Monday 14th October 2013

BMW 4 Series cabrio revealed

Sleek coupe becomes a stylish cabrio, but with a rather hefty weight gain

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To be honest, we should have pre-emptively written this story. The 4 Series cabriolet was as sure to follow the coupe as night does day. So, ahead of an LA show debut next month, BMW has released some official pics and price details of the 3 Series cabrio's replacement.

Should have stuck below 11mph...

As we could have reasonably predicted, cabrio spec is as per the 4 Series coupe. The engine range is mirrored exactly, with a 184hp 420d, 245hp 428i and 306hp 435i offered with the same five trim levels. The six-speed manual and eight-speed auto are available too.

There is one rather surprising stat to have emerged about the 4 Series cabriolet, and that's weight. The folding metal hardtop has added a very chunky 300kg, putting a 420d and 428i at a rather corpulent 1,755kg. The 435i cabrio is a 1,815kg car. Crikey, doesn't exactly bode well for the M4 cabrio then...

The roof can raised and lowered in 20 seconds at up to 11mph. We probably should mention boot space too; there's 370 litres with the roof up and 220 with it down.

BMW will happily charge you for the extra mass of metal too. The range starts at £36,675 for the 420d SE (£5,100 more than the coupe) with the 428i starting at £39,515, a premium of £6,920 over the coupe. The 435i Luxury cabrio will cost £44,970, compared to the coupe's £40,795.

The 4 Series cabrio goes on sale in March. Maybe we can send Harris on the launch, he'll love it...

[Sources: Autocar/WCF]

 

[underphil]

" it's glandular "

[Krikkit]

11mph? Doesn't seem very high, presumably the roof mechanism isn't very strong. Lardy old thing though!

[j90gta]

That looks almost as big aa a 6 series but with more rear legroom!

[British Beef]

Who has eaten all the pies???
Own up 4 series convertibles....

No appeal on any level for me, and for that reason Im out!!!

[kambites]

It's got a BMW badge on the nose, they'll sell millions.

[zcacogp]

Is it just me or has the entire BMW range turned into one car with one 'look' and a bewildering list of options and specs and heaven only know what else?

I used to quite like BMW's. However being unable to tell a 3 series from a 5 series in the last 8 years* and their fanboi image (as well as the neverending love from the more shady members of society) means they have absolutely no appeal whatsoever for me any more.


Oli.

-*- At least the 1-series has remained distinctive. Although that could also be termed 'distinctively ugly'.

[Snowboy]

Look at the other mid size 4 seat cabrios it's up against in the 'prestige' sector.

None.
Since Audi stopped the A4 cab the only options are small cabs or large ones.

[kambites]

I don't think they look any more alike than they did 30 years ago. The E28 and E30 were hardly massively different.

[kambites]

Snowboy said:

Look at the other mid size 4 seat cabrios it's up against in the 'prestige' sector.

None.
Since Audi stopped the A4 cab the only options are small cabs or large ones.

The A5 and C-class are both available as cabriolets?

[toppstuff]

It is a very nice thing, but I am oddly unmoved by it.

I am sure, however, that they will push lots of them out onto our roads at £450 per month and 3 months up front to those people that like to lease their cars.

[MrTappets]

300kgs? Surely that's not just the roof? I could imagine 50-100kgs but they must have added half a Caterham's-worth of bracing as well to make it that heavy!

[sparks_E39]

Lovely looking car.

[Snowboy]

kambites said:

Snowboy said:

Look at the other mid size 4 seat cabrios it's up against in the 'prestige' sector.

None.
Since Audi stopped the A4 cab the only options are small cabs or large ones.

The A5 and C-class are both available as cabriolets?

Yes.
They are both large cars.
They are not mid size.

[kambites]

Snowboy said:

Yes.
They are both large cars.
They are not mid size.

Well the next category down is things like the A3 and 1-series, which are also available without roofs. Are you saying that there's no such thing as a mid-sized car at all, now?

I know cars of this "category" are getting bigger, but so are the ones of the category below so the gap between models isn't changing much.

Edited by kambites on Monday 14th October 11:45

[PHMatt]

Snowboy said:

Yes.
They are both large cars.
They are not mid size.

C class is the same size class as the 3 series, ergo same as the 4 series.
A5 is, as far as I'm aware to the A4 what the 4 series is to the 3 series - IE a coupe/convertible version.

[Snowboy]

PHMatt said:

Snowboy said:

Yes.
They are both large cars.
They are not mid size.

C class is the same size class as the 3 series, ergo same as the 4 series.
A5 is, as far as I'm aware to the A4 what the 4 series is to the 3 series - IE a coupe/convertible version.

The A5 is a quite big car, more like the 5 series.
A3 cab is quite small.
1 series is tiny, 3 series is bigger than a3, but smaller than the A4.


I have an A4 Cab and I've been looking for a newer car. There's just no replacement that's as good.
I think the 4 series car will fill that space.

[Kong]

kambites said:

It's got a BMW badge on the nose, they'll sell millions.

It's a great looking(IMO) cabrio with class leading engines, they'll sell millions..

I'm not sure why the author of this article is so surprised the cabrio is much heavier than the coupe, they always are. R.E the M4 - I don't see why it matters since the serious drivers wouldn't buy the convertible anyway.

[Tuvra]

kambites said:

Snowboy said:

Look at the other mid size 4 seat cabrios it's up against in the 'prestige' sector.

None.
Since Audi stopped the A4 cab the only options are small cabs or large ones.

The A5 and C-class are both available as cabriolets?

No they're not.

[Kong]

Tuvra said:

kambites said:

Snowboy said:

Look at the other mid size 4 seat cabrios it's up against in the 'prestige' sector.

None.
Since Audi stopped the A4 cab the only options are small cabs or large ones.

The A5 and C-class are both available as cabriolets?

No they're not.

http://www.audi.co.uk/new-cars/a5/a5-cabriolet.html

[loudlashadjuster]

Kong said:

Tuvra said:

kambites said:

Snowboy said:

Look at the other mid size 4 seat cabrios it's up against in the 'prestige' sector.

None.
Since Audi stopped the A4 cab the only options are small cabs or large ones.

The A5 and C-class are both available as cabriolets?

No they're not.

http://www.audi.co.uk/new-cars/a5/a5-cabriolet.html

I think Kambites was commenting that you can't get a C-Class convertible, it has to be an E-Class (don't talk floorpans etc, it's sold as an E )