Our spy photographers caught the new BMW 4 Series convertible testing in Europe. Moving into its next generation, the model ditches its power hard top for a soft top, a look we haven’t seen since the E46-generation 3 Series convertible.
This prototype is wearing a lot of camouflage, but we can still tell it will look significantly different from its predecessor—and there’s a strong chance it’ll even look different from the new 3 Series that just debuted. If this mule is wearing close-to-production bodywork, the 4 Series’ front end will be unique from its four-door sibling. The cut lines for the hood appear to be completely different. Also, look underneath the camo and you’ll see the kidney grilles adopt a mesh pattern much like the one on the new Z4. The headlights don’t look production-spec, but their housing shape and position in the front end could be. If that’s the case, the 4 Series’ headlights might not connect to the grilles, further differentiating the two-door model from the 3 Series.
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Our sources say the new 4 Series convertible will debut in 2020. Expect a selection of four- and six-cylinder engines as well as a plug-in hybrid version.
In the meantime, the first-generation 4 Series soldiers on after a refresh for the 2018 model year. Updates included a stiffer suspension, steering improvements, and small design tweaks. Damping changes didn’t apply to convertible models, however. In addition to the convertible, the current 4 Series is available in a standard coupe and a four-door Gran Coupe.
Photo source: CarPix