The numbers are in, and they’re looking rather good for BMW USA. We’ve already established 2023 was a record year but there are some interesting stats worth highlighting. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to hear demand for the Z4 jumped by a significant 20.2%, reaching 1,883 cars.
Keep in mind that the local lineup is limited to just the sDrive30i and the M40i. In other markets, BMW also sells an entry-level sDrive20i with a six-speed manual transmission. Speaking of a stick shift, the impending arrival of a Z4 M40i with the long-awaited 6MT should bolster sales of the stylish convertible in 2024. It’s been a long time coming and now it’s finally about to happen.
The Z4 underwent a Life Cycle Impulse near the end of 2022, but we wouldn’t go as far as to say the LCI is the sole reason why sales spiked in 2023. BMW made subtle changes to its stylish sports car, tweaks that only a hardcore enthusiast would be able to notice. With reports indicating that the G29 generation will cease production in March 2026 without a replacement, it makes sense for more and more people to consider buying one before the alleged expiration date.
If you’re wondering how the mechanically related Toyota Supra fared last year in the United States, it outsold the BMW Z4. However, demand for the roadster’s coupe sibling plummeted by 46.4 percent to 2,652 units compared to the year before. That’s despite the addition of a clutch pedal for the six-cylinder model. The Supra’s future is unclear but we’ll remind you it’s built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria at the same plant where the Z4 rolls off the assembly line.
Much like the Z4 is getting a final update with a six-speed M40i, Toyota’s swan song for the Supra will be a hotter GRMN variant. It too will have a BMW engine but the jury is still out on whether it’ll be the B58 or the S58. Another missing piece of the puzzle is the availability of a six-speed manual. We should have answers later in 2024.
Source: BMW USA
