There’s obviously a close connection to BMW’s 3 Series saloons and 4 Series coupes, with the latter being spun off as its own line in 2013. We just saw the all-new 3 Series debut at the Paris Motor Show, but that doesn’t mean the next 4 Series will be a carbon-copy with two fewer doors. That holds especially true for this droptop model, spied once again with a thick layer of camouflage wrap.
The new 4 Series story so far:
This time around, however, photographers managed to get all kinds of shots, including some rather close angles of the front clip. That extra effort shows us something interesting – a grille that appears to resemble the Z4 as opposed to the 3 Series. The Z4’s distinctive grille pattern is clearly visible, though the tight camo wrap is effective at hiding other details. It’s also possible the grille is a clever placeholder, though our spider sense tells us it could be a production component.
We already know the 4 Series convertible will ride on the same CLAR platform underpinning the new 3 Series, and as such we expect overall dimensions to be the same. That also means a potentially substantial weight reduction is coming, and not just due to the switch from a retractable hard top to a lighter soft top. The 3 Series sheds weight despite growing in size, and there’s every reason to believe the next 4 Series could enjoy a similar drop.
Under the bonnet we expect BMW will offer an engine lineup similar to the new 3, which includes a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot good for 255 bhp and a 3.0-litre inline-six diesel making 262 bhp. There are also rumours a plug-in hybrid version of the ragtop could surface down the road.
Even though we just saw the new 3 Series, we still don’t expect to see the 4 Series convertible revealed until sometime next year as a 2020 model.
Source: CarPix
Gallery: BMW 4 Series Convertible Spy Photos