The Successor To The BMW Z4 Is Coming Within 5 Years

2015 BMW Z4 (Credit: BMW)

According to a recent report from Automotive News Europe, BMW is looking to replace the Z4 roadster with a successor by the year 2020. The company has announced the plans, while at the same time admitting that demand for roadsters like the Z4 is shrinking around the world. Many consumers are turning to more practical subcompact crossovers, such as the BMW X1.

To help justify the cost of the replacement model, BMW might embark on another sports car venture with Toyota. That would mean the Japanese automaker would be assisting with developing the architecture, developing ways to make both vehicles lightweight and even creating an electrified powertrain.

Rumors circulating around the industry state that the successor will be named the Z5, which is pretty hard to imagine considering the Z4 is the successor of the Z3. Like the i3 and i8, it supposedly will make use of extensive amounts of carbon fiber in its construction. A folding hardtop might be offered later in the car’s lifecycle if demand is strong enough.

One of the biggest factors that is driving down demand for roadsters is the social and environmental dynamics in China. As the largest automotive market in the world, the Asian country has a growing impact on what models are created. Chinese drivers like privacy, plus air pollution in many Chinese cities is so bad that convertibles in general are frowned upon.

The report also cited that demand for roadsters in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany has dropped, thanks to economic turbulence. Other automakers are feeling the pinch, including Audi as it has downgraded sales projections for the new TT.

There’s a strong possibility that this collaboration between BMW and Toyota will spawn the rumored return of the legendary MR2. For now that’s an educated guess at best, but it’s still a compelling and exciting thought.