2009 BMW Z4 marks the second generation of the Z4 name and third of this recent line of two-seat roadsters James Bond debuted in his 1996 Z3. The 2009 Z4 is a totally new car, apart from the lower output of the two engines and a few miscellaneous pieces. The 2009 Z4 sports a retractable hard top, a departure from any previous two-seat BMW.

The retractable hard top replaces the roadster and coupe versions of previous-generation (pre-2009) Z4 models with one car. The hard top retracts for the same open-air driving of a convertible, but closes with the press of a button to provide the advantages of better security, rigidity, rearward visibility, quiet and weather control of a coupe