First Drive Review
Knowing that the rear-drive BMW 2-series coupe is the follow-up to the 1-series, it wasn’t hard to predict that there would be a convertible version of the entry-level two-door. Indeed, the 2-series convertible is a thing, and it’s available in the same configurations as its tin-top sibling: turbo-four-powered 228i and six-cylinder twin-turbo M235i. Both also offer optional xDrive all-wheel drive (although the all-wheel-drive M235i follows the other models by a few months, as a 2016 model).
It’s easy to think of the lower-powered, less-expensive 228i as what used to derisively be called the secretary’s special. With its sub-$40,000 starting price, this is the most affordable way to get a top-down, wind-in-the-hair BMW experience. But the 228i is more than just a way to get tan while looking good doing so. It’s also a fun car to drive.
As with so many modern BMWs, however, just how much fun depends on the options chosen. Whoever configured our 228i must have wanted to get as far as possible from the secretary-special thing. Our test example featured not only Sport Line trim ($2050)—which brings 18-inch wheels, a sport suspension, and various cosmetic bits—but more important, it had the available Track Handling Package. A relative bargain at $2200, the track pack contains a passel of mechanical upgrades that take the 228i as close as it can get to an M235i: adaptive M suspension (adaptive dampers and a slightly lower ride height), variable sport steering, the M Sport braking system (four-piston calipers in front, two-piston fixed calipers in the rear, and larger discs), and 18-inch wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires—all of which is standard on the M235i.
One thing you can’t get in the 228i convertible, although it’s available in the 228i coupe, is a manual transmission. In the 228i droptop, BMW’s familiar 240-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four comes only with an eight-speed automatic. It’s a sprightly combo, however, getting to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, according to BMW. (In a recent comparison test, we clocked a 228i coupe with the same powertrain at a considerably more brisk 4.9 seconds; we estimate the rear-drive ragtop 228i is capable of 5.3) It also returns an entirely decent 23/34 mpg city/highway in EPA testing.
It’s not the powertrain but the chassis that elevates the 228i convertible above its perceived station. With deliciously accurate steering; athletic moves from the adaptive suspension; a stout structure; and a balanced, rear-drive chassis, the Track Package–equipped 228i has that old-school BMW feel. Although it was far less powerful and about half the price, the lithe and nimble 228i convertible seemed like twice the BMW as the X6 M we drove at the same media event.
Whether you’re wringing it out or just cruising, the 228i is great to sit in, with a superb driving position and a relatively low, level beltline that enhances the open-air aspect and keeps you from feeling buried in the car. While its 1.2-inch-longer wheelbase, 2.5 inches of additional length, and extra inch of width help the 2-series avoid the aura of cutesiness that hung over the stubby-looking 1-series, this still is a compact car that’s easy to position and maneuver. It’s nominally a four-seater, but tight kneeroom, an upright backrest, and encroaching side panels make the rear seat an occasional, short-hop perch at best.
The better news on the practicality front is that the rear seatback folds down, exposing a standard pass-through to the decent-size trunk. The trunk’s capacity isn’t too greatly diminished by the folded top, one advantage of a fabric roof compared with a retractable hardtop. Another plus is the ability to power the top up or down in only 20 seconds, at vehicle speeds of up to 30 mph.
It’s true that all of the 228i convertible’s goodness is available in its more potent sibling, the M235i. That car, the softtop version of the 10Best-winning M235i coupe, is fortified with a twin-turbo straight-six good for 320 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. It also offers the additional involvement of a manual transmission. It’s as close as you can get to an M2—at least until the real M2 arrives. But at $48,650 to start, the M235i convertible is nearly $10,000 dearer than a basic 228i.
Conversely, for those looking only for the least-expensive premium-badged convertible, the better-equipped Audi A3 cabrio is a more affordable choice than the BMW, starting at $36,525. But it offers considerably less performance from its 170-hp 1.8-liter base engine and front-wheel drive; the more directly comparable, 220-hp 2.0-liter A3 clocks in at nearly $40K. For that price—or a bit more with the right options—we’d take the 228i, a convertible with more than just sun-seeking on its mind.
