Driven: 2025 BMW Z4 Is A Love Letter To The Manual Transmission

The 2025 BMW Z4 Roadster might be the most entertaining car BMW currently makes. That statement might seem rather bold, considering cars like the M2 and M4 CS are far more visceral, but the Z4 achieves something that is more important than raw speed; it proves that BMW still cares about drivers. The 2025 Z4 is virtually the same as last year’s model, but it adds one $3,500 option that completely transforms the driving experience. It’s called the Handschalter Package.

Handschalter means “hand shift” in German, and it’s a clever way for BMW to tell customers that it listened to their feedback by bringing back the manual transmission. Whereas the 2024 Z4 came only with an eight-speed automatic, you can now get a six-speed manual on the upper M40i model with the inline-six engine. This is fantastic news on the surface, but it gets even better. BMW didn’t just swap out the gearbox and call it a day; the company retuned and fettled the Z4, taking it from sleepy cruiser to an enthusiast’s dream. This isn’t just an optional transmission, it’s an entirely different car.

Exterior Looks: Green With Manual Envy

BMW didn’t change the Z4 for 2025, but the Handschalter Package does include some special touches that indicate it has a manual transmission from the outside. 18-inch wheels come standard, but you can upgrade to 19-inch M double-spoke wheels in one of three color patters or 19-inch M V-spoke wheels in jet black. The Handschalter gets staggered wheels (19 inches in the front and 20 inches in the rear), a setup that was previously reserved for M cars. It also gets the Extended Shadowline package ($550) included.

Only one color, Alpine White, comes standard on the Z4. All seven of the metallic colors cost $650 and Frozen Grey II Metallic (matte) is $3,600. If you get the Handschalter Package, it unlocks an eighth metallic color called San Remo Green and makes all the metallic colors free to choose. Customers can also opt for Frozen Deep Green Metallic ($2,950), only with the manual transmission. So if you see a green Z4 driving around, you know it’s the manual model.

Interior & On-Board Technology: Let’s Go Back

The Z4 doesn’t feel like one of BMW’s most premium vehicles, but it’s refreshingly simple in an overly complicated world. There’s not a ton of space in the cabin, but BMW maximized storage where it could. You get pockets in each door, a wireless charger ahead of the shifter, a netted storage shelf behind the seats, and a small passthrough into the trunk, which holds 9.9 cubic feet. The cupholders are an oversight though, hidden under the center armrest and awkwardly positioned for use with the manual transmission.

Available comfort and convenience features include: heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, park distance control, remote engine start, ambient lighting, and wireless charging. Safety features such as lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, and parking sensors are all included in a $700 Driving Assistance Package, but adaptive cruise control is sold separately for $500 and can not be equipped with the Handschalter Package.

Infotainment: The Best Of iDrive

BMW’s iDrive infotainment system is currently in its ninth version with generation 10 on the way, but the Z4 uses a significantly older iDrive 7.0. Dated infotainment is typically a negative attribute, but not here. Aside from a small-for-the-price 10.25-inch screen, this is our favorite version of iDrive. It has a touchscreen but still retains the rotating controller as well as plenty of buttons for the climate control and radio, including the 1-8 buttons to save radio presents, navigation destinations, and more. These easy-to-access buttons have been mostly eliminated from other modern BMW models, so it’s refreshing to see them surviving in the Z4. A 10-speaker audio system comes standard with an optional 12-speaker Harman Kardon setup that sounds fine, but not great. We also wish the head-up display could show more details such as the RPM, gear position, or a shift light.

Performance: BMW Is So Back

There are two available versions of the Z4 Roadster: the sDrive30i and the M40i. The former uses a turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic, while the latter gets a turbocharged inline-six with either a standard eight-speed auto or an optional six-speed manual. Both versions send power exclusively to the rear wheels. The B58 inline-six engine is an all-time great engine, producing heaps of power, smooth acceleration, and even some crackles and pops when shifting.

Performance Impressions

The Z4 sDrive30i hits 60 mph in a respectable 5.2 seconds, but the M40i trounces it with a 3.9-second time. You will sacrifice a bit on that acceleration time if you get the manual, dropping to 4.2 seconds. We did our best to manage wheel slip, but could only manage a 4.5-second run in our testing. Since the manual car doesn’t have launch control, it’s much harder to get a perfect launch every time. Still, we’d happily trade a few tenths from the 0-60 time for the experience of rowing our own gears.

This isn’t the same manual used in the BMW M2 and M3/M4. The Z4 benefits from a unique gearset, shafts, shift lever, shift guide, and shift connections. These small alterations make the shifter feel notchier, and more enjoyable to use. Toyota made similar changes to the GR Supra, but this is even better. The clutch is light, and features an auto-hold function, so the car won’t roll back on hills. Comfort, Sport, and Eco Pro modes drastically change how the car feels with Sport Plus and Sport Individual modes available for maximum aggressiveness or customization. There’s also an auto rev match feature that works brilliantly in each mode. It smooths out downshifts in comfort mode and gets more brutal in Sport mode for spirited driving. Engaging any of these modes is done quickly via buttons on the console, not through the touchscreen.

Ride and Handling

BMW completely transformed the Z4 with the Handschalter Package. It almost feels like a mid-cycle refresh. This package doesn’t just add a third pedal, it also gets unique chassis tuning, different auxiliary springs, reinforced anti-roll bars (front and rear), and new software for the steering and rear dampers. Combined, these changes make the Z4 feel sharper, more controlled, and more focused. When we last drove the current generation Z4, we said the following about it:

“[The current generation Z4] is the least engaging and rewarding of the [Z4 generations], hampered by numb steering and suspension that’s too stiff for cruising but too flexible for spirited driving. It’s not quite a cruiser, but it’s not a focused sports car either.”

With the Handschalter Package, it may as well be a different car. The adaptive M suspension is firm but not punishing, the steering still has a bit of that modern BMW numbness, but delivers enough feedback to keep the experience interesting. It’s easy to get the rear end to step out and manage the throttle without worrying about losing control. This is now our favorite BMW to drive; it’s more comfortable than an M2 but just as fun.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy in the sDrive30i is rated at a respectable 25/33/28 mpg city/highway/combined. Those numbers drop with the six-cylinder M40i, down to 23/29/25, and further still to 19/26/22 with the manual transmission.

Verdict & Pricing: Get The Manual

Pricing for the 2025 Z4 sDrive30i starts at $54,500. It’s an OK cruiser if you don’t care about performance, but enthusiasts who enjoy driving should opt for the bigger engine. The M40i is significantly more expensive, starting at $67,000. Adding $3,500 for the Handschalter Package brings the price to $71,500, which is handily worth it. Not only do you get a superior driving experience, but BMW also tosses in metallic paint (plus manual-exclusive green colors), staggered wheels, nicer leather, and the Shadowline Package.

If you want a manual transmission drop-top at this price point, there are no other options right now. The Porsche 718 Boxster is less powerful, even before options, and still costs $74,900. Purchasing an equivalent Porsche with the same features would cost you well over $100,000. BMW delivered everything that enthusiasts asked for: a manual transmission, a great engine, handsome styling, and access to the sky. For discerning enthusiasts, the Z4 Handschalter is the best BMW currently on sale.