Background
BMW 435i Convertible (F33) was part of the first generation of the BMW 4 Series and succeeded the previous 3 Series Convertible. Unveiled in late 2013 and launched in 2014, the new model helped establish the 4 Series name for BMW’s sporting coupés and convertibles. The 435i was the most powerful petrol version of the regular range below the M4 Convertible.
Successor to the 3 Series Convertible
The F33 directly continued the tradition of the E93 3 Series Convertible but introduced a longer, wider and lower body. Long doors, frameless side windows and a low silhouette emphasised its sporting character, while the four-seat interior retained the everyday usability expected from a BMW convertible. The separate 4 Series designation also gave BMW’s coupé and convertible models a more distinct identity within the range.
Three-piece retractable hardtop
The BMW 435i Convertible featured a three-piece electrically retractable metal hardtop. The roof could be opened or closed in around 20 seconds and could also be operated while travelling at low speed. With the roof raised, the F33 provided refinement close to that of a coupé, while lowering it transformed the car into a traditional four-seat open BMW. The folding hardtop also distinguished the F33 from the later G23 4 Series Convertible, which returned to a fabric roof.
3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six
The 435i was powered by a 2,979 cm³ BMW TwinPower Turbo straight-six engine producing 306 hp and 400 Nm of torque. Maximum torque was available from just 1,200 rpm. The engine combined strong low-speed response with the smooth power delivery and sporting character traditionally associated with BMW straight-six engines.
250 km/h
The rear-wheel-drive BMW 435i Convertible accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds with the six-speed manual gearbox and 5.5 seconds with the eight-speed Sport automatic. BMW xDrive all-wheel drive was added later. Top speed was electronically limited to 250 km/h, giving the open four-seater performance that only a few years earlier had been associated with considerably more specialised sporting models.
From 435i to 440i
BMW revised the 4 Series engine range in 2016 and the 435i was replaced by the 440i. The new model introduced the B58-generation 3.0-litre straight-six with increased output. The 435i therefore represents the original six-cylinder petrol flagship of the F33 range and continued the straight-six tradition of earlier 3 Series Convertibles under the new 4 Series name.
Built in Regensburg
The BMW 4 Series Convertible F33 was produced at BMW Plant Regensburg in Germany. A total of 158,587 F33 4 Series Convertibles were manufactured there between 2013 and 2020, although BMW has not published a separate production figure for the 435i version. The F33 remained in production until 2020, while the 435i designation disappeared from the range in 2016.
Model in the collection
The BMW 435i Convertible (F33) in my collection was produced by Paragon Models. It is an official BMW dealer promotional model produced for BMW’s dealer network.
Technical data in brief
Production period: 2013–2016 as the 435i
Production location: BMW Plant Regensburg, Germany
Body style: two-door four-seat convertible
Roof: three-piece electrically retractable metal hardtop
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six
Displacement: 2,979 cm³
Power: 306 hp
Torque: 400 Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual or 8-speed Sport automatic
Drivetrain: rear-wheel drive or xDrive all-wheel drive
0–100 km/h: from 5.5 seconds
Top speed: 250 km/h, electronically limited
Production: no separate 435i production total has been published by BMW
Special feature: six-cylinder first-generation 4 Series Convertible with a retractable metal hardtop