2012 BMW Z4

2012 BMW Z4

Episode 3114
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Higher gas prices and fuel economy standards are once again downsizing automotive design. But this time around, it’s not so much the size of the car but the size of the engine that’s shrinking. But, leave it to BMW to have us actually looking forward to driving a 4-cylinder where once a six held court. It’s their first four banger available here in over a decade; and it’s in the Z4!

While an inline-6 is synonymous with BMW performance for us here in the States; around the world, BMW 4-cylinder power has been commonplace for years. And, with the 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i, it’s our turn again. But, the engine in question is a far cry from our last BMW 4-cylinder. Named TwinPower, it’s a 2-liter with one, twin scroll turbo where each side of the manifold is fed by a pair of exhaust runners. All of that plumbing makes for 240-horsepower and 255 pound feet of torque. And, as is usually the case when a turbo-4 replaces a natural-6, horsepower is down, but torque is up. 

Our car’s 6-speed manual transmission is standard, but an 8-speed automatic is an option. At our test track, the Z4 sprang off the line with little turbo lag on its way to 60 in 5.6-seconds, only about a half second slower than the Z4 twin-turbo six we tested in 2009. But, our 4’s power actually builds faster to a plateau, and stays fairly flat all the way to the 7,000 RPM red-line. The shifter is oddly rubbery, but still precise, as you make your way through the first 3 gears to the end of the quarter mile in 14.3-seconds at 97 miles-per-hour.

There’s a fairly aggressive exhaust note and things can get a little rough at the top of the rev-band, but for the most part it’s pretty smooth for a I4. And, believe it or not, this engine actually improves handling, as well. It takes 40-pounds off the front end, and sits further back towards the vehicle’s center, evening out weight distribution, resulting in a quicker turn-in and better balance overall. The double-wishbone-front and central- arm-axle-rear suspension remain unchanged; and provided a solid and relatively flat trip through the cones.

Styling is also unchanged, which is okay by us, as the long hood, short rear deck has perfect proportions and enough angles to keep things interesting. If you didn’t already know that it was a convertible, you’d have a hard time telling as the Z4’s hard top blends in seamlessly with the rest of the car. Open-air motoring is just the push of a button away; however, as the 2-piece aluminum top quickly folds into the trunk. 

Whether top up or top down, the Z4 has a very solid, but pleasant ride. Driving Dynamics Control, with three settings, adjusts damping as well as throttle and steering response, and stability control thresholds. Braking performance is excellent, bringing our Z4 to a halt from 60 in just 116-feet. 

Being a proper roadster, there are only seats for two, and everything in the cockpit is definitely driver oriented. Seats are snug and well bolstered. Everything seems put together very well, and our car sports body color matching yellow trim throughout. Trunk space is good for a roadster at 8 cubic-feet, and about half of that when the top is stowed.  

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for our manual with automatic start-stop are 22-City and 34-Highway. We averaged 30.5 miles-per-gallon of Premium. The Energy Impact Score is better than average, consuming 12.7-barrels of oil per year while emitting 6.9-tons of CO2.  

The Z4 sDrive28i is the new base model in the Z4 line-up starting at $49,525. Since that’s pretty pricey you might want to consider skipping TwinPower for now, and save over ten grand with the 1-Series Convertible. 

Still, BMW has big plans for the TwinPower four. Look for it to spread across the BMW line-up all the way up to the 5-series. And, when it comes right down to it, does it really matter what’s under the hood? What matters to us is hitting the start button, nailing the throttle, and having something thrilling happen. And in that regard the 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i certainly delivers. 

Specifications

  • Engine: 2 liter
  • Horsepower: 240
  • Torque: 255 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 5.6-seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 14.3-seconds @ 97 mph
  • EPA: 22 mpg city/ 34 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 12.7 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 6.9 tons/yr
2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Baby Rover Continues To Evolve

Episode 4430
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

When most people hear “Range Rover” they tend to think of high class, high performance and high dollars. But, Range Rover does the entry-level thing quite well too with this Evoque. It has plenty of posh attitude, along with some recent updates. So, let’s see how the Evoque continues to evolved.

Our involvement with the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque’s evolution began when this small utility first arrived for 2012. It looked more Spice Girl than Tough Mudder, but it packed a surprising amount of capability into its subcompact dimensions. This second gen arrived for 2020, and has gained recent updates at the most likely midway point in its lifecycle.

Intrigued but not necessarily enthused could probably best describe our history with the Evoque, but Land Rover always has a way of drawing us in with very tasteful designs. They pretty much got this one right back in 2020, so styling revisions are largely limited to new Pixel LED headlights and a reshaped front fascia. There’s also new super-red signature lighting in back, all of it done to bring the Evoque more in line with the rest of the Range Rover family.

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And like all of its siblings, all-wheel drive is standard and it does have Terrain Response 2 with specific off-road modes, but no one’s expecting to see a lot of Evoques out on the trail, unless there’s a new Lululemon Outlet at the other end of it having a killer sale.

Land Rover has once again taken the P300 296-horsepower version of the Evoque’s 2.0-liter turbo-four out of the lineup, leaving just the standard 249-horsepower version under the clamshell hood. No complaints from us, its 269 lb-ft of torque is more than adequate to move this 3,900 lb. ute around.

And at Mason Dixon Dragway, it moved us to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. There was plenty of traction off the line, and while not overwhelming, power feels plentiful, staying very consistent down the track. Gearchanges in the Evoque’s nine-speed automatic transmission were quick and smooth, barely a blip in the process as we finished the quarter-mile in 16 seconds flat at 85 mph. Plenty quick for a compact utility with luxury intentions.

[It maneuvered] with a substantial presence that not too many small utilities have.

It felt quite good through our handling course too, with a substantial presence that not too many small utilities have. The Evoque uses selective braking to torque vector power between all four wheels, and it enabled us to cruise through the cones quickly without any excessive understeer or oversteer. There was some nosedive during our panic braking test, but the brakes were very responsive and strong enough to bring us to a halt in a short 115 feet from 60.

But, it’s the inside experience that really matters with any luxury vehicle, particularly in a Range Rover. And here things look more high-end Swedish than Tudor or Victorian, with a minimalist cabin design that’s way more visually appealing than practical. There’s real leather covering just about everything, and what appears to be just a tablet stuck in front of the dash is a new 11.4-inch touchscreen. Not only are the inner workings much faster than the previous infotainment setup, but the entire interface of this Pivi Pro system is vastly better than the split screen approach of before.

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The center console that leads up to it appears much less cluttered and frees up some additional space for storage. The shifter is still here, but it has gotten much smaller. Front seat space and comfort remain high, though rear seat room is still very tight for adults. Cargo space is not bad for a small utility, with room for 21.6 cu-ft. of gear in the hold, which expands with 40/20/40 split-folding seatback flexibility to 50.5 cu-ft.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 20 City, 27 Highway, and 22 Combined. That’s an average Energy Impact Score, using 13.5 barrels of oil annually, with CO2 emissions of 6.6 tons.

Land Rover has been paring things down in the Evoque lineup for years, no longer offering a two-door version or the convertible, and now have simplified things even further to just the P250 available in only two trims: S, which stickers for $51,175, and Dynamic SE, which starts at $56,375; but you can add just about every package available and still come in right around $60,000.

Luxury-minded utility vehicles are coming at us from all angles these days, but the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is a bit unique in that it remains as sort of a cheat code for sneaking you into the Range Rover VIP experience. You’ll feel like you’re getting away with something every time you drive it.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 2.0-liter turbo-four
  • Transmission: 9-speed automatic
  • Horsepower: 249
  • Torque: 269 lb-ft
  • 0-60 mph: 7.7 seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 16 seconds at 85 mph
  • Braking, 60-0 (avg): 115 feet
  • EPA: 20 City | 27 Highway | 22 Combined