Unlike the Z4 Roadster, the Coupe is only offered with one engine, so the line up is the sole 265bhp 3.0-litre which, thanks to its magnesium-alloy construction, is incredibly light. It sounds wonderful and it’s a strong performer too with a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds and, like most German cars, is limited to 155mph. There’s a Sport button by the gear lever which quickens throttle response for an even keener feel.

The car comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard but there’s the option of a Sport automatic transmission. Based on a conventional automatic gearbox, this system can change gear twice as fast as a manual and features steering wheel-mounted paddles – it will also blip the throttle on down changes. The high performance Z4 M Coupe is covered in a separate review.

Although the coupe versions of the Z4 was launched three years after the convertible, the two cars were actually developed alongside each other. As a result the hardtop car has an even stiffer body than the roadster (which itself is impressive) and feels more responsive to steering inputs and more focussed on demanding roads. Similarly the driver gets more feedback from the roads making it a more rewarding car to drive than the convertible, even if the performance is similar.

Grip and traction are excellent and even when pushed into corners quickly the Z4 remains surefooted.