We’ve been reporting about the BMW Z4’s potential demise in 2026 for more than a year. Adding credence to the rumor is an article published earlier this month by Automotive News. The reputable publication has learned from Magna Steyr the roadster will indeed be discontinued in 2026. The G29 is built by the automotive contract manufacturing company in Graz, Austria. The mechanically related Toyota Supra assembled there will allegedly suffer the same fate.
As if the Z4’s probable demise isn’t bad enough, we’ve heard through the grapevine BMW has no intention to replace the two-seater sports car. A new Z car is apparently not planned to come out before the end of the decade. Even if the German luxury brand changes its mind at some point, developing and launching a new car takes years of planning. Consequently, another Z won’t happen sooner than the early 2030s, if at all.
The Z4’s death has us worried because the 4 Series Convertible and 8 Series Convertible are also likely going away. In late March, we talked about how BMW is apparently killing the 4er lineup altogether. By that we mean the CLAR-based models with combustion engines won’t be renewed for another generation. The big-boy 8er with gasoline and diesel power is believed to be on its way out as well. The 8 Series could return one day but only as a fully electric Gran Coupe.
Does that mean BMW will be left without a droptop in its lineup? Not necessarily. As early as 2022, BMWBLOG wrote about a potential i4 Convertible. Our sources close to Munich are saying that’s still happening, with the electric cabrio coming in 2028. It’ll be based on the Neue Klasse platform and should be joined by a coupe version.
BMW isn’t backing down from its aggressive EV goals. It still believes the Group (including MINI and Rolls-Royce) can make electric cars account for at least half of annual sales by 2030. It would be a big jump considering EVs accounted for only 14.7% in 2023. For this year, the automotive conglomerate is targeting 20%. For 2025, the objective is to hit 25%.
As you can imagine, the i4 Coupe and i4 Convertible won’t do the heavy lifting. The iX3 coming next year and the i3 sedan due in 2026 will be the volume products. BMW also plans to build at least six electric SUVs in Spartanburg by 2030. Three of them could be the iX5, iX6, and iX7 – all on the CLAR arhitecture.
