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Spy Shot: BMW 4-Series Convertible
Earlier this year we revealed how the next generation of mid-size BMW drop-tops (and coupes) would be called 4-Series, creating an all-new range from the omnipresent 3-Series models. Now we've spied this new model out testing, confirming our suspicions that its appearance will be more conservative than the radically styled 5 and 7-Series.

Notice this car's relatively long overhangs at the front and rear, giving it a more substantial profile. The 6-Series-style tapering and rounded nose is toned down slightly in the Four, but the headlamps are unmistakably cat-like. Some sources believe that the 4-Series convertible will have a solid folding roof, as these pictures appear to suggest. But earlier conjecture held that the roof is likely to be a sophisticated but traditional canvas fold-down item. Indeed, it would be difficult to imagine how space could be found in the boot for the large glass backlight pictured here, so this may be a removable hardtop strictly for winter use, as optional on current 3-Series Convertibles. A steel folding roof would also be quite a departure for BMW, which believes that the weight penalties of such an approach are too onerous.

Possible powerplants include the two- to three-litre petrols, and - if the 320Cd Convertible is any indication - diesel options as well. These will almost certainly appear in the coupe version of the 4-Series.
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