You’ve got to appreciate the irony… BMW SA has launched the BMW 3 Series Convertible just as the first Winter drops precipitate on Cape Town. It shouldn’t really be a problem though, considering that the 335i Automatic on test comes equipped with a folding metal roof making the newcomer the first BMW of its kind. And styling wise, it’s not a bad initial effort… The Convertible’s lines are not quite as svelte as those of its Coupé sibling, but whereas many coupé convertible models look like bloated guppies, the newcomer appears only a little awkward when the roof is up and its rear three-quarter section is viewed from about 45 degrees. For the record, BMW executives go purple in their faces when one refers to the Convertible as a CC, and the standard riposte is along the lines of: “Itz nut a CC, itz a Convertible, a separate kah from ze Coupé, ohkeh?”
Now that I’ve enraged at least four fifths of the world’s German-speaking population, let me apply some soothing ointment. Although the 335i Convertible costs a staggering R591 500 (and at that price ordinary considerations such as value for money become somewhat, but not completely, superfluous), it virtually sets a benchmark for open-top cars in its segment (Mercedes-Benz’s only ragtop is the Convertible’s competitor – the CLK Cabriolet – so no guesses as to what kind of roof the upcoming wind-in-hair W204 spinoff will sport).
And, the 335i Convertible is (with the exception of the bonkers M6 Cabriolet) as near as dammit to a truly sporty open-top four seater. But in my opinion, the 335i Convertible is much nicer than the M6 and it’s because the brand new six-speed automatic transmission fits the model’s supremely flexible and sublimely sonorous 3,0-litre twin turbo straight six powerplant like a glove. Sure, the 330i automatic costs almost R100k less and will offer the same wind-in-the-hair extravagance as its big sister, but then that lazy cruise around Chapmans Peak, where the burble of the force-fed mill could echo gloriously from the wind-carved cliffs, just wouldn’t be the same, now would it?
The Convertible weighs 200 kg more than its Coupé sibling (most of the gain can be attributed to under-the-sheet metal bolstering for added chassis stiffness) and therefore purists are bound to be skeptical about the newcomers sports car credentials. However, the Convertible has sure-footed and well-balanced handling, retains the nicely-weighted steering feel of its sibling and the ride, although firm, does not illicit a porpoising effect when negotiating speed-bumps.
When driving with the roof down and side windows up the (standard) wind deflector does a commendable job of reducing buffeting to minimum. The latter is also nice to have because it will mostly obscure the shopping bags full of haute couture that you may have plunked on the rear seats. Rear accommodation is at a premium, as expected, but additional stowage space behind the rear bench back (which can be flipped forward) was a welcome addition. The entire roof mechanism folds away in about 22 seconds (the operation can be activated via the cars remote fob). It takes about a second longer to raise the Convertible’s roof from the fully-folded position.
On the road, with the hard top fully up, the Convertible produced lower levels of wind and mechanical noise than what I’ve experienced from various ragtop models, but it still wasn’t as quiet in there as the coupé’s cabin would have been. To be fair, the South Easter was howling on the day I drove the car for an extended period and to such an extent that the Convertible’s steering seemed noticeably nervous at higher speeds.
What a pleasure to drive a open-top car without massive blind spots… But seriously though, does the 335i Convertible automatic make sense? It’s certainly my favourite of the E93 range, but not the model that I would buy if it were up to me. Unfortunately for yours truly, it’s not a decision that I could make… But for those who are genuinely in the market for one, I’d like to say this: “Never before has 225 kW sounded that good!”