It just looks cool! Slightly "hard edged" sheet metal and the long-hood, short-tail look combine to produce a very stylish, contemporary appearance. I get a lot of compliments on this car.
Even though this is the smallest engine BMW offered in the Z4, it provides plenty of pep. The car accelerates briskly at low speeds, especially if you put the transmission in SD mode.
It responds quickly and reliably. Some reviewers have criticized the electronic assist steering, but it seems fine to me!
BMW has a reputation for advanced engineering and a performance-oriented approach to designing cars. The Z4 lives up that reputation.