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BMW M3 Convertible road test report

BMW M3 Convertible

There's something about open-air motoring that appeals to us Brits, which is why we're the second-biggest market for convertibles in Europe. We also go mad for BMW's motorsport-inspired M cars: in fact, we love them so much, only the Yanks buy more of them than we do. Add these two phenomena together and you don’t have to be a genius to realise that the new M3 Convertible – the first M car to feature a retractable hard-topped roof and the first M3 Convertible to be powered by a V8 - is going to go down well in the UK.

Road Test Reports Says 5 star rating
A front-facing image of the BMW M3 Convertible

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CRAIGT SAYS

Performance Performance - 5 stars

Like the other two cars in the M3 line-up, the Coupe and Saloon, the Convertible is hugely impressive on the road. The 4.0-litre V8 is a superb engine: with 414bhp on tap at 8,300rpm and 295lb-ft of torque available from low down in the rev range, there's always plenty of power to call on. And it has the added advantage of sounding glorious, especially with the roof down. The throttle response can also be made a little keener, thanks to the M Drive button on the steering wheel, which allows the driver to configure the car's set-up according to their personal preferences. Our test car also came fitted with the new seven-speed M DCT automatic gearbox, a dual-clutch transmission that produces smooth, instantaneous shifts in fully automatic mode or, if you like to swap cogs in your own time, can be operated manually using a standard gear shift or steering wheel-mounted paddleshifts.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 4 stars

In common with the other M3s, the ride in the Convertible is spot-on, especially if you opt for the Electronic Damper Control (EDC) to allow you to adapt to the driving conditions. This system lets you choose between Comfort, Normal or Sport settings at the touch of a button: if you don’t opt for EDC, the standard M damper setting gives you something between Sport and Normal. The M3 has a reputation for being one of BMW’s sweetest handling cars, but the current generation has been something of a disappointment for aficionados, with the steering coming in for criticism for not being quite as focused as previous iterations. The car also handles very well, but despite having a hydraulically assisted set-up, the steering still doesn't have that sense of feedback that a keen driver needs in order to have total confidence in what exactly the special Michelin-developed tyres are doing.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 5 stars

The current generation of the 3-Series has been around in non-M form since 2005 (with some mid-life revisions at the end of 2008) and has proved to be a solid, dependable car, so there's no reason to expect any problems with the M3. Obviously, with the extra power on offer, the clutch and brakes may not last as long in the M3 as they do in, say, 3-Series Coupes, but as long as you don't drive like a lunatic all the time they'll stand up well to daily use. Fit and finish inside and out of the M3 is impeccable, as you’d expect from a premium performance car, with glossy paintwork and sumptuous leather. There are a lot of electronics in the M3, but there haven't been any reported issues with the more complex systems in the M5 or M6, so the M3 should be equally trouble-free.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 5 stars

The 3-Series saloon received a five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests, so there's no reason to suspect the M3 version won't perform just as well. There are plenty of electronic safety aids on hand to keep the M3 driver out of trouble and six airbags (driver, passenger, side and head/thorax) are fitted to protect the occupants. The M3 Convertible is also equipped with a rollover sensor system that constantly monitors the vertical and horizontal movement of the car. If the sensors detect that the car is about to roll over, rollbars located behind the rear headrests pop up. At the same time, the front seatbelt pre-tensioners are activated and the head/thorax airbags are deployed. The metal folding roof will also give you added peace of mind as a convertible owner – there's no need to worry about jealous hooligans with blades slicing into your pride and joy.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 4 stars

The M3 Convertible is a very comfortable car, with a superb driving position that will suit drivers of all dimensions, thanks to electrically adjustable seats and steering wheel. It's also remarkably comfortable at high speed with the roof down, the wind deflector doing an incredible job of reducing buffeting in the cabin to a barely perceptible minimum. Even at 130mph on a derestricted autobahn in Germany, there was hardly any turbulence in the cabin: it was a bit noisy, as you'd expect, but it was nothing that a slight volume increase of the stereo couldn't handle. Room in the back is a bit limited and carrying passengers there means you can't use the wind deflector, so to all intents and purposes, it's a two-seater, especially if you factor in the lack of bootspace (350 litres, or 210 with the roof down), the result of that folding metal roof.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 3 stars

Cars powered by V8s are, as you’d expect, pretty expensive to run – and the M3 is no exception, despite BMW’s Efficient Dynamics measures. Once you get past the initial purchase price, there are the ongoing costs to consider. Officially, the M3 will return 22.8mpg on the combined cycle, but if you drive the M3 anywhere near its full potential that figure will easily drop into the low teens. CO2 emissions are 295g/km, putting the M3 firmly in the top tax bracket. Insurance costs will also be high, as the M3 is in the top group 20. The M3 should hold its value well and still be in demand a few years down the line on the used market. And if you factor in the demand for drop-tops in the UK, the M3 Convertible should command good residuals when (if) you ever tire of all that open-air fun.

Submitted: 29/04/2009 14:56:39

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