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BMW eyes Z4 replacement before 2020

As BMW has been busy building four-door versions of two-door versions of four-door cars, less useful crossovers and front-drive minivans, you could be forgiven for thinking it had given up on its aging Z4 roadster. But that, we're pleased to report, isn't the case. According to Automotive News, BMW is hoping to release the next-generation Z4 (if that's what it ends up being called) before the close of this decade. The news outlet spoke to the company's chief engineer, Klaus Frohlich, at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, who indicated that BMW may split costs on the new car with Toyota, as part of the partnership between the two automakers. This partnership is integral to the next-gen Z4, largely because of the declining importance of the roadster segment, Herr Frohlich indicated. "If you look at the volume... we have to realize that these segments are shrinking," Frohlich told AN. According to the publication, sales of the Z4, which hit the market in its current form back in 2009, dropped 11 percent in Europe and 13 percent in North America. The car also is less attractive to customers in China for a number of reasons. "[Chinese customers] are not interested in roadsters," Frohlich explained. That's because privacy is a high priority for drivers in China, AN said. On top of that, open-roof cars expose their customers to China's notorious air pollution, which drivers are understandably keen to avoid. Related Video:

BMW's plans for next plug-in i model, due after 2020

BMW entered the fight in the green car ring with gusto thanks to the one-two punch of the i3 and the i8. However, it seems that there could be a wait ahead before the German's i sub-brand is ready to land another strike at the market. "We are still in the strategic research phase where we brainstorm," Klaus Frohlich, BMW Group development boss, said to Automotive News Europe about the future vehicle. He indicated the next new model to bear the i prefix wouldn't arrive until after 2020. Frohlich also underscored that the sub-brand's products wouldn't be based on a standard BMW product. The German brand was at one point rumored to have a model called either the i5 or i7 on the way that would have added a plug-in hybrid drivetrain to the 5 Series. Frohlich's statement would seem to invalidate that possibility. Although, there's nothing stopping the vehicle from carrying regular BMW branding in the vein of the X5 xDrive40e PHEV. The current i-badged models won't just stagnate on the market in the meantime, though. "We have a minimum 20 percent battery density improvement every three years, thus over the i3 and i8's life cycle, we will offer more performance, more range or a combination of the two," Frohlich said to Automotive News Europe. Sadly, current owners won't be able to upgrade to the improved parts, though. Rumors about a third i sub-brand model go back years with much of the talk swirling around the i5. In addition to the speculation about a 5-Series-based version, there was also supposed to be a stretched variant of the i3 with that name, possibly even with a hydrogen fuel cell version. Although, BMW claimed the vehicle was purely "hypothetical." Related Video:

BMW i8 will be first production car to use Gorilla Glass

What do smartphones and the BMW i8 have in common? Glass. Scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass, that is. The i8 will be the first production car to use the chemically hardened material, which is more durable, lighter and provides more sound deadening than conventional laminated automotive glass. We thought it would be a natural replacement for windshields, but, according to Autoweek, BMW said it will be used for the rear window for sound deadening purposes. The Gorilla Glass will still be laminated, with two 0.7mm thick layers of it sandwiching an acoustic sheet, reports Autoevolution.
BMW reportedly claims the i8 will weigh less than 3,285 pounds, and to offset the heavy hybrid powertrain to reach that goal the automaker has implemented lightweight materials normally not found in mass-production automobiles. With a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque used for both the (relatively) pedestrian i3 and the upscale i8, it's not surprising BMW was also the first to jump onto Gorilla Glass, especially given the timing of a report that a high-end automaker would introduce it within the year.
Be sure to check out our First Drive review of the i8 to see if BMW's newest sports car is living up to the hype.