BMW 435i Convertible review

Bmw 435i Convertible Review The difference between a coupe and a convertible used to be as clear as day. But that changed when hard-top convertibles came into being. Early topless cars used to suffer from body flex, and the additional braces within the body to compensate for the loss of rigidity often led to heavier cars with trashier rides. Their canvas roofs also had inferior insulation against outside noises.

Coupes, on the other hand, had excellent body rigidity, thanks to their taut and compact form, and the absence of two doors. But they had the tendency to make occupants feel a little claustrophobic, especially if they were seated in the back.

Bmw 435i Convertible Review 1 Enter coupe-cabriolets, offering the best of both “worlds”. You get the rigidity of a hard-top, and the alfresco motoring of a convertible. But a couple of issues remain. Convertibles are still heavier than coupes, and they can look a little less elegant because of the additional space required to stow the roof.

BMW seems to have addressed these in its latest 4 Series Convertible. In fact, it has done a brilliant job –the car is the closest match ever to its coupe equivalent. And it looks good, too –proportionate and balanced. The car is 26mm longer than the 3 Series Convertible it replaces, with a wheelbase that is 50mm longer at 2810mm, which incidentally translates to rather generous rear accommodation for a two-door its size. You might think a car that is stretched by that much would lose some dynamism. But BMW has broadened the convertible at the same time – its front and rear tracks are 45mm and 81mm wider respectively. If you are picturing a car with dragster-like haunches, you are not too far off. That is not all, the car also sits 8mm closer to the tarmac. Bmw 435i Convertible Review 2 BMW claims torsional rigidity has been improved by 40 percent with the use of high-tensile steel. The fringe benefit of this steel is weight saving – the new car is about 20kg lighter than its predecessor, although it is still slightly heavier than the Coupe with the same drivetrain. The topless wonder has a drag-coefficient value of 0.28, which is pretty creditable and identical to the Coupe’s value. With the roof down, the value goes up to 0.33, which is still fairly respectable.

On the road, all these qualities come to the fore. The open-top 435i displays precision of movement, enviable agility and the nimbleness of a smaller vehicle. Of course, being powered by BMW’s famed turbo inline-6 helps. This gem of a powerplant has so much reserve, it shrugs off the Convertible’s weight penalty like it does not exist. On paper though, the difference is apparent in the 0-100km/h timing. The Convertible does it in 5.5 seconds, versus the Coupe’s 5.1. But unless your trips consist largely of century sprints strung together, you will not notice the sunshine Bimmer’s deficit. Bmw 435i Convertible Review 4 Neither are you likely to find the ride lumpier or the handling shoddier. And it feels and sounds like a BMW, with strong linear acceleration, quick and tight steering, nearly undetectable gearshifts, predictable braking and a rich, throaty exhaust note. Because of the model’s improved insulation, that exhaust note is best enjoyed with the roof down. Alas, for this reviewer, the few days I had the car were either too hot or too wet for roof-down motoring.

With the roof up, the BMW’s air- conditioning does not seem to cope well in the midday sun. The other thing about the 435i (at least the demo unit) is the way its engine restarts –the whole cabin shudders. You could always deactivate the stop-start mechanism (using the button positioned logically above the ignition switch), but that would mean higher fuel consumption. As it is, the car averaged 7.7km per litre over my four-day test-drive, which is significantly thirstier than what the manufacturer declares. That aside, what we have here is a peachy coupe-cabriolet that serves up the best of both worlds.

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