Top Down Driving Machine Induces Nirvana _
There are few things in life as satisfying as hitting the open road in a convertible on a warm and sunny day. Feeling the wind in your hair, sun on your head and shoulders, your favourite tunes playing through the speakers, and with a near unobstructed view of the world around you while enjoying your favourite roads can actually induce driving nirvana. I know. I actually experienced it three years ago while driving a Boxster on a perfectly awesome late fall day. I’ve been trying to recreate it ever since.
Most people think of convertibles as small, sporty two-door coupes with barely enough space for two people and an overnight bag or two. And while that is the most traditional view of open-top motoring, there’s no shortage of four- and five-passenger convertibles on the market that allow you and your family or friends a similar experience.
My week with BMW’s M4 Cabriolet didn’t result in that ever-so-elusive déjà vu moment, unfortunately. It did, however, give my two-year-old son an opportunity to experience his first convertible drive with daddy and mommy – a great memory we’ll never forget.
The M4 Cabrio is essentially the same as its M4 Coupé counterpart, sharing the same 425-horsepower, 3.0L inline-six (S55) engine with 406 lb-ft of torque, and the choice of a six-speed manual or optional seven-speed M double-clutch transmission…
You can get a less powerful 4 Series cab and enjoy the open air for a lot less (the standard 4 Series Cabriolet starts at CAD $58,200), but if you’re a performance junkie, only the M4 will do. There’s nothing wrong with that. The next step is the almighty M6 cabrio, and if you can afford the near $130,000 sticker price, you can enjoy the open-air soundtrack of a 600-horsepower V8 instead. At 4.2 seconds from 0-100 km/h, it won’t get you there any faster though.
As for recreating that perfect motoring moment, I feel like I’m stuck in the script of the Edge of Tomorrow, only I don’t have the ability to travel back in time.
Continue reading my review of the 2015 BMW M4 Cabriolet on the IGNITION MAGAZINE website!