THE PURE IMPULSE EDITION BMW Z4 M40 HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION TO MAKE IT COOLER.

The Pure Impulse Edition BMW Z4 M40 has beefy roadster proportions with M-specific design features; two seats and a soft-top roof; a free-revving twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder in-line engine and power at the rear wheels - and a new key attraction is the addition of a manual gearbox. The history of roadsters from BMW is closely intertwined with a passion for sporty driving pleasure and plentiful success on the race track. It stretches back to the company’s early days as a carmaker and endures in modern form in the shape of the BMW Z4. A six-cylinder in-line engine, manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive also defined the driving experience in the BMW 328, which capped its debut public appearance in 1936 with victory in the Eifelrennen race at the Nürburgring. In more recent times, updated versions of this same powertrain arrangement have also made frequent appearances in the brand’s roadsters. This is true of both the BMW Z1, which was unveiled in 1987 after being developed as an innovation testbed by BMW Technik, and the BMW Z3 presented in 1995. The first two model generations of the BMW Z4 also embraced the same recipe for delivering exhilarating driving pleasure under open skies. The pairing of a straight-6 engine with a 6-speed manual gearbox was previously reserved for the high-performance sports cars from BMW M, it is now available in the lower BMW M Performance model with the arrival of the BMW Z4 M40i Pure Impulse edition. The 3.0-litre unit in the BMW Z4 M40i with the latest M TwinPower Turbo technology also includes a forged crankshaft, weight-optimised pistons and a water-cooled exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head. The package of drive unit technologies also comprises High Precision Injection operating at pressures up to 350 bar, VALVETRONIC variable valve timing and double-VANOS fully variable camshaft timing. With 250 kW and a torque rating of 500 Nm. Making this manual transmission special, it features M-specific components for the gear set and shafts that have been modified for the straight-six engine’s output. The outer shift mechanism, comprising the shift lever, its guide and the connection to the transmission, has been custom-made for the Pure Impulse and delivers the unrivalled shift feel for which BMW models are renowned. When power is relayed via the 6-speed manual, the turbocharged 6-cylinder propels the BMW Z4 M40i to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds - decent because the 8-speed auto does it in 4.5 seconds. Although by default the Steptronic Sport will select the gears automatically, it also lets the driver control gear selection manually via steering-mounted shift paddles.