BMW has revealed the new 2-series convertible. It will be officially unveiled at next month’s Paris motor show. The soft-topped convertible is the successor to the BMW 1-series convertible, which has sold more than 130,000 units around the world. The new convertible goes on sale in international markets later this month, with first deliveries expected in February 2015.
The 2-series convertible has the same footprint as the standard 2-series, and is bigger in every dimension than the 1-series; it is 72mm longer at 4432mm, 26mm wider at 1774mm and has a wheelbase that is 30mm longer at 2690mm. The front and rear tracks have been extended by 41mm and 43mm respectively.
BMW says the increase in size makes for easier entry and exit from the car for rear passengers, and greater luggage capacity. The volume of the latter has increased by 30 litres to 335 litres with the roof up; when the top is folded, the boot space is 280 litres. The boot is also 35mm wider at its widest point compared to its predecessor. The rear seat backrest can be folded using a lever in the luggage compartment.
Unlike the larger 4-series convertible, which has a retractable hard-top, the new 2-series has fabric roof. As well as saving weight, it is more practical on the smaller car, because the metal roof and its operating mechanism requires more width than the rag-top and accommodating it could compromise the design appeal of the car. The roof opens and closes in 20 seconds at the push of a switch on the centre console.
The 2-series convertible weighs about 150kg more than the equivalent coupé model due to the roof mechanism and the extra chassis reinforcement in the side panels. Torsional rigidity of the body is said to be approximately 20 per cent stiffer than the 1-series convertible.
Four engine variants will be offered internationally, all of which are more powerful yet on average 18 per cent more frugal than the units offered in the 1-series convertible.
The BMW M235i convertible is the halo model in the range. Powered by a 2979cc inline six-cylinder TwinPower turbo engine, the car produces 322bhp and 46kgm of torque. When equipped with the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the M235i convertible can sprint from a standstill to 100kph in 5.2sec, just 0.2sec slower than the coupe, and hit a top speed of 250kph.
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