BMW 4 Series Convertible review: Soft but not saggy

Singapore

THE 430i Convertible might just be my new favourite BMW. That means it's something special because, let's face it, the headlights may be fetchingly slim, but it takes a lot to get past those giant nostrils between them.

Still, just think how the BMW's gurning visage will startle other road users out of your way. And anyway the rest of the car has plenty to draw the eye: wide hips, smooth flanks, a long tail, front wheels pulled to the corners, all that good stuff.

Whatever it is, with the 430i Convertible, the very best view is the one from behind the wheel, and not merely because that is the one place you can't see the nose, but more because it is the kind of car you emerge from with a song in your heart.

The key to appreciating an open top car properly is to recognise and accept its flaws. I don't mean flaws like the possibility that a pigeon will use your head for a toilet, or that the wind in your hair will turn out to be a sooty fart from a bus. Those are just things that happen. What I mean is that convertibles are inherently compromised, because chopping the roof off a car leaves it all wobbly in the undercarriage, which does the steering precision no favours.

Engineers then have to stiffen it back up by reinforcing the body, which adds plenty of weight, so the 430i Convertible is a good 170kg heavier than the Coupe, believe it or not. Strap two of your tubbier chums into the back of your current car and see what that does to the braking and handling.

Then there's the practical stuff involving cargo and the rear seats. A folded roof has to hide somewhere, which is why the 4 Series Convertible's boot is 65 litres smaller than the Coupe's, at 385 litres (or just 300 when the top is down).

If you can live with all that, you're in for a treat with the BMW. Its comfort-oriented tyres aren't especially grippy, but the 430i does dive into corners with balance, grace and a rewarding fluidity, so for an open top car it feels engagingly spry.

The excess weight does blunt the engine's edge somewhat, but the 430i is still quick on its feet, and the engine itself seems to enjoy a good workout, revving without complaint. A sound generator pipes a growl through the stereo system if you want a sporty soundtrack, which is the sort of artifice I would usually grumble about and denounce, but what the heck, life in the BMW felt too short for such grumpiness.

If time spent in the 430i Convertible is enjoyable, what's surprising is how refined it is with the roof overhead. Making the cloth top go up (or down) is the work of a fingertip, and the whole dance takes just 18 seconds to complete, even if you're on the move. That done, the car becomes admirably quiet, even at highway speeds.

But the previous 4 Series Convertible had a folding metal roof, so by now you might be wondering about the seemingly retrograde switch to a soft top. Yet, BMW made the decision for worthy reasons. The cloth roof takes up less space when folded, and it's 40 per cent lighter than the old metal contraption, which is why the 4 Series Convertible is no longer one of the most cumbersome cars around corners in the BMW lineup.

Anyway, the new roof is literally stuffed with new technology. A trio of what BMW calls "bow panels" give it rigidity, along with its taut, crisp look when overhead. They help to keep noise and heat out, as well.

With the roof up, the rear seats are even habitable for adults, at least for the time it takes to cross the island. Any journey longer than that is essentially a test of friendship.

But a car like this is bought more for pleasure than practicality, and on that front the 4 Series Convertible is a winner. Its new roof may be soft, but it makes the BMW hard to top.

BMW 430i M Sport Pro Convertible Engine 1,998cc, inline 4, turbocharged Power 258hp at 5,000 to 6,500rpm Torque 400Nm at 1,550-4,400rpm Gearbox 8-speed automatic 0-100km/h 6.2 seconds Top Speed 250km/h Fuel Efficiency 6.4L/100km Agent Performance Motors Price S$303,888 with COE Available Now