BMW 4 Series Convertible

Overview:

BMW, headquartered in Munich, Germany is one of the 3 German giants other than the Mercedes and Audi, that displays fine specimen of German engineering. The technological advancement of Germany reflects in the cars of these company. The BMW 4-series is another such evidence of the fine German craftsmanship. Gone are the days when the BMW 4 series was thought of just as an extension of the 3 series. With an all new design, the 4 series ropes in exciting looks and fresh dimensions. The rear end appears bulkier and the bumpers carry an attitude of their own. This aggressive looking machine comes as a coupe, a Gran Coupe and as a convertible. One point to note is that there is no diesel engine available in any of the variants. The Convertible offers a 2.0-litre 4 cylinder engine churning out 245 hp and the Gran Coupe also offers the same configurations. The Coupe however comes in 5 engine options ranging from a small 2.0-litre 184 hp to a rumbling 3.0-litre 306 hp petrol motor. The interiors are as usual kept driver oriented and provide a no non sense placement of the console and other features, staying true to the BMW designs. It comes with sporty looking paddle shifts that do a fine job in changing the gears. The seats are comfortable and the dash is pleasant to look upon. It also has some pretty aggressive looking air curtains on the front bumpers which gives is a commanding identity.

Mileage:

The convertible gives a mileage of 16.6 kmpl which is praise worthy for a 245 hp engine. The GC offers 15.6kmpl which is good too and the 420i coupe is the most fuel efficient amongst the coupe variants at 16.66kmpl.

Power:

The 4 series offers a serious competition to the Audi and Merc in this class when it comes to power. The best in class 435i Coupe's 6 cylinder 3.0-litre engine offers a boastful 306 hp between 5800-6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 400 Nm between 1200-5000 which means you can command power from this coupe in any gear and at any speed. In comparison to the coupe the convertible and the Gran Coupe both offer 245 hp.

Acceleration and Pick up:

The 4 Series 435i coupe touches the 100kmph mark in a rapid 5.1 seconds getting an edge over the 3-series. The top speed of all the variants has been electronically limited to 250 kmph.

Exterior:

With the Kidney bean grilles protruding out and merging into the Xenon headlamps, the 4-series undoubtedly get some seriously imposing looks. The curves on the body of the 4 series makes it muscular in appearance and the bulging out rear wheel fender makes it look like a car that keeps its own grounds. And it certainly does. The tail lamps are the familiar L-shaped lamps that blend in harmoniously into the rear door. The Kidney bean grille gets 9 slats along with a glossy black coating. The 2 door coupe, with its short height displays agility and athleticism in its stance, complementing its sporty soul. The 4 door GC feels like the big brother of the coupe, looking more adamant and yet all the more elegant. The frame less windows makes you skip a beat and the mesh just behind the front fender makes you gasp for air. The convertible carries with it razor sharp looks with the top down. Being a hard top, with the top up you get a firm and secure essence of the car even in harsh climates. The 4 series comes with a long hood but a short front overhang, increasing its agility and improving it at turns. The M sport body kit alleviates its sporty appearance and makes it desirous of some serious speeds. Overall the guys in Germany, in an attempt to create a distinction between the 3-series and 4-series, created a magnificent product that stands a class apart.

Exterior Measurements:

The 4 series convertible has the L x B x H measurements of 4638mm x 2017mm x 1384mm with the top on. The coupe is a little lower at 1377mm making it aerodynamically better while the Gran Coupe is a little higher at 1389 mm, the rest of the dimensions stays the same. The width of the front end however is lesser at 1825mm for all the three variants. The wheelbase of all the three is 2810mm. The front track for all three is 1545mm whereas the rear track is a broader 1594mm.

Interior:

With the winds gushing in your hair, the interiors of the convertible look magnificent and blending into the never ending field of vision. The individual mood lifting lighting does a fine job in keeping the spirits high. All the controls are ergonomically placed so as to be easily accessible by the driver. The leather usage is carried out with finesse and the upholstery looks plush. The shape of the armrests and other equipments are fresh and unique in appearance which enhances the aesthetic qualities of its interior. The Sport line gets a red or gray highlight on the seats and steering as per choice along with a sports logo that looks pretty cool. The lighting has been used freely on the sills as well as below the glove box making a fine underlining statement and many other places. The black leather as well as chrome has been excessively used in the Sport line. The Coupe and the GC come only in sports line, whereas the convertible is available only in Luxury line. The luxury line gets a pearl gloss chrome treatment to match the “luxury” badge.

Interior comfort:

The seats offers great support to thighs and the bucket seats offer enough lumbar support and keeps you glued to the seat at high speeds. The leg room for both the rear and front row in the GC is ample, but falls a little low in the convertible due to the extra space occupied by the retractable roof. The driver is in the most comfortable position of all as the cockpit is designed keeping the driver in mind.

Interior Measurements:

The 4 series is roomy enough on the inside and also offers a roomy boot space of 450 litres that gives it an edge over the similarly priced Audi A5 which offers a much less boot space. The convertible provides a boot of 370 litres with the top closed, and 230 litres with the top open.

Engine and Performance:

BMW has only offered petrol engine for the 4-series. The convertible and the GC comes only in one engine variant which is the 428i, 2.0-litre 4 cylinder TwinPowered Turbo engine offering 245 hp at 5000-6500 rpm and a max torque of a cool 350 Nm at 1,250-4800 rpm. The coupe however gets 5 variants including two sports variants. The 420i is the mildest offering 184hp whereas the 435i offers a cool 306 hp at 5,800-6000 rpm and a max torque of 400 Nm at 1200-5000 rpm. The 428i is the intermediate with 245 hp and a better fuel efficiency than the 435i. The ECO PRO mode turns the engine into a much more efficient machine including the fuel economy and emissions. The sports mode however unleashes all the power at hand.

Stereo and Accessories:

The 4 series comes with the navigation system professional with iDrive touch controller that facilitates driving to a great extent. The sound system is the Harman Kardon surround sound system with 16 loudspeakers and 600 watt max output in the M sport package. For the others it is the 9 speaker HiFi sound system. The sound obtained is 3-D surround that gives you a concert like experience.

Wheels:

The 4 series gets 18 inch alloys with 225/45 R 18 tyre dimensions for the GC and the convertible. For the coupe, the 420i gets 17” alloys with 225/50 R 17 tyre dimensions. Whereas the 435i gets an upgraded 19 inch alloys with 225/40 R19 at front and 255/35 R19 at rear.

Braking and Handling:

The brakes in the 4- series are ventilated discs on the front wheel and solid discs on the rear wheels. The caliper is operated by a 4 piston cylinder giving a smooth braking experience. It also comes with ABS to smoothen the halting process in times of sudden obstacles and slippery surfaces. The Automatic Air dampers provide superior suspension system and hence maintain a good ride quality. The Brake energy Regeneration system also provides excess energy to the engine by utilizing the heat generated on braking. The steering gives good feedback to the driver, and the car is an enjoyable drive.

Safety and Security:

BMW has the idrive system to guide the driver throughout the journey and with the optional heads up display the driver always gets what is going in the vehicle as well as on the road without much neck movement and without having to take his eyes off the road. The anti-theft immobilizer protects the entry from duplicate keys. The airbags also comes in as standard in all the models.

Pros:

Aggressive looks
Powerful Engine
Firm convertible roof

Cons:

Price is a bit high
Boot space in convertible is low
Low on safety features