BMW Is Sending The Z4 Out In Style With A 2026 M40i Final Edition

BMW is quietly closing the book on one of its most underappreciated cars. After almost a quarter century of Z4 roadsters, Munich is giving the current G29 one last curtain call with the 2026 BMW Z4 M40i Final Edition, a limited run that blends Handschalter hardware, bespoke design details, and a bit of Z8-adjacent theater.

Offered only from February through April 2026, the Final Edition will be built in very small numbers in a single, fully loaded spec. The only decision buyers need to make is transmission: a 6 speed manual or the familiar 8 speed Steptronic. Whichever you choose, pricing is set at $77,500 plus $1,175 destination and handling.

Frozen Black, red calipers and a lot of attitude

Visually, the Final Edition leans hard into classic BMW Individual drama. Every car is finished in Frozen Black metallic, a matte effect that sharpens the Z4’s surfacing and makes the long hood and tight rear deck look even more pronounced. That paint is paired with the standard Shadowline Package, so the mirror caps, kidney grille, lower intake, air breathers and exhaust finishers are all finished in gloss black.

A Moonlight Black soft top and red calipers on the standard M Sport brakes complete the “last of the line” vibe. Wheels are staggered: 19 inch M Dual Spoke Bicolor 800M alloys with 255/35 R19 rubber up front and 20 inch rears on 285/30 R20 tires at the back. It is a very intentional, very modern take on the classic BMW roadster formula.

Handschalter hardware baked in

Pick the 6 speed and you are not just getting a third pedal. The manual Final Edition also adopts the special chassis tuning developed for the Edition Handschalter package. That means unique auxiliary springs at both axles, a reinforced front anti roll bar clamp, and new mapping for the electronically controlled rear dampers and variable sport steering.

Traction control and the M Sport differential get their own software tweaks as well, pointing to a more analog, rear axle led character than the standard Z4 M40i. In other words, this should be the most focused G29 you can buy from the factory.

Red thread, literally, inside

Inside, BMW has tried to make the Final Edition feel a step above a typical M Sport package without going full Individual crazy. The seats are a mix of Vernasca leather and Alcantara, with bold contrasting red stitching that also runs across the instrument panel, console, and door cards.

Floor mats pick up that theme with red piping, while the door sills spell out what you are sitting in with “Z4 FINAL EDITION” lettering. Seatbelts wear the familiar M tricolor stripe as a final nod to the car’s positioning at the top of the Z4 range.

Spec wise, the car is essentially loaded. Driving Assistance Package, Premium Package, and a Harman Kardon surround system are standard, so you are not optioning anything beyond transmission.

A short history lesson: how we got here

The Z4 has always lived in a very particular BMW space. It is the modern expression of a line that goes all the way back to the 328 Roadster and runs through the 507 and Z8. The formula is simple: two seats, long hood, engine ahead of the driver but behind the front axle, and a focus on feel rather than utility.

The first Z4 arrived in 2002 as the E85, built in Spartanburg and replacing the Z3. With its controversial Chris Bangle surfacing, long hood and short deck, it looked more aggressive than the car it replaced. Underneath, it delivered serious hardware for the time with high torsional rigidity, 50/50 weight distribution, and a chassis that finally felt worthy of an M badge.

That M badge came with the Z4 M Roadster, which borrowed the 330 hp straight six from the E46 M3 and could do 0–60 mph in under five seconds. It was raw, noisy and occasionally a bit unhinged, but it has aged into one of BMW’s cult classics.

In 2008 BMW pivoted. The second generation Z4, the E89, traded the fabric roof for an electro hydraulic folding hardtop that turned the car from roadster to coupe in 20 seconds. It added a dose of refinement, more interior space and, for the first time, iDrive. It also moved the Z4 further upmarket, more GT than scalpel.

The current G29, unveiled at Pebble Beach in 2018, swung the pendulum back. The hardtop disappeared, replaced by a simple fabric roof. The proportions went more classic roadster again, the cabin leaned into a driver focused layout, and the M40i brought a three liter TwinPower Turbo straight six that feels very much like the heart of the car. Since 2024, that engine has been available with a manual as the Edition Handschalter, immediately making it the enthusiast pick in the line.

What the Final Edition means

On one hand, the Z4 Final Edition is what BMW does best at the end of a lifecycle: tightly curated spec, a heavy lean into Individual paint, and just enough chassis fiddling to make the car feel special. On the other, it is a reminder that the classic BMW roadster is about to go on hiatus again just as the brand prepares to go all in on Neue Klasse and electrification.

If you have been waiting for a modern BMW two seater with a straight six, rear wheel drive and a manual, this is likely the last call for a while. In Final Edition form, the Z4 M40i looks set to be the purest expression of the G29’s character and a legitimate bookend to a lineage that started in Spartanburg in 2002 and traces its DNA back to some of BMW’s most iconic open cars.

As always, we will update this story as we get US allocation numbers and timing. For now, the headline is simple: if you want one, you are going to have to move quickly.

Z4 Final Edition Gallery

Z4 Final Edition Features and Equipment

BMW Individual Frozen Black Metallic Paint
Vernasca/Alcantara Leather Interior with Red Contrast Stitching
Black High-Gloss Interior Trim
M Seat Belts
19/20” M Dual-Spoke Bicolor 800M Wheels with Staggered Performance Tires
M Sport Brakes with Red Calipers
Shadowline Package

• Mirror Caps in Black
• Adaptive Full LED Lights
• Extended Shadowline Trim

Driving Assistance Package

• Park Distance Control
• Active Blind Spot Detection
• Speed Limit Info
• Lane Keeping Assistant
• Forward Collision Mitigation

Premium Package

• Ambient Lighting
• Parking Assistant
• Head-Up Display
• Active Park Distance Control with Side Protection

Harman Kardon Surround Sound System
Moonlight Black Softtop

Specifications