Driven: BMW 435i Convertible

As we all know, BMW has moved away from the 3 series coupe to create yet another number in its already overcrowded range. But rather than being nothing more than a 2 door 3 series, the 4 is in fact lower, stiffer and generally sportier.

Take the roof off and put a 3 litre, turbo-charged motor under the bonnet and you'd expect heart palpitations, and possibly a trip to the nurse if things get too exciting. But at first glance the 435i convertible seems quite plain, really.

I know, it seems mad. A 225kw, R800,000, rear drive BMW should make you tingle. But driving along an amazing stretch of road on a sunny spring day with the wind in my hair, well, I'm almost bored.

Now I believe this has a lot to do with BMW's 'driving experience control'. Stupid name, I know, but it's controlled by a little switch down by the gear lever and it gives the 435 four personalities.

Turn the car on and it sets the default mode to 'Comfort', which, despite the run-flat tyres and low slung suspension, is about as comfortable as your Sealy Posturepedic with all the goose down trimmings, if not more so.

Push the down arrow and you're presented with Eco Pro mode which dumbs everything down considerably. The throttle now feels like you've wedged a tennis ball underneath it, the motor is no longer capable of breathing fire and gear shifts take place at much lower revs. All in a bid to make the 435 more efficient, so that polar bears can still wallow about in some ice. And frankly it works; despite all the lunacy under the bonnet, the 435 will potter about town, sipping frugally from the fuel tank and emitting very few CO2's.

However, should you be in the mood for a bout of spirited driving, push the up arrow instead. This presents a picture of a red engine on the big multimedia display and say's "Dynamic driving". Push it again for Sport + and more things turn red and it lets you know that there is now limited driving stability.

These two modes are like a switch that turns on the 435's tingle factor, literally. Steering is sharp, throttle response instant, gears change at light speed with nice blips on the downshift. It feels tight, well sorted in every regard, delivering an exceptional driving experience. Perhaps, if I were being picky, the electronic steering could give better feedback; but it's still unrivalled in this category.

Aside from the drive the 4 is very well appointed, as you'd expect. There's a contemporary mix of leather and aluminium that fills the cabin, all the gadgetry you could possibly need, a decent amount of space for front and back passengers, and provided the roof is up the boot will swallow a weekend's worth of luggage. A set of golf clubs are a no-go however.

If you're looking to buy a two door, four seat, sports convertible, you don't have many options. You could pop by your local Audi, who'll offer you an A5. But those are all front, or all-wheel drive, which is very boring indeed. Alternately, if you're an old person, Mercedes will sell you an E-Class. But that certainly won't drive as well, even if you go all out and get an AMG one.

Instead, you can pop down to your local BMW and get the best of the lot.

Price: R 839 000
Engine: 2,979cc six cylinder turbo charged petrol
Power: 225 kW
Torque: 400 Nm
Acceleration (0-100km/h): 5.5
Top Speed (km/h): 250 (limited)
Consumption (l/100km): 8.1 (claimed)
Service: 5yr/100 000km maintenance plan