11/02/2021
If we were to tell you that the first cars to leave the
original
BMW workshop were built under licence, you’d probably be surprised. If
we told you that in fact, those cars built under licence were Austin Sevens,
you’d quite possibly not believe it, but it is true.
The first BMW was in fact an Austin.
Ninety-three years later, and it seems that BMW have pretty
much got the (automotive) world at their feet; producing over 2.25m vehicles
every year, with a turnover in the region of £90m per annum. Long gone are the
days of scrabbling for crumbs from small British manufacturers.
And their line-up includes some of the most sought-after
vehicles on sale.
BMW have recently updated their iconic front kidney grille,
and it’s quite a radical departure from what was there before, but we think
that it shows commitment to a new way of thinking, a new design ethos – if you
wanted to show that the new BMWs were very different from the outgoing models,
what better way than changing the whole face of them?
And the new BMW 4 Series Convertible really is very
different.
For example, the new soft top roof is 40% lighter than its
predecessor, and that helps with agility, ride, and handling, and of course,
fuel consumption.
Speaking of ride & handling, the wide stance and low
centre of gravity means that the 4 Series feels sure-footed and secure regardless
of driving conditions, and with up to 374hp and 500Nm torque on tap, that’s a
good thing!
If you look closely, the 4 Series Convertible is full of
details that while on their own may not sound revolutionary, when combined,
they create a world class product.
Some of those details are for performance, such as the
updated M Sport suspension, and some are for better usability, like the
acoustic windscreen or extended LED lighting (and that’s not the ambient
lighting system in the car).
There are some rather useful extras also, depending on which
trim level, or boxes are ticked – the fantastic BMW Laserlights for example,
which improves the high-beam output, and creates a light that’s brighter than
any traditional Xenon or LED headlights, or if you pick the Driving Assistant
Professional option, you get steering and lane control assistant, active cruise
control and automatic speed limit detection.
Of course you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and
there’s a 10.25-inch infotainment screen to control everything; you’ll find the
system intuitive, and places the controls right at your fingertips without an
annoying number of systems/screens to access.
A great deal of thought has gone into the system, and it
shows. Or perhaps you want a HUD (Head Up Display) that’s more than a gimmick?
The 4 Series can offer you that also.
There are three convertibles on offer – the M Sport, M Sport
Pro Edition, and the M440i xDrive, with a choice of powerplants and
drivetrains, all of which offer something more than the competition. (Is there
really any competition when it comes to cars like these?)
If you’d like to find out more, arrange a visit, or discuss the rest of the BMW range, then get in touch with one of our friendly professionals, and they’ll be able to give you all the information you need.