The BMW Z4 sDrive 35is - BMW’s forgotten GT Car?

[@DavidFunchess]

Dude, thank you so much for reviewing this car!

[@louieb.1564]

You have no idea how excited I was to see this video pop up, SB reviewing an e89?! Hell yes!!

[@donsirsimon]

it handles even better with the roof down... all that roof mass up high gets stowed low in the boot... right over the rear wheels. So dynamically it is better with it down....

[@Mike_Bitcoin_X]

I'm in the UK and have a 35iS too which I'm never selling - there are only 393 left on the road in the UK and the max was 439 in 2015, so getting rarer every year. It's my daily driver and it's super fun to drive hard. Those who know, know. Those who don't know ask me if it's tuned or mapped when it's all stock, including all the pops and crackles. I think it is the only good looking car BMW have made in the last 20 years, with the exception of the i8 of course.

[@luisgriffiths2714]

I’m one of the 393 left. Mine was made in the last month of manufacture, and has just gone over 20,000 miles, and as in new condition. The car is so underrated, and I took it to LeMans in 2024, 2 people, held all our stuff, roof down both ways, comfortable and a delight to drive. I was thinking of buying a Caymen but I found the Z4 the better combination of serious sports tourer, and looks good roof up or down

[@Mike_Bitcoin_X]

@@luisgriffiths2714 My favourite thing only we seem to know. We basically have BMW 1M convertibles. Jeremy Clarkson said this on Top Gear: "Honestly, if somebody said to me, "You have to have to one of these for the rest of your life", I would be delighted. It's brilliant car. No, it's great. I love it."

[@StephenBray-gy2ur]

I love my 2011 Z4 35IS!

[@fossilfish786]

Amazing quality content. Audio, cinematic and delivery is on point. Well done

[@MoreMeanThanAverage]

The 2010 E89 Z4 35is was my first and only car. Even though it was a bottomless money pit, the stupid grin it puts on my face every time I get behind the wheel was priceless. Pity I had to relocate and had to sell it.

[@adebrade172]

Always fancied one of these, i had a 3.0LTR version 9 years ago 2010 reg, manual.

[@raymonheath1436]

I compared these to a r172 mercedes slk 350, I bought the mercedes even though it was a 2012, it was a much nicer car and easily beats the boxster in value and cost of ownership.

[@SicSemperBeats]

Sure its forgotten, the 35is is hard to find. Same with the previous gen's z4 n52 version, the z4 3.0si. Very very cool cars, a z4 with the holy grail engine (if you dont mind the maintenance)

[@craigy87]

I used to own an N54 e92 335i with the 7 speed DCT unusually it was the DCT that started playing up before the N54 did 😂

[@SicSemperBeats]

American here, the zf6's start messing up too in our auto 335i's. I fixed mine with solenoids, filters and fluids.

[@craigy87]

@SicSemperBeats I ended up selling that n54 with the issue which is a shame as the N54 with a DCT is quite rare in the UK. Believe it was maybe an issue with where the main plug from the loom goes into the box as, when the issue was there when scanning the car it could not "see" the gearbox at all. Back to a manual now.

[@SicSemperBeats]

@@craigy87 i dont blame you. I’m in my first dct car rn a 981 boxster, i absolutely love it, but i wish i had a manual one right beside it!!

[@adammoonface]

The e89 has been completely off my radar. Never appealed to me when new, but they are looking good these days. I imagine there is a lot that can go wrong with that powertrain though.

[@MrRoyck10]

Why would I know that it existed when BMW’s own in house M division didn’t even know that generation of Z4 existed, E85/6 are the only notable Z4 the rest are total flops.

[@beauwulf]

The 35is probably the least reliable Z4 trim, similar to the infamous 335i. The NA trim with the N52 and a manual is the one to get for this e89 Z4 generation.

[@SicSemperBeats]

maybe unreliable, but that silky torque when stock, and back punches when tuned, can't be replaced imo. I love the n54 so much