If you live in California--or even Baguio, for the purposes of geographical relevance--there will be days when you just want to feel the wind against your face while driving. Which is what the top-down convertible was invented for. And because there are enough car owners who like driving al fresco, BMW has made available the new 4-Series Coupe in convertible form.
Compared to the existing 3-Series Convertible, the 4-Series Convertible is larger in width, track and wheelbase, according to BMW. It also features a three-piece retractable hardtop that boasts \"advanced soundproofing with its noise-absorbing headliner, ensuring quietness and genuine passenger comfort under all weather conditions.\" This top can reportedly be stowed away within 20 seconds with a push of a button, even at speeds of up to 18kph (quite slow, if you ask us).
How is the car\'s air resistance affected with the folding roof? With the roof up, the car\'s coefficient of drag is 0.28; with the roof retracted, the figure goes up to 0.33.
The 4-Series Convertible, for now, is being offered with three powerplants: a pair of gasoline engines and one diesel. There\'s an in-line six-cylinder petrol engine for the 435i Convertible, a four-cylinder petrol engine for the 428i Convertible, and a four-cylinder diesel for the 420d Convertible. These engines, featuring the latest BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, have output numbers ranging from 184hp to 306hp. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while an eight-speed automatic transmission is an option. Both transmissions are complemented by an automatic start/stop function.
Asian Carmakers Corporation, BMW\'s distributor in the Philippines, will launch the 4-Series Coupe first, probably by the end of the year or at the start of next year. And then we can expect the convertible after that. So, if you have a rest house in Baguio and would love to drive a compact roadster up the twisties, you might want to wait for this one.
