German enthusiast website Bimmer Today reports that the next BMW 4 Series Convertible will ditch the current model’s retractable hard top and adopt a more conventional power soft top. Surprisingly, the change will also affect the yet-unnamed roadster that will replace the Z4, a long-awaited model currently being designed jointly by BMW and industrial partner Toyota.
The decision was made because a cloth soft top is lighter than a folding metal hard top, and BMW is on a mission to shave as much weight from the topless 4 as possible. As a result, the sedan is also expected to benefit from the Munich-based car maker’s expertise in the field of composite materials such as carbon fiber.
Switching to a cloth soft top will also make the 4 more user-friendly. The current model’s top opens and closes at the push of a button in 20 seconds at speeds of up to only 11 mph. By comparison, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Convertible performs the same task in less than 20 seconds, and at up to 25 mph.
Its top aside, the next-gen 4 is shaping up to be more of an evolution than a revolution. Lower and wider than the current model (pictured), it will reportedly stand out thanks to a more muscular-looking body, a lower roof-line, and a longer wheelbase. The story will be different on the inside, where the 4 will boast a long list of high-tech features gleaned from the new 7 Series including BMW’s remote-controlled parking technology and gesture-controlled infotainment system.
We’ll have to wait quite a while to see whether or not the rumors are true because the next BMW 4 Series Convertible isn’t scheduled to arrive until about 2021.
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