It’s Happening: BMW i4 Convertible Spied For The First Time

We’ve been talking about the possibility of an i4 Convertible for years, and now we have definitive proof it’s happening. Spy shots reveal that even though BMW recently discontinued the Z4 and the 8 Series Convertible, it isn’t abandoning this niche segment. Joining the combustion-engine 4 Series Convertible will be a two-door, four-seat i4 with an electrically folding roof.

Built on the same Neue Klasse platform as the new i3 Sedan, the i4 Convertible already appears to have most of its final body panels in place. However, we can say with certainty these are not the final headlights and taillights. These provisional clusters will make way for the production-spec units later in the testing phase. That said, their shape, size, and location are unlikely to change, as doing so would require altering the body panels. Only the internal lighting design will be revised to achieve a look likely to resemble the i3.

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Elsewhere, we’ve already seen these aerodynamic two-tone wheels on the i3 Sedan. Lurking from behind, the red brake calipers indicate at least an M Sport Package. The camouflage creates the illusion of a conventional grille with small kidney grilles. Still, it’s merely a visual trick to conceal the closed-off horizontal grille that will merge with the headlights, echoing the i3.

Hardtops Are A Thing Of The Past

As if it wasn’t obvious already, the i4 will have a fabric roof like the combustion-engine 4 Series Convertible (G23) currently on sale, rather than the retractable hardtop of the old F33 generation. We weren’t expecting a metal roof because a soft top has become the industry standard. Carmakers prefer fabric roofs because they’re lighter and less complex, resulting in lower production costs. They also take up less space when folded, freeing up more room in the trunk than a hardtop.

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Even though it’s cloaked in heavy camouflage, it’s already clear the i4 looks radically different from the 4 Series Convertible. It will fully embrace the Neue Klasse design language, and that will extend to the interior as well. Everything you liked or disliked about the i3 Sedan’s cabin is likely to carry over to its convertible sibling. The “less is more” philosophy means the iDrive rotary controller is gone, along with an even greater reduction in physical switchgear compared to pre-Neue Klasse models.

The BMW i4 Convertible Will Have 2+2 Seating

We’re hopeful for a roomier back seat since the i4 Convertible will be built on a dedicated EV platform. The overhangs are quite short, and ideally the wheelbase has been stretched to give rear passengers more legroom. However, the prototype doesn’t give the impression of having a particularly spacious back seat, which is to be expected from almost any convertible.

Since these are only the first spy shots, the wraps aren’t coming off anytime soon. BMW’s first order of business is to roll out the iX4 crossover-coupe sometime this fall before the i3 Touring joins the lineup in 2027. That leaves the i4 Convertible as a likely 2028 debut, possibly alongside an i4 Coupe (NA2).

When the i4 Convertible eventually arrives, it will coexist with the combustion-engine 4 Series Convertible. The G23 is said to remain in production until mid-2029, but the future of another gas-powered model remains uncertain.