Soft-Top 1 Series

It's no surprise that BMW will be bringing the 1 Series Convertible to Australia. The company had already confirmed that we'll see the hard-top version (more here) and the Convertible is therefore a 'no brainer'.

Expected to start from roughly $60,000, the 1 Series Convertible will go on sale locally around the middle of next year.

For Europe, the Convertible will be available with a range of engines from the 118i's 105kW four-cylinder through to the 225kW twin-turbo engine fitted to the 135i.

All engines drive through a six-speed manual transmission as standard and a six-speed sequential shift automatic will be available as an option.

Although the precise model mix and local specifications are yet to be confirmed, the Carsales Network believes that the Cabrio will be available in 120i, 125i and 135i models.

Buyers will be offered a range of exterior colours for the 1 Series Convertible, including two exclusive metallic colours: Kashmir Silver and Sedona Red.

Building a convertible on such a small platform involved some creative engineering to provide a reasonable semblance of practicality and safety.

All models are fitted with the folding fabric roof which can open and close through electro-hydraulic means, within 22 seconds -- from any speed up to 40km/h.

In black, beige or anthracite, the roof is multi-layered for insulation and the anthracite option is interwoven with fine metallic fibres for an iridescent appearance.

Along with the roof, other features were re-jigged to suit the specific role of this model.

Seat upholstery employs 'Sun Reflective Technology', which was introduced with the M6 Convertible, to reduce the damaging effect of ultra-violet rays from the sun.

Keeping occupants cool on warmer days, BMW has upped performance for the climate control system in the 1 Series Convertible's application.

The rear seat folds forward for a through-loading facility with a transit bag for items not normally welcomed in the cabin.

Even with the roof retracted and the rear seat in place, boot space is 240 litres. Raising the roof frees up an extra 40 litres of volume.

Safety considerations led BMW to equip the 1 Series Convertible with pop-up roll bars behind the rear seat headrests and revised front seats to reduce the severity of whiplash from a rear-end collision.

BMW will announce specifications and pricing closer to the car's launch, but the company is already targeting inner urban drivers who look forward to the occasional top-down blast in the country.

 » Get the best price on a new BMW 1 Series

To comment on this article click here