2021 BMW 430i Convertible: One Nice Sleek Sportscar
Fast cars, especially convertibles, for Bears are always a challenge –- and sometimes even spell danger.
They sit low, requiring us to exercise every joint and muscle and hope nothing snaps -– like the lid on our Slurpee. Sure, the doors and the seats are wide, but so many things can go wrong as you lower yourself into the vehicle without a hoist.
But if you are like me, you love sportscars. And if you can test drive the 2021 BMW 430i, especially the convertible, you will really love the ride.
I truly enjoyed driving this car, even as the temps were approaching freezing and people were looking at me strange for blasting my surf guitar music (I’m sure the fact that my head was turning blue from the cold had nothing to do with their concern).
The BMW 4 Series coupes are considered small cars (and, of course, luxury cars), so that right there should tell you something about what kind of interior space to expect. You get a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder turbo that offers 255 horses which really does perform nicely on the road.
Handling really is great however you drive (of course, my driving is excellent and legal, really). No lag in acceleration. The ride is comfortable, meaning you don’t feel like you are inside a can of tuna once you hoist yourself in.
You expect cargo room to be skippy in a sportscar, but surprisingly, there is some decent space in the boot: 12 cubic feet, which for a sportscar of this ilk, that is impressive since it is not taken up by a spare tire or other gear.
Mileage is decent at 26 city / 34 highway.
Pricing for a sportscar, especially a two-seater, is always prohibitive, since this really should not be your day-to-day, do-you-chores, raise-your-lab-rats car of choice (well, I guess it can be). The base trim Coupe (hard top) starts at $45,600 US, and the top-tier Convertible trim is $53,100. So, yes, this is the play car you buy with all that extra cash you got from selling grandma’s mansion in Boise, Idaho, which she had since Roosevelt was President.
You actually can seat four people in this two-door BMW 4 Series, but, yeah, well… remember, we are men of size.
Standard creature features include synthetic leather upholstery, power seats, push-button start, 10-speaker audio, power heated mirrors, navigation system and of course, an automatic soft top that is great for the Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of global warming.
(With the Coupe, a sunroof is standard.)
My warning to all car buyers still stands: This is not a Door Dash or Amazon order. Do not click twice on your Apple watch and have it delivered. Get in it, sit in it, drive it and see how you like it. I don’t care how inconvenient that may be. You are buying a car, you are not buying a pizza.
I don’t care how woofy the sales bear looks on your cracked phone screen.
