BMW M4 Competition Convertible xDrive revealed, Australia confirmed

The 2021 BMW M4 Competition Convertible xDrive has officially been unveiled as the third and final body shape for the current G80-era M3 and M4 performance range (only two more years ‘til we get the wagon).

Unlike its predecessor, the F83 M4 Convertible, the new topless two-door is equipped with a fabric roof rather than a hard-top folding job.

BMW says this change equates (unsurprisingly) to a roof 40 per cent lighter than the hardtop, which has also freed up an additional 80 litres of luggage space in the boot.

The new fabric covering can also be deployed or retracted on the move at speeds up to 50km/h in just 18-seconds.

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Despite the swap from metal to fabric, however, the latest iteration of the moniker tips the scales at a hefty 1995 kilograms, which is a whopping 205 kilograms more than the F83.

How has this happened? Well, apart from the car itself being heavier, which has already been well publicised, as the name would suggest, the roofless M4 will only be available with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system.

Driven front wheels always translate to a heavier kerb weight. Nevertheless, BMW is claiming its latest drop-top performance car is far quicker than the one it replaces.

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The formidable S58 twin-turbocharged three-litre six-cylinder motor pumps out no less than 375kW and 650Nm and is mated to a ZF quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission.

Couple this tremendous shove (44kW and 100Nm more than the F83 M4 Competition) with the exceedingly clever xDrive system, and the new drop-top can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds (0.6 quicker than its predecessor).

Flat-out, the M4 will hit a claimed limited top speed of 250km/h, or 280km/h if the M Driver’s Package option box is ticked.

Those fond of opposite lock needn’t worry either, as the topless M4, like the rest of the G80 Competition variants with xDrive, has three separate driving modes to choose from – 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD.

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The new convertible has also been festooned with bespoke componentry and additional bracing to ensure the chassis doesn’t get bent out of shape when the going gets twisty.

The rear of the vehicle scores a unique set of torsion struts, and the rear axle has been rigidly connected to the car’s body. The front axle subframe gets a unique aluminium shear panel too.

There’s also a bespoke steering ratio and geometry for the double-joint spring strut front axle, while the five-link rear axle has received specially tuned kinematics and elastokinematics.

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Stylistically, the G80-series M4 convertible looks virtually identical to its two-door coupe and four-door sedan siblings, with perhaps the most notable design change being the lack of a rear lip spoiler on the boot lid, which has been replaced by an additional brake light.

WhichCar has confirmed with the marque’s local arm the 2021 BMW M4 Competition Convertible xDrive is coming to Australia.

It should land on our shores in the fourth quarter of 2021, around the same time the M3 and M4 Competition Coupe xDrive arrive.