The BMW M4 Competition Convertible Weighs 2 Tonnes, Does 62mph in 3.7sec

Thanks to the use of a folding metal roof, the old F83 BMW M4 was a hefty thing. Its ‘G83’ successor, on the other hand, has a lighter fabric top, but it’s heavier still, with a kerb weight of 1995kg. Yep, five kilos short of two tonnes.

There are a couple of reasons for this. For one, the car’s G82 M4 Competition coupe sibling has put on weight relative to its predecessor, so the Convertible is off to a porky start. Secondly, you can only have it in xDrive all-wheel drive form.

This does mean it’s seriously quick off the mark, though. Feeding both axles via the eight-speed automatic gearbox and centre differential, a 503bhp twin-turbo ‘S58’ inline-six can punt the G83 from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds. That’s two tenths faster than the rear-drive M4 Competition tin top, and only a couple of tenths away from the M4 Comp xDrive coupe. The top speed, you’ll be highly unsurprised to learn, is electronically-limited to 155mph, or 174mph with the M Driver’s package specced.

A more important stat for day-to-day usage is the speed of the roof, and here, the M4 Comp Convertible fares reasonably well compared to other four-seater drop-tops. You’re looking at 18 seconds to raise or lower the roof, which can be done at driving at speeds of up to 31mph.

Boot space has taken a bit of a hit, dropping from the 440 litres offered in the coupe to 385 litres with the roof up, dipping further to 300 litres with it stowed. Still, that’s a big improvement on the old car, which dropped to a paltry 200 litres with the complicated hardtop roof folded down.

The M4 makes for a nicely rigid starting point, thanks to M specific chassis bracing and a single-piece aluminium sheer panel for the front subframe. To make up for the loss of the roof, the Convertible gets a “custom-designed package of torsion struts” at the rear, BMW says.

Want one? BMW will charge £81,915 in the UK when production kicks off in July. Initial deliveries are set to commence shortly afterwards, just in time for the tail end of summer.