While being more expensive than its four-door sibling, the M440i convertible is more exotic with its looks, and being a convertible certainly adds to the driving experience, says Somnath Chatterjee.
IMAGE: The BMW M44i is the latest convertible car in India. It comes with 19-inch wheels with 225/40 R19 tyres and a good looking bright red set of brake callipers. All Photographs: Somnath Chatterjee
Key Points
- The BMW M440i Convertible combines sporty performance, luxury features, and open-top driving excitement for Indian road conditions.
- Its 374 bhp six-cylinder turbo petrol engine delivers sharp acceleration, loud exhaust notes, and engaging driving dynamics.
- The fabric roof opens or closes within 18 seconds and functions while driving at speeds up to 50 km/h.
- Adaptive suspension and all-wheel drive improve comfort and practicality despite low ground clearance and limited rear space.
- Priced at Rs 1.09 crore, the convertible offers a more exotic alternative to the standard BMW M340i sedan.
Convertibles are often ravaged with claims such as being impractical for our roads and, of course, the climate not being suitable for top-down driving.
However, the latest crop of convertible cars is well equipped to handle our extreme climates with foldable roofs, while when the weather becomes ideal, it unlocks a different side to motoring with its unique driving experience.
Here, we tested the latest BMW M440i convertible on Indian roads to find out more.
Fast, but is it practical?
IMAGE: The front gets unique DRLs, and the centre grill has openable vents which close when the car is shut down.
The Rs 1.09 cr BMW M440i convertible is the more glamorous version of the four-door M340i and comes with its fabled six-cylinder turbo petrol engine.
Sans roof, the M440i is an even better place to hear the exhaust note as the 6-cylinder 374 bhp turbo petrol opens up in sport mode, with loud pops and crackles.
It is an event to drive, with its sharp engine and driving manners, while the xDrive technology keeps you planted on the road with All Wheel Drive.
Sure, while the low ground clearance needs caution, the M440i convertible is fairly practical with adaptive suspension and all of the usual luxury features found on a BMW.
The new range of BMWs is touchscreen-focused and lets go of some buttons, but that nitpicking aside, the interior is doused in black, along with a few red bits thrown in, which remind you that it's an 'M' product.
While being a four-seater, your friends might have to sacrifice some room for a ride in this car as the rear seats are cramped, while luggage space is also less, with the roof taking up all of the space.
The roof takes only 18 seconds to operate
Speaking of which, the fabric roof only takes 18 seconds to become a coupe or convertible, while you can do so while driving up to speeds of 50 km/h -- rather useful when there is a sudden downpour.
Roof up, it is quiet and not much wind noise seeps in while during summers, you will need to crank up the aircon a bit.
However, roof up, it is a practical BMW sports car without a back-breaking ride quality or the gearbox being too edgy.
Comes with 'CSL style' tail-lamps
IMAGE: The BMW M440i runs a wider 255/35 R19 tyre in the rear, a crucial setup to keep that xDrive system glued to the tarmac.
The styling of the car is no doubt quite attractive, with the typical M division snout flanked by gloss black trim elements.
While the large kidney grille might not be to everyone's taste, the 19inch alloys look dapper, and the tail-lamps have some intricate detailing and look quite like CSL (Coupé Sport Lightweight) type tail lights.
The equipment list includes features like a heads-up display, a 12-speaker audio system, powered seats, auto retractable seatbelts, climate control and more.
More expensive than the four-door M340i
IMAGE: The M440i gets a good chunky steering wheel, with paddle shifters, which makes driving much more fun!
While being more expensive than its four-door sibling, the M440i convertible is more exotic with its looks and being a convertible certainly adds to the driving experience.
It brings the sharp responses of the M340i with the glamour of a convertible while being practical enough to be daily driven on our roads.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff