Welcome back to Classifieds Challenge, where we take two cars from the BMW CCA Classifieds and put them head-to-head! This week, we’re looking at two used versions of two hyped-up 2020 sports cars: the Toyota Z4 and BMW Supra—I mean, the BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra.
Well, the newest iterations of each are brothers-under-the-sheet-metal, anyway; the latest BMW Z4 was created in collaboration with Toyota. BMW gets the roadster, while Toyota gets a new Supra coupe.
All it took was 30 seconds of browsing to find past-generation roadsters and fixed-roof coupes on the BMW CCA Classifieds that represent the mid-2000s equivalents of each: in the case of the BMW, we’re looking at a Z4 3.0i roadster, and for the Supra, its decade-old equivalent is the rare Z4 3.0si coupe.
These, to be fair, are not exactly a direct comparison, but prices for coupes dramatically outweigh those of the more common roadster, so our first contender, this 2003 Z4 3.0i 6-speed, is actually right in the pricing ballpark of its subsequent hardtop sibling. This particular car hails from Florida, and despite being an early car with the M54 6-cylinder, boasts a number of pleasant options, including the sport pack, 18″ wheels, and a Harman/Kardon sound system, as well as just 69,000 miles. Oh, and some club history is indicated, too: The owner has followed Roundel contributor Mike Miller’s schedule on cooling-system maintenance.
The price for all this? A modest $10,700 (quite a bit less than a 2020 Z4).
Our second option is just $300 more expensive, but benefits from a four-year age advantage, an updated ebgine, and a bit more metal above the driver’s head. Yes, it’s an elusive BMW Z4 3.0si coupe, with a couple of cool modifications, including a Supersprint (or $uper$print, as some members have called it) cat-back exhaust, H&R coil-overs, and an aFe intake. We’d imagine that it sounds fantastic, although you’ll have to be patient between shifts, as this coupe is an automatic.
That said, this 2007 Iowa-based coupe does have a mileage advantage, with just over 57,000 miles, and who could miss the beautiful lines that can now trace their lineage up to the contemporary Toyota Supra, which is, effectively, a Z4 hardtop—and only available as an automatic, like this car?
So with the 2003 Z4 roadster’s seller asking $10,700 and the 2007 Z4 coupe’s asking $11,000, which is your choice? Let us know in the comments below. We think that this is an interesting comparison, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the spiritual predecessors to the modern BMW/Toyota partnership. And of course, if you have a suggestion for future Classifieds Challenge cars, let us know those in the comments as well!—David Rose
