Z4 AND THEN SOME; FIRST DRIVE IN BMW'S NEW HARDTOP ROADSTER.(NEWS)

Byline: WES RAYNAL

SEVERAL NEW DROP-TOPS CONSIDerably brightened January's drab and snowy North American International Show in Detroit. The Mini Cooper convertible, the Volkswagen BlueSport concept and the Kia Soulster concept all helped make Cobo's halls just a bit sunnier. Attitudinally, we needed that. BMW's new folding-hardtop Z4 roadster did its part, too.

The new Z4, BMW's first roadster with a retractable hardtop, replaces both the Z4 coupe and the previous Z4 roadster. The hardtop opens in 20 seconds. Every piece of the car's sheetmetal is new, though with its long hood and prominent shoulder lines, it is recognizable as nothing other than a Z4.

The car is bigger in every dimension, part of the goal being to make the interior more spacious and comfortable. At 166 inches long and 50 inches high, the new car is still six inches shorter and five inches lower than a 1-series convertible. Nevertheless, the interior is bigger than the old Z4's, with a quarter-inch more headroom and an inch and a half more shoulder room. This being a BMW, the interior uses nothing but first-rate materials.

The United States will get two models: the 30i with a 3.0-liter, 255-hp inline-six and the 35i with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter six pumping out 300 hp. Two transmissions will be available: a six-speed manual on both models and BMW's new seven-speed dual-clutch on the 35i, with which we spent some time.

BMW's latest-generation dynamic stability control has normal, sport and sport-plus modes. DSC adjusts accelerator, engine management, power steering, dual-clutch transmission (on cars so equipped) andon cars fitted with the optional Adaptive M Suspensionthe control map for electronic damper control. Normal ...