Road test review: BMW M850i Convertible
Friday, 28 August 2020
BMW M850i CONVERTIBLE
Base price: $277,400
Powertrain and economy: 4.4-litre turbo-petrol V8, 390kW/750Nm, 8-speed automatic, AWD, combined economy 10.6 L/100km, CO2 243g/km (source: RightCar).
Vital statistics: 4843mm long, 1902mm wide, 1341mm high, 2822mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 314 litres, 20-inch alloy wheels.
We like: Epic drive, quality interior, looks great.
We don't like: Roof-up visibility, expensive, chintzy glass details
We’ve tested the BMW M850i before in Coupe form so we already know the gist of the thing. But are there any major differences between it and the Convertible?
Well, the roof, for starters…
Good eye. This is, as mentioned, the Convertible, which means it has a mechanically retracting soft-top. That also means its more of a “sunny Sunday” sort of car, as driving a convertible in the rain rapidly loses appeal.
**READ MORE:
* First drive road test review: Mercedes-Benz GLE coupe
* BMW M850i mixes luxury with speed
* Electric BMW i8 puts on airs in new roadster version
**
I’m not saying the roof leaks or anything, it’s actually quite cosy to drive in the wet, but you want to be able to drop the top and experience the wind in your hair, right?
Another reason to drop the roof is the rather appalling visibility through the glass rear window. It’s too small, which makes it feel like you’re looking through a porthole on a ship. Thankfully, quality rear-facing cameras help alleviate the issue.
Being a grand tourer at heart, the M850i Convertible is a quiet thing at speed. The roof is thick with sound insulation and road noise is kept to a minimum. Aside from the roof, the interior is lifted wholesale from the Coupe, which means it’s very good, aside from the chintzy glass details on the shifter, starter button and iDrive rotary controller.
The seat heaters also warm the centre armrest and door sill, which is appreciated in the late winter months I drove the convertible. The neck warmer needs to be a bit stronger though, I couldn’t feel it working when driving on the motorway with the roof down.
There are rear seats but the legroom is literally nonexistent, so they’re best used for as extra storage benches.
Extra reinforcement in the chassis means the M850i Convertible pushes weight above two tonnes, compared to the 1965kg Coupe. But you don’t really feel those extra kay-gees for one good reason.
Let me guess – a great big V8?
Nailed it! The Covertible gets the same engine as the Coupe, that being a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 making 390kW/750Nm. Despite the double-tonne mass, the Convertible will still belt to 100kmh in 3.7 seconds – identical to the Coupe.
This engine is one of BMW’s finest works recently. It bellows and snaps without too much help from artificial noise through the speakers, all the more audible with the roof down. The turbos spool up almost instantly and good grief do they hit hard.
Helped by a slick eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, this is a droptop grand tourer that will happily devour corners like any other nigh-on $300k sports car. You might encounter some understeer when really hustling but most of the time the all-paw xDrive system sorts things out nicely.
Then, when you’re done, switch out of Sports mode and let the M850i settle back. BMW’s autonomous driving is now good enough to handle pretty much all motorway driving by itself. All you need to do is keep a hand on the wheel, driving with one arm on the window sill, all class.
Any other cars I should consider?
The biggest hurdle I see for the M850i Convertible isn’t its performance creds, it's the sticker price. $277,400 ($283k with the added Carbon Exterior Pack, as tested) puts it up against Mercedes-Benz’ $283,900 S 560 Cabriolet. If you want something that leans more towards the sporty side of things, the Porsche 911 Targa 4S is currently $283,800, for something similar but different.
Meanwhile, the closest Aston in terms of price is the $249k V8 Vantage but those wanting a drophead GT will be looking at the $335k DB11 V8 Volante.