2009 BMW Z4 with Hard & Soft Top + Spy Shots

With each passing day the suspense surrounding the details of upcoming 2009 BMW Z4 is increasing. Latest rumor is that BMW will bring Z4 in a soft top as well as a hard top. Lets checkout how this speculation is shaping up and who is buying it.

You heard it here first: 2009 BMW Z4 will have both a hard and a soft top.
....the new 2009 BMW Z4 will actually have both options: a hard AND a soft top. This is pretty much similar to what Mazda offers for their MX5 and I honestly believe that this is the best thing BMW has ever done for their Z4 fans.....the bimmer fans were divided, some of them were applauding BMW for going the hard top route, like Mercedes, but many others were still rooting for a soft top. Why? Well, mainly because the car will weigh less and it will offer better performance.
source bmwblog

2009 BMW Z4 to be offered with either soft- or hard-top.
Much like Mazda offers the MX-5 with a traditional softy and a separate model with a folding hard top, BMW will reportedly do the same for the Z4. In this competitive market for the upper middle class dollar, BMW will be able to satisfy traditionalists and performance purists who like the ease-of-use and lighter weight of a soft-top convertible, while also addressing the needs of buyers who want a Z4 that's useable all year round. The Z4's main competition, the Mercedes-Benz SLK, is only offered as a hard-top convertible, which also gives BMW a leg up on its main rival in this segment.
source autoblog

Next-generation BMW Z4 to become a hardtop roadster
Spies recently caught the next-generation BMW Z4 around Munich and the biggest upgrade that stands out this year is a folding metal roof. The next-generation BMW Z4 will drop the fabric for a hardtop convertible following in the footsteps of the 3-Series convertible. Not to mention that rival Mercedes SLK is also a hardtop.
source autospies

Spy Shots: Next-generation BMW Z4 to become a hardtop roadster.
Rather than just concentrating on competing with the SLK, the Z4 will expand its horizons and will take on the Porsche Boxster with a range of high-output engines. Sources say a twin-turbocharged 3.0L 6-cylinder unit is a possibility. The Z4 is also expected to get diesel power for the first time. The M model is expected to get the new 4.0L V8 from the M3. Production for the Z4 is likely to move from the U.S. to BMW’s plant in Germany as the automaker makes room for the BMW X6 in its South Carolina plant.
source egmcartech

Metal roof for BMW’s new Z4
All cars will benefit from BMW’s Efficient Dynamics programme, which helps to cut CO2 emissions and boost fuel economy with features such as an engine stop/start facility. Under the skin, the platform is shared with the latest-generation 3-Series, so the rear-wheel-drive Z4 will continue to provide driver-pleasing handling. Although these prototypes appear to be much bigger than the current model, this is down to the bulky disguise. Peel back all that plastic camouflage, and the newcomer measures only around an inch or so longer and wider than the existing Z4.
source autoexpress