BMW’s Z4 roadster debuted yesterday at the Detroit auto show. According to Klaus Draeger, head of development for BMW, the new car represents the embodiment of everything that the company stands for – in terms of superior driving dynamics and innovative technology.

The vehicle looks very elegant, with the design features significantly improved from the previous model and the new roof is comprised of two aluminum shells that fold into the trunk in 20 seconds, leaving enough space for a medium-size suitcase – still, it is a well known fact that trunk size is probably the last aspect a potential Z4 customer might be interested in.

The Z4 sDrive23i is powered by a 2.5-litre in-line six cylinder and making 152kW, and will be available in both a six-speed manual and an auto transmission. Next in line is the Z4 sDrive30i that packs the same 3.0-litre I6 as the current model, making 192kW and 309Nm of torque.  It needs 5.8 seconds to reach 100km/h. The company’s best offer is the Z4 sDrive35i, which offers a twin-turbo version of the 3.0-litre and is loaded up with 228kW, reaching 100km/h in 5.2 seconds with the manual transmission, and being a tenth of a second quicker with the seven-speed dual-clutch box.

“The U.S. market is extremely important to us. This is our second home,” said Mr. Ian Robertson, head of sales and marketing for BMW, adding that its interest in the US market is considerable, and that it plans to invest $1 billion for production and sales in the United States.