The Soft Roof That’s Making Convertibles More Convenient and Comfortable

The convertible. There’s something so nostalgic about a ragtop. Maybe because convertibles reached their height in popularity during the 1960s when people were starting to let loose a little more.

No other type of vehicle expresses the feeling you get from the freedom of the open road like a convertible. But they aren’t always the most practical option, even when they have four doors. That’s why they’re often considered a secondary, fun car rather than the primary mode of transportation.

But BMW is out to change that – without relying on a retractable hard top. Many of the convertible issues cited over the years are being addressed with BMWs latest soft-top technology. Like everything else the German automaker does, the soft-top on the BMW 6 Series convertibles is advanced.

Quick Operation Even While You Drive

If you shy away from convertibles because putting the roof up and down seems like more of a hassle than it’s worth you may want to reconsider. Unlike many other convertibles, the BMW 640i and 650i can go from fully enclosed to convertible in only 19 seconds. Plus, you can lower the roof while still driving up to 25 MPH.

Want to sit in the shade? All it takes is 24 seconds to have the roof back up again. Up or down all you have to do is click a button to control the fully automatic, all-season soft-top. BMW has also put a lot of work into perfecting their retractable roof sensors so mechanical failures are less of a concern. And they’ve made it easy to manually lock and unlock the roof in case it does get jammed.

Go Into California Mode When the Top is Up

Convertibles and California go hand-in-hand. Two of the top U.S. regions for convertible sales are in the Golden State after all. In the new 6 Series convertibles BMW has added a feature they’ve dubbed California Mode.

The latest 640i and 650i convertibles have a heated glass rear window. The window can be lowered independent of the soft-top. What way you can roll all of the windows down when the roof is up and still have the breeze blowing through. It’s a clever feature for the fall or at night when it’s too chilly to have the top down but you still want the fresh air to circulate through.

Want more wind deflection when the roof is down? Then keep the rear window rolled up!

Tucked Tightly Away for More Trunk Space

A common complaint about convertibles is there’s nowhere to put your bags on a road trip. With the BMW 6 Series convertibles that’s less of a concern. Being that it’s a ragtop, less trunk space is used compared to stowing away a retractable hard top. But the space saving is also credited to design.

BMW’s soft-top accordions tightly in on itself to fit snuggly in it’s own box in the luggage compartment. Even when the roof is lowered, 640i and 650i convertibles offer 10.6 cubic feet of storage space.

Superior Sound and Temperature Insulation

Riding out in the elements is part of the fun of driving a convertible. But, of course, not everyday is suitable for top down driving. Some have complained that convertibles don’t provide enough temperature and outside sound regulation, which makes them less comfort when the top is up.

You can count on the German engineers at BMW to make a soft-top that’s able to keep chilly air and noise out when they aren’t wanted. First off, BMW is extremely precise on the fit. The roof goes on exactly so there are no air leaks letting sound and the cold in. Secondly, BMW uses a heavily insulated material that’s able to keep the temperature regulated and reduce noise by 5dB(A) in the front and 7dB(A) in the back.

People who prefer to drive sans top will be happy to know that convertible owners on average are more educated and have a bigger salary compared to regular car drivers. That could be the reason so many successful professionals purchase convertibles as “reward” cars. After all that hard work you should at least have an enjoyable ride home.

You should also have a BMW mechanic you can count on to keep your convertible in pristine condition. At German Auto Center you get dealership level expertise without the sky-high prices. Give us a call today if you need maintenance, repairs or upgrades on your BMW convertible.