Check out a new photo gallery of the marvelous BMW M850i xDrive Convertible (G14) in the scenic lands of Australia. Let’s get this out of the way: I am an all-time fan of cabriolets. Even though they are not very popular and sell in limited numbers, such cars are unique in giving a true, open air driving pleasure.
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Yes, they might be heavier than their rigid-roof counterparts due to added structural and torsional reinforcement measures for their body, and yes, the extra weight might affect 0-100 km/h acceleration by 0.1 – 0.2 seconds (imperceptible, if you ask me).
Convertibles are a dying automotive species nowadays, in a world where constructors put a strong accent on reducing costs and improving profit margins, and sales, in almost every vehicle segment or niche. Until the automotive world gets really boring, BMW decided to make us all happy with launching the G14 8 Series Convertible back in 2019.
In fact, the first-ever, serially-produced 8 Series Convertible is a resurrection of an older project, which never got a greenlight for production. I am talking about the 1990 BMW 850i Convertible prototype, based on the E31 underpinnings. Little is known about this model, but high development costs and fear of unsatisfactory sales volumes concealed the fate of the open-top 8 Series project back in the early ’90s.
Back to the M850i xDrive Convertible and the imagery from the Australian press launch of the G14 generation. The luxury vert is exposed in the Alpine White uni paintwork, which is at opposites with the high-sheen Jetblack, 20-inch M Sport Y-spoke alloys and the all-black kidney grille.
VIDEO REVIEW: BMW M850i Convertible — Budget Aston Martin DB11?
This soft-top 8 Series had its cabin adorned in the BMW Individual Merino Black leather upholstery, complete with M seat belts, the BMW Individual Pianolack dashboard trim and the CraftedClarity glass applications for the electronic gear shifter, volume knob, iDrive rotary controller and engine start/stop button.
Like its two-door sibling, the BMW M850i Convertible is powered by the 4.4-liter N63 powerplant which feature TwinTurbo charging. With a peak output of 530 PS (523 hp), the 8-cylinder luxury open-top does the 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 3.9 seconds (compared to 3.7 seconds in the M850i Coupe).
Like the G15 8 Series, the Convertible version seems to be also on the chopping block and likely won’t receive a future generation after the G14 lifecycle ends somewhere after 2024.
Until then, let’s cherish the present and surf through the following gallery for more interesting shots of this lovely BMW M850i Convertible. Enjoy!
