the spirit of the 1930s – that sense of adventure and endeavour – which they wanted to capture in the character of this new car.

"200EX is a modern execution of timeless Rolls-Royce elegance, breaking with some areas of tradition but retaining the core values that make our marque unique," said Chief Executive Officer Tom Purves. "We expect the more informal design to broaden the appeal of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, attracting people who appreciate its fusion of refinement, new technology and contemporary style."

After the show, 200EX embarked on a world tour, during which further information about the forthcoming production model became available. It would be powered by a new 6.6 litre V12 unique to the marque, delivering 563 bhp with extraordinary performance figures. It would ride on an intelligent air suspension system offering peerless ride and dynamics. And it would be called Ghost.

"Ghost is one of the most revered names in automotive industry," said Tom Purves. "It evokes images of adventure and technical innovation. The first cars to bear the Ghost name were known not only for impressive dependability and refinement but also great flair and style."

Following the overwhelmingly positive reaction to 200EX during its travels, very few changes were made in the transition to the production Ghost – a tribute to the remarkable achievements of Ian Cameron's and Helmut Riedl's design and engineering teams.

In September 2009, the new Rolls-Royce Ghost was formally launched to the world.

DESIGNING THE FUTURE

"Simplicity is the hardest design principle to follow."
Ian Cameron, Chief Designer

Ghost's flowing lines are dominated by its majestic 'Yacht Line' styling. Large, uninterrupted surfaces flow between finely sculpted horizontal lines that provide definition. Together, the upward-sweeping sill line and low-cut roof create a powerful profile, almost as though the cabin has been pushed toward the rear. Powerful shoulders and flanks draw in sharply as they flow from the rear wings to the tail lights, while touches such as the optional chromed exhausts hint at Ghost's more dynamic nature.

While incorporating classic Rolls-Royce design cues – the elevated prow, long bonnet, short front overhang, sharply raked A-pillar and elegant tail – Ghost exudes an informal aura. Contemporary touches include self-righting wheel centres and the Xenon headlamps that frame the latest evolution of the Rolls-Royce grille. Here the sides of the intake have been curved inwards and the vanes set back into the opening. "We wanted this to be less reminiscent of the traditional Parthenon style and more like a jet intake," says Ian Cameron.

A contrasting Silver Satin finish (introduced on 200EX) is an option for the bonnet, grille and windscreen surround. The finish is achieved by setting silver metallic paint under a layer of lacquer, giving a flawless matte finish.

The central principle of delivering simplicity out of complexity runs throughout Ghost. Everything is designed, engineered and crafted to enhance the drive and ride experience, not to complicate it.

"Ghost is as refined and cosseting as anything this marque has ever produced."
Charles Coldham, Interior Designer

Inside Ghost, the interior design team has come up with a contemporary ambience while staying true to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' traditions of fine materials and peerless comfort. There are elegant, frosted lamps and chrome door handles, traditional violin key switches and eyeball air vents, frosted white dials and refined instrumentation. Deep-pile carpets can be complemented by optional lambswool floor mats for a truly luxurious feel.

Ghost is entered through substantial doors. Housed within the front doors are integrated Teflon-coated umbrellas. The rear doors are traditional, rear-hinged coach doors, opening to a generous 83 degrees. Once the passenger is inside, these doors can be closed at the touch of a button. The interior space is filled with natural light, enhanced by the optional Panorama Sunroof, which extends from the front into the rear compartment.

Four-zone automatic air conditioning can be individually tailored to each passenger's requirements, with separate controls for front and rear. Automatic air recirculation, condensation prevention and solar compensation are delivered through classic chromed eyeball vents controlled via organ-stop plungers.

Within Ghost's ample doors and high shoulder line, occupants feel serene, cosseted and safe. In the rear, the intimate ambience of the lounge seat is emphasised by its position behind the C-pillar, heightening the sense of privacy. The informal seating creates a convivial environment, its slight curve allowing you to turn more easily towards the person next to you. Its elevated position gives a clear view past the electronically retracting Spirit of Ecstasy to the road ahead.

Individual lounge seating is offered as an alternative to the standard lounge configuration. This allows the addition of a massage function and also perforated leather for a cooling stream of air from the seat surface. Auxiliary rear climate control allows the passenger to regulate the temperature of the air on their side of the car, without intrusion on the other. A cool box with interior illumination and integrated champagne glasses is also available.

Veneered picnic tables are another option, incorporating the finest leather and veneers matched to the rest of Ghost's interior. Fitted to the rear of each front seat, these tables are a traditional Rolls-Royce design cue and finished with a veneered surface with leather-covered backs.

"Ghost is designed to be an escape from the outside world."
Alan Sheppard, Interior Designer

Enhancing the Ghost ambience is an audio system delivering an exquisite experience. 600 Watts of sound are delivered through a 10-channel amplifier and 16 speakers, including two floor-mounted subwoofers. USB and auxiliary inputs allow for the integration of external audio devices and a 12.5 GB hard drive enables storage of music files from USB or CD player sources.

Available as an option with both seating arrangements is Theatre Configuration, which allows all settings that do not directly affect the driver to be controlled from the rear seat. The functions are displayed on two 9.2in LCD screens in the back of the front seats; these can be angled to suit the viewers by a central, armrest-mounted, rotary controller. The screens can be regulated independently of each other and the entertainment can also be listened to individually with most headphones. A six-disc multi-media changer, mounted in the glove compartment, is fitted as part of this option.

ENGINEERING A BENCHMARK

"The balance of refinement and dynamic ability is astonishing."
Helmut Riedl, Engineering Director

When considering a Rolls-Royce car it is usual to think of wood, leather and chrome, but the company has its roots in engineering. The refinement of its end product stems from its engineers' desire to get the smallest details correct. Long before the interior items are prepared, experts are working to ensure that the chassis components, power trains and bodywork are operating in fluid harmony. This is a world where welds are an art form and craftsmanship exists at a nano level.

Ghost is built around a steel monocoque body, which means there is no separation of chassis and body. The advantage of this construction is a reduction in exterior dimensions while preserving interior space. Consequently while Ghost is over 400mm shorter overall than the Phantom saloon its interior space is comparable.

The body has been engineered with a double front bulkhead to help insulate the interior from engine noise. It is constructed from steel sections and then wrapped in steel panels, which are brazed by hand. This allows a near-seamless join, which is then sanded by hand until it is perfect. In total, Ghost's frame contains 4.9m of seam weld and braze and 6,988 spot-welds. The bonnet and windscreen surround are then honed from aluminium.

"A Rolls-Royce should be graceful in every way: the way it handles, feels and brakes."
Helmut Riedl, Engineering Director

Ghost rides on a bed of air. Double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension work with an intelligent, four-cornered, air-suspension system and electronic variable damping to deliver the refinement that has been associated with Rolls-Royce for more than 100 years.

The new air suspension system in Ghost is so sensitive that it can detect even the smallest of changes. For example, it will sense the movement of a single rear passenger from one side of the seat to the other and compensate accordingly. A complex computer system reads multiple inputs from sensors around the car; the dampers alone make individual load calculations every 2.5 milliseconds. This ensures not only perfect comfort but also precise steering and dynamics for the driver. The air suspension system also incorporates a lift and kneel function, raising or lowering Ghost by 25mm.

Ghost also has a series of complex electronic aids to keep it composed on virtually any surface. These include Anti-Roll Stabilisation, Dynamic Brake Control and Dynamic Stability Control, including Dynamic Traction Control and Cornering Brake Control. These individual technologies work together under dual Integrated Chassis Management systems, meaning that even when subjected to a vigorous test Ghost remains perfectly poised. Its handling and safety systems operate as one, imperceptibly to the driver and passengers, to maintain optimum contact with the road in any condition.

"Our challenge," says Engineering Director Helmut Riedl, "has been to preserve the prerequisite levels of comfort while delivering the most modern, dynamically interesting drive ever in a Rolls-Royce."

Ghost is powered by a brand new, 6.6 litre twin-turbo V12 engine, unique to the model. Featuring direct injection, it produces 563bhp – enough to propel Ghost from 0-60 mph in just 4.7 seconds* and on to an electronically governed top speed of 155mph. With 780 Nm of torque available at just 1,500rpm, delivery of power is immediate and extremely smooth.

Power is transmitted through an eight-speed, shift-by-wire, automatic ZF gearbox. What this achieves is a feeling of endless, surging power, which is illustrated by the power reserve gauge on the fascia, replacing the more common rev counter. The new powertrain delivers this performance while emitting just 317g/km of CO2.Fuel consumption is 20.8 mpg / 13.6 l/100km.*

Safety remains paramount and the very latest technologies are used in Ghost. Side-impact beams in the front and rear doors combine with progressive rear crumple zones to absorb impacts. The Advanced Crash and Safety Management (ACSM) system takes measurements 2,000 times per second from sensors located around the vehicle. The ACSM uses this information – in conjunction with the engine and chassis management systems – to judge which safety features to deploy in which areas in the event of an accident. If necessary, ACSM will activate – among other things – seatbelt pre-tensioners and all encompassing airbags surrounding the cabin, creating a safe zone for all occupants.

A MODERN ROLLS-ROYCE

Ghost is the most powerful car that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has ever produced. However, Rolls-Royce power is delivered in a very different manner to other cars. It arrives in an elegant, cosseting way that some have described as being designed to lower the pulse, not raise it.

The principle of simplicity extends to the act of driving Ghost. The host of complex engineering software and technologies beneath the surface serve to make driving easier and more enjoyable, not to intrude or confuse.

"Nothing should distract from the pleasure of driving Ghost."

Helmut Riedl, Engineering Director

Ghost is more driver-focused than any Rolls-Royce car before it. The driver sits in a slightly elevated position behind the wheel, described as the authority position. This makes the view of the road much clearer. The fascia has been kept deliberately clear; it is spacious in design and has an intuitive layout. The controls are neatly sculpted, with the more important functions emphasised by accents of chrome. The soft light of the instrument panel glows through the familiar black-rimmed steering wheel, which in turn employs a number of violin keys as well as an ergonomic roller-ball control.

The control centre display is concealed behind a veneered panel until its services are called upon. All features such as satellite navigation, telephone, communication and entertainment functions are displayed here and managed via a central rotary controller, flanked by quick-access buttons on the front centre console.

The optional driver assistance systems and technologies in Ghost are notable for their discretion and ease of operation. From the moment the driver approaches the car, optional Comfort Entry** allows easy access, unlocking the doors when the key fob is within 1.5 metres and the cool chromed handle is grasped. Once you are in the car, voice control allows you to select from the control systems menus without using the central controller.

For ease of manoeuvring, cameras located around the car serve a number of purposes. Rear, front side and top view cameras can combine to give a fish-eye view at blind junctions or provide ground images with obstacle recognition and reverse path prediction when parking.

Positioned discreetly within the grille is a Night Vision** camera. When activated, this safety feature works with Pedestrian Recognition to detect objects up to 300 metres away and display them on the central screen in the dash. The car's control system receives infrared heat images from the camera and, taking into account the car's speed and direction, classifies them to assess imminent danger. It then determines what action, if any, needs to be taken and if necessary displays a warning to the driver.

The Head-up Display relays crucial information such as speed or navigation directions onto the windscreen directly in front of the driver. This information is visible only to the driver and can be tailored to show only the details required and at a position suitable to the driver.

Lane Departure Warning** alerts the driver should the car start to drift out of its current lane. When activated, it uses an integrated camera, located just in front of the rear view mirror, to monitor road markings and the vehicle's position. The driver is warned by a discreet vibration through the steering wheel. If the driver uses the directional indicators before and after the lane change, the wheel will not vibrate.

High Beam Assistance** automatically manages the operation of dipped and main beam lights while driving at night. When activated, the same camera used by the Lane Departure Warning system monitors the light from any source at the front of the vehicle and automatically dips or raises the headlights accordingly. Adaptive, directional headlights also improve illumination of the road ahead and adapt to the road conditions, be they rain or fog or simply when the car is making a turn.

Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go** creates a relaxing driving experience, particularly on long cruising journeys, as action is not required when the car ahead speeds up or slows down, even when coming to a standstill. Active Brake Intervention** also allows hill descent at a constant speed and the car's Curve Speed Limiter communicates with the car's Dynamic Stability Control systems to reduce speed on bends if safety and comfort may be compromised.

LEGENDARY CRAFTSMANSHIP

Rolls-Royce has a reputation for producing cars that transcend the mere automotive. There is a magic attached to the name, which stems in part from exquisite attention to detail and the fine materials used throughout.

Passing through 60 pairs of hands, the production process involves more than 2,000 individual operations and takes at least 20 days to complete.

"We don't just paint our cars, we strive to create an incredibly deep, flawless shine."
Lisa Taylor, Paint Associate

Ghost shares the same paint shop as Phantom and spends seven days being painted and polished to perfection. Five stages are required for the Ghost body. First a phosphate electro-coat is applied to protect against corrosion, then a layer of primer, a colour coat and finally two coats of clear lacquer. The body is hand-sanded between each layer and once the final coat is applied it is hand-polished for five hours.

Ghost is available in 12 exterior colours, each of which can be contrasted by the optional Silver Satin bonnet.

Flawless leather is an absolute requirement for the interior of a Rolls-Royce. For this reason, our leather is sourced from bulls raised in pastures free of barbed wire, ensuring that there are fewer imperfections in the leather. Any other marks are carefully avoided by our skilled laser cutters. At least eight hides are used for an interior, and to ensure colour consistency, each hide comes from a batch dyed at the same time. The hides are drum-dyed rather than painted, ensuring that the colour permeates right through the leather. The process also means the leather remains much more supple, preventing cracking or squeaking and ensuring durability and longevity. All seats and interior panels are hand-stitched, using traditional upholstering techniques by those most skilled at their craft.

The natural beauty of the veneers in Ghost is brought to life by the skill of dedicated craftsmen and women. The natural burrs and grains are chosen for their intricacy and interest: veneer specialists choose only the finest logs from which these very thin cross sections are taken. Only veneer from one tree is used in any car. This ensures not only that the grain matches throughout the interior, but that each area ages and colours at the same pace. The parts are milled and sanded by hand before being coated with five layers of lacquer for protection and a mirror-like shine.

EPILOGUE

Ghost is a vision of simplicity – of taking the core values of Rolls-Royce and creating contemporary effortless luxury. Ghost has been engineered to ride and drive in peerless fashion. The chassis' poise delivers a dynamically engaging experience for the driver, yet a serene, comfortable ride for passengers. Engine power is delivered in a manner which has become an engineering signature, seemingly effortlessly and endlessly. The latest in-car technology falls easily to hand while forming part of the background.

Ghost embodies 21st-century Rolls-Royce: more than 100 years of engineering and design excellence expressed in modern and uncompromised style.

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Geneva 2010: Mansory Rolls-Royce Ghost

Geneva 2010: Mansory Rolls-Royce Ghost

, Posted by Sports Cars Fans

We previously mentioned in our coverage of the 2010 Geneva Motor Show that a blue and yellow color combination was a potential recipe for disaster. As proof, we present to you the Mansory Rolls-Royce Ghost. Ok, so it's technically blue and gold, but that just might make it worse. The Swiss tuner has long been known for its controversial styling, and this vehicle follows a long line of shocking cars like the Bentley Vitesse Rose that debuted at Frankfurt. That's not to say we haven't liked anything produced by Mansory. We very much dug the Linea Vincero that appeared at this show last year.

Is there anything we like about the blue baby Rolls? We can perhaps appreciate the larger turbochargers and upgraded exhaust system that boost horsepower to 720. Other than that we wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. What Mansory calls "self assured coloring" we simply call garish, and the "styling interior refinements" are anything but. Thanks, but no thanks. We'll keep our Rolls-Royce Ghost as is.

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2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe

If you have read the breathless reviews and overwritten comparos, you would assume that the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe is infused with the second coming of Senna. And for BMW to unabashedly draw a line between the M Coupe and the most holy of holies, the 1986-92 E30 M3, smacks of PRified nostalgia stoking. Call me a contrarian, but I refuse to believe the hype.

So as soon as the orange Bimmer landed on my fleet schedule, any and all reading, writing and discussion about the littlest M ceased. I would drive it for a week, live with it as if it were my own and deliver a critical, blatantly unbiased review of Life in the Key of M.

Five minutes into my first drive, I immediately pulled into a turnout, sat there for a second, took a deep breathe and realized – dammit – everyone was right. Brilliance is back in a small package.

Yes, brilliance. Surprising considering the M Coupe is the prototypical parts-bin special. But then again, when your parts bin is made up of some of the best driver-oriented bits in the biz, brilliance isn't expected, it's demanded.



So let's start with the core of any M-badged vehicle, the engine. It's the same twin-turbocharged N54 inline-six fitted to the Z4 sDrive35is and my current favorite non-M 3 Series, the 335is. Three liters of displacement and those duo of turbos put out 335 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 332 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 4,500 rpm through the car's only transmission option: a proper six-speed manual. Peg the throttle to the floor and, if the ECU favors the conditions, an overboost function allows the turbo six to deliver an additional 37 torques, bringing the total up to 369 lb-ft. BMW claims a 0-60 mph run of around 4.7 seconds, but I don't buy it. My ass might not be as highly calibrated as other hot-shoe scribes, but there's no doubt the M Coupe is a solid 4.5-second runner – and instrumented testing both here and abroad bears this out.

Forward momentum in any part of the rev range is immediate and addicting, devoid of lag unless the needle is on the far left side of the tach. And even then, that minute pause is instantaneously consumed by traction-testing torque, a subtle turbo whine and an exhaust note that's more guttural drone than screaming sex six. Then again, this isn't an "M" engine. It's a chip and a massage. But it simply doesn't matter.



What has been pulled from the BMW's motorsports arm are the bits that matter most: everything shoved into the wheel arches and connected to the driver.

The front track has been extended by 2.8 inches and fitted with double pivot struts, while the rear has grown 1.7 inches and equipped with the standard multilink suspension, both of which are comprised entirely of aluminum. The rolling stock is pulled directly from the M3 Competition Package, including 19x9-inch front wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rubber sized 245/35R19 and 19x10-inch rear rollers with 265/35R19s.

That combination may say "stick" on paper, and it does... until you disengage the traction control. And trust me, you will.

With the system set to Normal, the Axis light on the dash flickers with the insistence of a Christmas tree with an electrical short, pulling power at the faintest hint of wheel spin. The accelerator, well-mannered in most environments, goes from tepid to tenacious with the flex of your foot. But if it's slightly numb in its standard setting, it's a different beast when engaging M Dynamic Mode. All the lil' steering wheel-mounted M button does is recalibrate throttle response, delivering a surge of rubber-ripping acceleration further down the pedal travel. Neither setting is particularly bad, but on-edge confidence suffers as a result.



So when the time comes to dispatch all the electro-nannies, your right foot and two hands had better be ready to respond. Quickly. The amount of traction afforded by those massive meats is almost in direct opposition to the 104.7-inch wheelbase. So the M Coupe goes from grip to gone in an instant. No, this isn't the predictable breakaway we've experienced in the larger, more portly M3 (or any other M, for that matter). That's due to a number of variables, but chief among them is the 1's nearly square dimensions.

But when you hit it right, with the exact amount of power, the right amount of bank and the precise amount of steering, the 1 does what every proper M car should do: hangs out its tail until instructed otherwise.

Much of that sure-footed ease comes at the expense of overall ride quality when ambling about town, but it's nowhere near unbearable, and at speed, and for the 1M's intended audience (Hi Mom!) it's no-nonsense perfect. That same perfection winds its way up through the leather-wrapped wheel thanks to the M3-sourced speed-sensitive steering rack. That ever-so-slight sense of vagueness in the standard 1 Series is gone for good – and it was damned good to begin with. The clutch, while overly springy, has a perfectly defined friction point and the six-speed manual gearbox never ceased to impress and reassure each and every time we grabbed a gear.

The brakes are another matter, but only because of their track-focused brutality. Cross-drilled and sized 14.2-inches in front and 13.8-inches out back, they never faded, never shuddered and never faltered. They also make smooth heel-and-toeing a near impossibility. Just breathing on the middle pedal sheds off velocity in an instant, but when attempting that life-affirming throttle blip, my right calf was stretched to its breaking point. This could just be a product of journo-inflicted wear or a brand new set of pads, but it was enough to stymie an otherwise faultless backroad run.

Other faults? Without getting into fuel economy numbers (estimate: 19/26 mpg, observed: 17.8), the transition from HD to ST on the radio would double-up the audio, and while the Alcantara on the dash trim and shift boot is a nice touch, if you're going to go full-M, why not coat the steering wheel and shift lever – the two most important touch points – with the same delectable material? Yes, it's a dealer option on the base 1 Series, but for $47k and change, you'd assume it would be standard on the 1M.



But these are infantile nits to pick when looking at the M Coupe as a whole. This is a pure driver's machine through-and-through – a true M, or at least the closest we'll get in the 21st century.

Which brings up a larger point. As enthusiasts, we have to come to grips with the fact that no modern automaker can match the involvement and tactility of a vehicle designed before massive feature creep and ever-expanding safety regulations. That time has passed. And while this isn't the E30 M3 successor we might've hoped for, in many ways, it's better. The 1M is more livable, more powerful and surely more reliable. It sticks harder and goes faster, and BMW did its best to remove the buzz-killing insularity that plagues most modern vehicles. The 1M delivers what M-heads value most: driving delight über alles. And it's one of the only times in years that anything with four wheels has lived up to the hype
.

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2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i

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For over a decade, only one premium automaker has offered a four-cylinder in the U.S. And while the recent rise of Audi in the States isn't solely because of its 2.0T engine, it's obvious that luxury buyers are finally coming around to the idea of a fuel-sipping four-pot. As a matter of fact, they're starting to demand it. And BMW is heeding the call. 

Next year, BMW will begin offering its turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine on the 3 Series and 5 Series, matching Audi car-for-car in the entry-level and mid-size segments. But before the sedans arrive on U.S. shores – nixing the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six in the process – BMW is slipping its TwinPower four-cylinder into an unlikely host: the 2012 Z4 sDrive28i.

Why unlikely? Just look at the length of that hood. It was designed from the onset to house one of BMW's venerable inline six-cylinder engines, but by lopping off two cylinders, BMW almost made a front-midship roadster. 



The mounting points used to fit the outgoing six-cylinder and the current turbocharged 3.0-liter are the same that hold this TwinPower turbo four in place. The byproduct is an impressive weight balance of 47.3/52.7 front-to-rear, an improvement – depending on your perspective – from the 47.9/52.1 of the six-cylinder model. 

The new N20 four-cylinder is the first engine to benefit from BMW's recently revealed modular engine program, and it's the same mill we sampled earlier this year in the not-for-U.S.-consumption X1 xDrive28i. Power remains almost unchanged in the Z4, with 240 horsepower coming on between 5,000 and 6,500 RPM and 260 pound-feet of torque available from 1,250 and 4,800 revs. While the new N20 is down by 15 hp compared to the six, torque output is up some 40 lb-ft. And the extra juice is evident the moment you mash the throttle. 

 

Fitted with the six-speed manual, BMW claims the Valvetronic-equipped four will hit 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, while the new eight-speed automatic gearbox does the deed in 5.6 seconds – a decrease of 0.1 and 0.4 seconds, respectively, over the six-cylinder. And as you'd expect, overall weight is down as well, with the new four-cylinder Z4 tipping the scales at 3,252 pounds, or about 33 pounds less than the outgoing sDrive28i. 

Predictably, that minimal weight loss can't be felt from behind the wheel, but the extra grunt is front and center. There's a hint of turbo lag below 2,000 rpm when you're lining up for a pass, but as soon as the single, twin-scroll turbo starts huffing and puffing, the Z4 accelerates more authoritatively than the six. Driving the old and new models back-to-back, we also noticed slightly less dive and squat from the mildly reworked suspension (BMW isn't saying what's been done, aside from tweaking the springs and shocks for the new weight balance), but that's probably more a product of the box-fresh four-cylinder compared to the slightly abused previous generation tester. 

 

We also sampled both the manual 'box and new eight-speed automatic transmission, and while we're partial to choosing our own ratios through the slick stick, the auto's quick changes and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters trade a modicum of engagement for a healthy dose of convenience. It's one of the few times we wouldn't fault buyers for choosing the slush box, and considering the average Z4 owner, we're sure it'll be the most popular transmission. 

Naturally, you want numbers, but BMW is only giving one for now: $48,650 (plus $875 for destination). That's an increase of $1,200 over the outgoing model, but for 2012, Bluetooth and USB integration, along with trunk-through loading and an alarm system, all come standard, so the price bump is nearly a wash with the new equipment. As for the other figures you're after, well, BMW isn't giving up fuel economy estimates just yet. With the (surprisingly abrupt) start-stop system fitted to the Z4 sDrive28i, BMW claims that fuel efficiency is up by 20 percent over the six-cylinder in the EU test cycle, but that could go either up or down when the EPA estimates arrive later this year. Figuring the outgoing model managed 18/28 mpg city/highway, it's safe to assume the four-cylinder should ring in around 22 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. 



More importantly, the character of the Z4 is completely unaffected by the new engine. The six's sonorous tones have been replaced with a hint of turbo whistle and a thrum from the exhaust, but the overall experience remains surprisingly unchanged. Grunt is up, fuel consumption is down and top-down cruising is just as good as it ever was. The replacement for displacement is here, and if it's executed this well, we'll gladly give up a liter or two for the privilege.

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