New BMW 4 Series Convertible revealed

The new BMW 4 Series Convertible has been revealed in Germany – complete with its first soft-top roof – and will arrive in Australia in the first quarter of 2021.

Local pricing and specifications are yet to be announced, but the 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible range will mirror that of the new G22 BMW 4 Series Coupe line-up – the arrival of which has been delayed by a month due to COVID-19 – with 420i, 430i and M440i xDrive variants.

So the new G22 coupe now arrives in November, followed by the range-topping M3 sedan and M4 coupe and the G23 convertible early next year.

They will be joined later in 2021 by the G24 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe four-door fastback, then the M4 Convertible and M4 Gran Coupe, and the first M3 Touring in 2022, all based on BMW’s award-winning G20 3 Series sedan, the 2019 carsales Car of the Year.

The new 4 Series Convertible is BMW’s first mid-size soft-top since the fourth-generation (E46) 3 Series Convertible of the late 1990s, and follows three generations of folding hard-tops based on the 2004 E90 and 2011 F30 3 Series and the first 4 Series in 2014.

BMW says its folding fabric roof is 40 per cent lighter than the outgoing model’s hard-top roof, and opens or closes within 18 seconds at speeds of up to 50km/h.

Black as standard but also available in Anthracite Silver effect, the multi-layer soft-top’s ‘panel bow’ design is said to deliver better acoustic and thermal performance comfort than a conventional soft-top.

It stows into a variable compartment in the boot, which increases in capacity from 300 to 385 litres with the roof up.

Other new model-specific features include neck warmers integrated into the front head restraints and an optional wind deflector to reduce buffeting in the cabin, which can be stowed in a supplied bag behind the folding rear backrest.

As with the new 4 Series Coupe, the body is bigger in all directions, while torsional rigidity has increased by four per cent. But weight is also up.

At 4768mm overall, the cabrio is 128mm longer than its predecessor, while width has increased by 27mm to 1852mm and wheelbase by 41mm to 2851mm. Vehicle height is up to 1384mm with the roof closed, while wheel tracks are up too – by 28mm up front and 18mm at the rear.

The new BMW 4 Series Convertible also shares the dramatic new ‘big mouth’ kidney grille design of its fixed-roof two-door sibling, and the new M3 and M4.

As on other 4 Series models, the “vertically emphasised” mesh grille is slanted forward and flanked by slimline full-LED headlights that cut deep into the front wheel-arches. Adaptive LED headlights with BMW Laserlight and cornering function will be optional.

Again like the coupe, the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder delivers 135kW/300Nm in the 420i and 190kW/400Nm in the 430i, while the all-wheel drive six-cylinder M440i xDrive develops 285kW/500Nm.

An eight-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission with steering wheel shift paddles will be standard across the range.

Inside, the four-seat cabin is as per the 4 Series Coupe, comprising automatic seatbelt feeders, front seat heating, a sports steering wheel and variable sport steering.

For Australia, there’s also the M Sport package comprising electric sports front seats, Vernasca leather trim, premium hi-fi speaker system, knee pads, M Sport suspension, 19-inch M light-alloy wheels and an M body kit with Cerium Grey accents.

Extra features for the M440i will include Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers and an electronic M Sport differential, while M Sport brakes will be offered with the choice of blue or red brake callipers and an M Carbon exterior package will also be available.

Other options will include ambient lighting with ‘welcome light carpet’, steering wheel heating, Harman Kardon surround sound system, remote engine start and, for the first time, climate seats.

Also available will be BMW Individual interior trim strips, Sensatec or leather-covered BMW Individual instrument panels and, later, extended BMW Individual Merino leather trim and BMW Individual full leather trim.

On the standard equipment roster is three-zone climate control, a storage package, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, BMW Live Cockpit Professional with digital 10.25-inch control display and 12.3-inch instrument cluster.

BMW Connected Package Professional will offer digital services including BMW TeleServices, intelligent emergency call, real-time traffic information with hazard warning, remote services and concierge services via a built-in SIM card with 4G LTE connectivity.

The BMW Operating System 7.0 can be controlled via touch-screen, iDrive controller, multifunction steering wheel or voice control. BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, BMW Connected Package Professional and Remote Software Upgrade are also included.

Rounding out the package are a new level of safety and driver-assist technologies compared to the previous 4 Series Convertible, including Driving Assistant Professional with steering and lane control assistant, front collision warning with brake intervention, lane change warning, lane departure warning, speed limit info, parking assistant including reversing assistant, and the latest-generation head-up display, which is 70 per cent bigger.