2015 BMW M4 convertible adds sunshine to the M4’s resume

By Stephen Edelstein April 4, 2014

BMW will follow up the highly-anticipated 2015 M3 sedan and M4 coupe with the debut of an all-new M4 convertible at the 2014 New York Auto Show.

Waiting in the wings since the sedan and coupe debuted at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, the M4 convertible is almost identical to its siblings, other than the folding roof.

That means the convertible has the same 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged inline-six as its siblings, producing 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. It also comes with the same choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed M-DCT transmissions.

The M4 convertible also comes with the same high-tech hardware as the fixed-roof cars – including the Active M Differential and Adaptive M Suspension – so cornering should be just as much fun with the top down.

That top, by the way, is made of metal, just like on the last M3 convertible. BMW says improvements for the M4 reduce cabin noise by 2 decibels (the better to hear that straight-six), while an upgraded wind blocker will keep occupants’ toupees intact.

Retracting the top takes 20 seconds at speeds up to 11 mph, but stowing it eats up almost half of the M4’s trunk space.

However, that’s a minor inconvenience compared to the weight penalty for going topless.

While the 2015 M4 convertible was subject to the same diet as its siblings – and weighs about 90 pounds less than the previous M3 convertible – it still weighs about 500 pounds more than the M4 coupe.

That added bulk shows when the stopwatches come out.

The M4 convertible will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds with the M-DCT transmission, or 4.4 seconds with the manual. That’s pretty quick, but the coupe takes just 3.9 seconds with the dual-clutch and 4.1 seconds with the manual. Both cars are limited to 155 mph.

Buyers should expect to pay a bit more as well. The 2015 BMW M4 convertible will arrive in U.S. showrooms this summer, most likely at a slight premium over the M4 coupe’s $65,125 base price.

In addition to the M4 convertible, BMW will unveil the 2015 X4 crossover coupe and 2015 Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe at the New York Auto Show, which begins April 16. Check back here for the latest updates.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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