Sometimes removing a coupe’s roof and turning it into a convertible can improve it. Adding that drama, theater, and noise can make some cars better. However, some cars get worse, due to the loss of structural rigidity and added weight that convertible tops bring. So which is it for the BMW M4 Convertible? Is it better or worse as a drop-top? You can find out in this new video from Auto Express.
In this video, Auto Express host Nicola Hume test drove the BMW M4 Convertible, a car that’s far heavier than a fun car should be. The BMW M4 Coupe in its lightest spec is nearing two tons as it is. Throw in xDrive and it’s dangerously close to two tons. Add in a convertible top mechanism and all the structural bracing that’s needed to keep it rigid and the M4 Convertible crests 4,000 lbs. It’s close to the curb weight of a BMW M5 but has 100 fewer horsepowers. So you can imagine that its performance lacks a bit.
However, it’s still shockingly fast, as BMW’s S58 engine is an absolute monster. Because the M4 Convertible only comes in Competition xDrive-spec, it has 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, all of which is sent through an eight-speed automatic to all four wheels. So it has the power and the grip to perform the way an M car should on paper. However, the standard M4, even in its purest spec, is pretty synthetic. So insulating it further with weight will only make it worse to drive, right?
Well, not really, actually. It’s actually still quite good to drive, or at least almost as good as the standard M4 Competition xDrive. However, because it’s a bit heavier and a bit more of a cruiser, Hume reckons that the BMW M440i Convertible might actually be the better buy. It’s significantly more comfortable, looks mostly the same, has a similar interior, is far cheaper, and is still quite quick. So what do you think, would the M440i Convertible be the better buy than the M4 Convertible?
