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Like the outgoing 3 Series convertible, it is more than just a powerful, well-honed athlete as we found out during an international media drive in Las Vegas, the United States.
BMW had picked a good time to conduct the media drive in Sin City, as we enjoyed open-sky driving with cool, pleasant weather and a clear, dark sky in late winter.
In the cabin, there are also various chrome elements, such as the frame surrounding the audio and air conditioning system.
The iDrive system from BMW uses a rotate-and-press dial that enables one-handed control for entertainment, information, communication and navigation functions.
Front seats are also electrically adjustable as standard.
There are also rear air-conditioning vents, which we welcomed as there were three adults in the car during the drive on smooth motorways and in picturesque deserts surrounding Las Vegas.
Regarding the 435i convertible’s exterior looks, we think it has a gorgeous front end, which is fitted with full-LED twin headlights which team up with the forward-slanting BMW kidney grille.
These Air Breathers are found just rearwards of the front wheels.
Also, rear luggage space is more than respectable for a hardtop convertible.
A total of 220 litres of storage space is available after an electro-hydraulic loading assistance system positions the folded hardtop in the boot.
The 177km drive’s starting point was the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located near the Nellis Air Force Base, and it was a surreal experience for us as American fighter jets roared overhead.
Meanwhile, there is plenty of grunt from the 3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol engine in the 435i convertible, and the eight-speed Sports automatic delivers power smoothly.
However, we not do any spirited driving as we were told that the Nevada Highway Patrol has zero tolerance for speeding.
Of course, the cruise control was handy when we wanted to relax our right foot.
Now, the new 4 Series convertible is billed as providing more driving pleasure than the outgoing 3 Series convertible.
To improve the driving dynamics of the car, BMW says its engineers worked to give it a 19mm lower roll centre.
There were hardly any vehicles on the winding and narrow road, which had a few sharp turns.
Depending on our mood, we also selected ECO PRO, COMFORT or SPORT driving modes via the Driving Experience Control switch on the centre console, which changes the throttle response.
A brake pad wear indicator and the Brake Drying function are standard on all models.
We kept strictly to the highway speed limit which was around 70mph (112kph).
We were not familiar with Nevada state roads, but getting to our destination without fuss was aided by the convenience of having the car’s full-colour Head-Up Display projecting key data (such as current speed and navigation instructions) onto the windscreen.
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Of course, the cruise control was handy when we wanted to relax our right foot.
With the hardtop up, we found more than adequate head and rear leg room for 1.7m adult occupants.
According to BMW, the hardtop has a “noise-absorbing” headliner to reduce wind noise by up to 2dB.
We found the cabin to be a well-insulated environment as we enjoyed music playback from the premium audio system.
An optional extra available for the first time, are neck warmers for the front seats as part of a Cold Weather Package.
These neck warmers are in the form of air vents, located below the headrests, that blow warm air.
However, we doubt the neck warmers would be asked for in Malaysia’s tropical climate.
Before reaching the narrow roads in the Valley of Fire State Park, we stopped the car and lowered the retractable hardtop to get some topless driving experience.
All it took was a push of a button to transform the coupe into a topless four-seater within 20 seconds.
The top can also be lowered when the car is moving at speeds up to 18kph.
The open-sky driving allowed us to take in the awesome scenery at the park, which was named for its fiery red sandstone formations.
According to www.vegas.com, because of its stunning scenery, movies such as Transformers, 10,000 B.C. and Planet Of The Apes had scenes filmed at the Valley of Fire.
This is partly due to the 4 Series convertible’s longer 2,810mm wheelbase (up by 50mm) and wider track in front and at the rear.
The 4 Series convertible also has a low centre of gravity as it sits 10mm closer to the road than the latest BMW 3 Series sedan.
Also, when compared with its predecessor, the car’s torsional stiffness has increased by 40% and weight is reduced by up to 20kg due to the use of high- and ultra-high-strength steel.
While it’s great to know about these characteristics of the car, we had to keep in mind that posted speed limits in the Valley of Fire State Park range from 25 to 45mph (40 to 72kph).
So, we drove at a leisurely pace that did not demand much from the 435i convertible, which was shod with 19-inch light-alloy wheels in multi-spoke design and fitted with 225/40 (front) and 255/35 (rear) tyres.
The car’s electric power steering, with speed-sensitive power assistance, was sharp and had lots of feedback.
The 4 Series convertible is also offered in two other variants, namely the 428i with a four-cylinder petrol engine and the 420d with a four-cylinder diesel power plant.
Other highlights include a new-generation Navigation System Professional, the Driving Assistant which warns the driver of a potential collision with a pedestrian, the glare-free LED High Beam Assistant, Active Protection with Attentiveness Assistant, and the latest Active Cruise Control with Stop and Go function.
While our brief time spent with the 435i convertible did not allow us to experience its “unadulterated driving machine” capabilities, we were left with no doubts that it is a well-engineered and desirable machine with good looks that stand out on the road.
