M3-powered M Roadster for Oz!

BMW has resurrected the M Roadster. The new hi-po open-top two-seater will use the company's Z4 convertible as a base and feature the powerplant and running gear of the current E46 M3. It will official be known as the Z4 M Roadster.

Voted the World's Best Engine in its class five years in a row at the international "Engine Oscars", the Z4 M's 252kW and 365Nm inline six-cylinder M3 engine will be mated to a conventional six-speed manual gearbox. Downstream the power will be metered by an M-sourced electronic differential.

BMW says the muscular mill will rocket the two-seater from 0-100km/h in just 5.0sec. Top speed will be an electronically-limited 250km/h.

Though no secret - an M3-powered Z4 has been rumoured for some time - pundits expected BMW to debut the big engine in the yet-to-be-released Z4 Coupe. It was tipped that the muscular Z4 hardtop variant would be armed with the M3 powertrain to take the battle up to Porsche's new Cayman.

It appears however that the Bavarian brand has pushed forward with the open car, perhaps to take some sheen of the Porsche's release in early 2006. The new engine will also deliver performance to match Mercedes-Benz's most muscular SLK variant, the V8-engined SLK 55 AMG.

Due to be unveiled officially at January 2006's Detroit Motor Show, the Z4 M Roadster follows in the wheel tracks of the 1997 BMW Z3 M Roadster. Along with its ugly duckling M Coupe stablemate, the err, enthusiastically handling Z3-based M cars have garnered a cult following around the world.

The Z4 M Roadster will feature BMW M's floating compound high-performance brake system as first seen in the BMW M3 CSL.

Styling has been revised but the changes are perhaps too subtle - it'll take a keen eye to pick the hi-po variant at a distance. Underneath, the steering system is M-derived and the car will sport bespoke 18-inch wheels. The rear view will be dominated by the M trademark quad-pack large bore tailpipes. This feature was first unveiled on an M car in the Z3-based M Roadster and Coupe.

The steering wheel, gearshift knob and door sills are specific BMW M items, while accents and touch-points are upgraded over the standard Z4 offering. Three exclusive M paint colours will be offered.

The Z4M will spearhead the upgraded 2006 Z4 range, says BMW and arrive with Down Under the rest of the range in the first quarter of 2006. The revised Z4 two-seaters get new-generation six-cylinder engines as per the 3 and 5 Series as well as a host of upgrades and detailed changes.

The update also brings larger 17-inch brakes for enhanced stopping power and resistance to fade to the 3.0si model and some minor bodywork changes.