The convertible for all weathers
The new BMW 435i Convertible is a versatile offering that’s perfect for the temperamental British climate
Looking for somewhere that’s warm at this time of year? Well, you can strike Nevada off the list – BMW just launched the new 4 Series Convertible there, and it was freezing.
I know, I know – poor old stick. I can hear the tiny violins from here. Actually, it’s even worse. Not only does the 4 Series have a folding metal hardtop instead of the old-school fabric soft-top of its Audi A5 Cabriolet rival. It’s also the first BMW to feature neck warming technology. So if you’re looking for the ultimate, all-season top-down driving machine, this could be for you.
In fact, the 4 Series is a superb all-rounder full stop, really. Based on the latest 3 Series, it takes a place in the BMW range formerly occupied by five generations of the 3 Series Convertible. It just goes to show that previous successes do not guarantee you future ones.
You don’t have to be a wind-in-the-hair, scissors-in-the-glovebox kind of person to appreciate this car. For 99 per cent of the time – when the British climate is being the British climate – it functions brilliantly as a four-seater coupé.
If your passengers fail to notice the joins on the outside, they may never even suspect the top peels back and stacks neatly beneath the boot lid. BMW proudly explains this 20-second operation can now be carried out whilst moving, but since the maximum permissible speed for both car and roof to be in motion is only 8mph, the upgrade barely warrants a mention.
Going topless does eat into the luggage space (cutting it from 370 litres to 220 litres, liquid volume fans), but at least you can access its contents without completely reactivating the 4 Series’ weather protection. A new button lifts the metal and glass hardware out of the way in the manner of an industrial art installation – as swish as it is painfully technical.
This is great stuff because the cabin is classy enough that you’ll want the world to see it as much as possible, while the “boat deck” open-air rear styling adds a touch of elegance missing from almost every other BMW. Get those neck warmers blazing and crank the range-topping 435i up to its 306 horsepower maximum, and you may never be caught in the rain again.
Most UK buyers will probably opt for the 420d, taking the car’s all-rounder status a notch higher (at the expense of the odd diesel rattle). But for a drive through the spectacular Valley of Fire State Park, it was 435i or nothing, I’m afraid. Violins again, is it? Touché.
This is a 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine – and like all BMW straight-sixes it’s as smooth as it is enormously rampant. Combined with the eight-speed automatic gearbox, it makes ideal boulevard cruising material, capable of wafting gently but also disappearing at an unfathomable pace, accompanied by mellifluous engine gargling. Throw in a few corners and, for all its current mucking about with model names, BMW still does the crucial ride and handling thing exceptionally well. Putting aside the high-performance M cars, the 4 Series Coupé is about the most accomplished example on sale – and the 4 Series Convertible isn’t far behind.
The balance here is sublime. So much so that even Nevada’s vividly-red, Martian landscape struggles to compete once you start pushing on. Whatever the weather, forget the Audi A5; the BMW 4 Series Convertible is in a class of its own.
THE FACTS: BMW 435I CONVERTIBLE 8-SPEED AUTO
PRICE: £44,970
0-62MPH: 5.5secs
TOP SPEED: 155mph
CO2 G/KM: 176g/km
MPG COMBINED: 37.7mpg
THE VERDICT:
DESIGN Three Stars
PERFORMANCE Four Stars
PRACTICALITY Three Stars
VALUE FOR MONEY Four Stars