New 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible unveiled
The new BMW 4 Series Convertible has been officially revealed, sporting a radical grille and new folding fabric roof
The wraps have finally come off the second-generation BMW 4 Series Convertible. It’s available to order now, priced from £45,785 – and, when the first examples hit the UK next March, it’ll offer fresh competition for the Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet and Audi A5 Cabriolet.
The 4 Series Convertible’s styling is pretty much identical to the Coupe’s – save for a new chrome mesh radiator grille and the missing roof. However, for this second-generation model, BMW has tried something different, ditching the old car’s folding metal hardtop for a new fabric roof.
BMW says the new roof is 40 per cent lighter than the outgoing model’s tin-top – and that there’s little appreciable difference in the amount of acoustic or thermal insulation. The roof can also be operated at speeds of up to 31mph, taking 18 seconds to open or close.
The company’s engineers have also tried to retain as much of the coupe’s structural rigidity as possible, adding a bracing shear panel for the front end and stronger side skirts. BMW says that its efforts have made the new 4 Series Convertible around four per cent more rigid than the old model.
New BMW 4 Series Convertible: specs and engines
Unlike the 4 Series Coupe, the Convertible comes as standard in BMW’s M Sport specification, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, uprated suspension, LED headlights and a more aggressive M-Sport bodykit. The same theme continues inside with an M-Sport steering wheel and a pair of leather-trimmed, M-badged sport seats.
There’s a decent amount of standard technology, too – buyers get three-zone automatic climate control, a reversing camera, electrically adjustable seats, an ambient interior lighting system, 12.3-inch a digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment system. The latter system also now offers support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Above this sits the M Sport Pro Edition. It’s priced from £49,795 and adds a few performance upgrades such as 19-inch alloy wheels and adaptive M-Sport suspension. There’s a couple of cosmetic tweaks as well, including darkened headlamp lenses, tweaked tail lights, M-badged seatbelts and a system that pumps a synthetic engine note into the cabin.
At the top of the 4 Series Convertible line-up sits the M440i. It has a starting price of £58,865 – and it’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, which develops 369bhp and 500Nm of torque. The powertrain is supported by a 48-volt starter-generator, which feeds the car’s electrical system and delivers an extra 11bhp when overtaking.
The engine sends drive to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox – and BMW says the M440i will cover the 0–62mph sprint in 4.9 seconds before running into its limiter at a top speed of 155mph. There’s a suite of chassis tweaks to control the extra power, too, such as a locking rear differential, M Sport brakes and adaptive dampers.
The rest of the 4 Series Convertible engine range consists of two petrols and three diesel units. Entry-level 420i models are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which develops 182bhp and 300Nm of torque. The 430i uses the same powertrain, albeit with a remap which increases its output to 254bhp and 400Nm of torque.
BMW’s entry-level diesel model is priced from £47,440 – and it’s powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with an output of 187bhp and 400Nm of torque. It’ll be joined by the 430d in July 2021, which features a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six unit with an output of 282bhp and 650Nm of torque.
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