“After the coupé comes the convertible”, and it is with the fine weather that is already well established throughout France that we decided to treat ourselves to an escapade on board one of the most beautiful cabriolets on the market at the moment: the BMW 4 Series Convertible.
As the well-known Z4, the 4 serie reconnect with its origins and the flexible soft top, a system that not only saves weight on the scales, but also looks better than a hard top in our opinion. The fabric folding top is a new design which, according to BMW, provides the same acoustic comfort as a hard top, while maintaining the aesthetics of the soft top. The soft top folds in a Z-shape and can be opened and closed in less than 18 seconds at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
Our beautiful 4 Series Convertible has grown considerably compared to the previous generation, with a length of 4.77 metres, which is 11 centimetres longer than the previous 4 Series Convertible. This puts it between the BMW 2 Series Convertible and the current BMW 8 Series Convertible. With a smaller fabric top and 11 centimetres more length, the boot capacity increases by 80 litres in open configuration to 300 litres. The BMW 4 Series Convertible can be enjoyed by more than just two people, as the rear seats are quite comfortable, provided you are not too tall.
In the front seats, comfort is at its best with heated seats, all coupled with neck heating for optimum comfort. Even though we got the entry-level engine, our test car was richly equipped with 19-inch wheels and the famous M-pack that gives the car an extra sporty touch thanks to a special styling kit.
The leather upholstery is of the most beautiful effect, just like the cockpit which does not bet on the all-touch with physical controls still present. The cockpit is turned towards the driver, the materials are of excellent quality and the ergonomics are very good in this era of all-touch.
There are also a number of driving aids, including collision warning with automatic braking, lane departure warning with lane keeping and steering assistance, and a speed limit indicator as standard.
Our BMW 4 Series Convertible is equipped with the smallest engine, a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 184 hp and 300 Nm of torque. For diesel enthusiasts, BMW also offers a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with 190bhp and 400Nm with the 420d, while the sportier crowd can opt for the M440i Convertible with its 374bhp inline six-cylinder and 500Nm of torque. The 510 hp M4 is also available as a convertible with xDrive all-wheel drive from the start.
The four-cylinder turbo is very pleasant to drive and offers good performance, especially thanks to an eight-speed automatic gearbox that suffers from no major faults, while the suspension is excellent. We are indeed on board aBMW. The 0 to 100 km/h is achieved in 8.6 seconds, while the maximum speed is 236 km/h.
The melody of the six-cylinder is missing, although the M440i and other M4s will be able to remedy this. The four-cylinder engine is not aphrodisiac either and offers a rather raucous sound. Dynamism is therefore part of the package, while comfort is always top-notch and will take care of its occupants during long journeys. The best of both worlds? Definitely.
Available from 58,400 euros in France in its 420i version, our test version with numerous options (19 inch wheels, Safety pack, comfort pack, M Sport finish) costs around 74,000 euros. A hefty sum, but one that is justified by one of the best convertibles in its segment that combines comfort and dynamism in an elegant, refined and sporty package.
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