“Travel is the best form of education”

A great bit of advice I was once offered was that if you really want to get to know somebody, you need to either live with them or travel with them. After all, first impressions only go so far, and opinions offered about the new-to-the-group friend-of-a-friend can only be trusted to a point. To truly understand an individual's character, observe how they leave a kitchen after cooking a meal, or track their actions in and around an airport - the latter (especially) can be surprisingly telling.

Occasionally, a similar test is necessary to get to know a car. The G83 M4 Competition is the latest in a long line of convertible BMW M cars, which I've struggled to understand the point of for quite some time.

It all began with the E30 M3 in the late 1980s, and since then, M3s of every iteration have been available to purchase with (for some strange reason) a folding roof. It's the M4 that has now taken on the gauntlet of the 2-door performance M coupe, and with it, a convertible version, the G83 M4, now carries on the puzzling topless legacy.

Convertible Performance Coupes: What's the point?

Convertible M3s and M4s have always confused me. The premise of what makes the M3 and later M4 so good is the fact that they are performance coupes, derived from racing cars to offer the pinnacle of engagement from BMW's Motorsport division. By removing the roof, what was once a stiff and driver-focused chassis surely becomes a wobbly carriage with a now pointlessly powerful engine under the bonnet, no?

2000+ Miles to Find Out

I decided it was time to put my confusion to rest and politely request a G83 M4 Competition from the BMW press office. The timing of the request coincided rather brilliantly with a planned road trip with some friends. Not just any road trip, either; this one was for a friend's stag. One of my oldest friends, Alistair, is getting married in a few weeks, and so, as is the norm ahead of the big day, a collection of the groom's closest friends are assembled for an event which typically sees all sorts of debauchery, japes and evenings filled with events that are never spoken of again afterwards. But here's the thing, we, as a group of friends, aren't that exciting. Sure, we like a beer and a laugh as much as the next group, but rather than waking up each morning with alarming hangovers catalysed by fear and regret, we instead prefer the idea of waking up to plan a 7-hour mountainous drive.

Our trip would start with a 36-hour, uneventful ferry crossing from Portsmouth to Santander, before venturing into the Cantabrian Mountains and the coastal roads of Northern Spain. We would then enjoy a night in San Sebastian before venturing into the Pyrenean mountains of Andorra and indulging in some of the finest mountain passes outside the Alps, all the way up to the border with France. As roadtrips go, it was going to be a good one with a strong mix of fast and flowing county roads, some dramatic tight and twisties and the occasional motorway stint to cover some ground.

With journalistic intrigue on the forefront of my mind, I decided to make it my challenge to drive as many of the miles of the trip as possible with the fabric roof of my BMW M4 Competition folded down. And so, that's precisely what I did. Alongside the M4 for the adventure was an array of other fun cars, including two F80 era BMW M cars (a four-door M3, and a coupe M4), two AMG Mercedes' - a 507 C63 AMG and a W211 E63 AMG, A Ferrari FF, a Honda NSX and a Texas registered C5 Corvette which had landed on UK soil just a couple of weeks agead of the adventure. Much like the group of individuals on the trip, it was an eclectic mix.

Challenge 1: Storage Space

Before setting off for Portsmouth, the first challenge came in the form of storage. Assuming you'll want to utilise the folding roof of your convertible M4, the first compromise when comparing a coupe M4 with a convertible is the unavoidable reduction in storage space. With the roof in the upright position, the rear storage compartment can accommodate 385 litres of luggage. However, with the roof folded flat, the boot space is reduced to just 300 litres. Whilst a reduction of 85 litres might not sound too bad, it's the shape of the storage space that becomes the challenge. A helpful plastic barrier is folded down from the top of the boot to serve as a guide to the available space; it also acts as a sensor to indicate whether there is sufficient space for the roof to fold. Ahead of the trip, I had to sample three different suitcases to find one that could easily fit into the space while accommodating seven days' worth of stuff. Add on your passengers' bags, some precautionary jackets, and some camera equipment, and you'll soon realise that 300 litres is easily spent.

Aside from the boot space, the only other obvious compromise in terms of practicality between a soft top and a coupe is a slightly narrower rear seating area. I doubt many will ever notice this, though, mainly because the rear seats in an M4 are mostly a novelty anyway and are better suited to accommodate bags that don't fit in the boot, rather than humans who possess legs.

Visually, it works

Design has been a hot topic for BMW over the past few years, and the M cars have been the subject of some especially focused scrutiny. I've personally always abided by the 10-15-year rule for BMW design. If it looks shocking now, take another look in a decade, and chances are you'll feel better about it (probably because of what has followed). With the G83, we have the big grills, haunched arches and angles on angles, which on the coupes have caused more than their fair share of tilted heads, raised eyebrows and squinted expressions, but with the roof folded flat, suddenly, it all makes sense in a way that isn't so obvious in coupe form.

This particular press car has been specified in a less-than-subtle Frozen Portimao Blue, complemented by an equally un-subtle blue and yellow interior. My friends on the trip very quickly drew comparisons to the big Swedish furniture store or the budget-friendly German supermarket, secretly... I quite liked the contrast.

Comfort Seats are the Better Option

The seating in the G83 for the adventure was the 'comfort spec'; sport bucket seats are available, but probably aren't the ideal choice for a car designed for grand touring duties. The standard seats in the M4 are exceptionally comfortable and offer heating as standard, along with an optional heated air scarf that gently wafts warm air towards the back of your neck. Being an M car, the seats are adaptable with a near-endless variation of positions, and inflatable side bolsters also give the option to hold you in place if you want to enjoy some spirited cornering - something that we as a group would encounter almost immediately once disembarking the ever-so-long ferry crossing in Santander.

Docking in Spain and heading up to the clouds

Whilst waiting to disembark after our 36-hour crossing, task number one was to strategically pack the boot with luggage and fold the roof flat. Some consumer advice I can now offer is to fold the roof flat first and then add the bags. It'll save at least three back-and-forth trips between pressing the button and having to re-shuffle bags - ask me how I know. Once the roof was down, with a boot packed in a way that would impress the most accomplished sardine canner, it was time to roll out of the boat, through the port town of Santander and head to the hills of the Cantabrian Mountains.

A crisp early morning waited for us outside of the humid garage section of the ferry, and whilst driving out of the port and through the town of Santander, I started to recognise some of the early benefits of convertible life.

Sights and Sounds

I've spent quite a bit of time in the new G8X variants of the M3 and M4, but I had never before noticed just how prominent the forced induction soundtrack is from the 3.0L turbocharged engine. Once out of town and after a 15-minute drive on some Spanish motorways, we found ourselves in the foothills of some staggering mountain passes.

We made our way up the winding hairpins with the sounds of our cars ricocheting from the stone walls on either side. Listening to your mate's 6.0L V12 Ferrari Engine at 09.00 in the morning is quite the alarm clock! In addition to enjoying the warm and tuneful rasps, screams and drones of my friends' cars, I noticed for the first time a sound I'd never before heard from the M4. With the roof down and windows dropped, the audible whoosh and crash from the turbochargers make themselves known most spectacularly. A squeeze of the throttle rewards a tantalising rush of air, and a lift off the throttle causes the pressurised air to whoosh out. It sounds incredible and delivers an entirely new level of engagement with the car.

Then came the views. Sure, in a coupe with the windows down, you'll be hard pushed not to notice the spectacular scenery on offer as you power your way up a mountain road, but with the absence of a roof, it's like comparing your favourite computor game on a singular screen to wearing VR goggles. There is a feeling of absolute immersion in the environment that you're driving in. Like on a motorcycle, you become immediately part of the view; you're not just seeing it, you're among it.

In addition to the sounds and sights come the smells, wood-fired chimneys exhume scents that evoke happy memories of childhood campfires and holidays. The smell of cut grass, farm life, and even the occasional tyre smoke from some of the more enthusiastic drivers up ahead would all otherwise be unnoticed in a car with a roof.

A moment to reflect

To allow my peers an opportunity to admire the views otherwise blocked by B-pillars and roofs, we stopped for a few photographs in some scenic settings. Just a few hours prior to taking in these vistas, we had woken up on a boat in the Bay of Biscay; now, we were thousands of feet in the sky, sharing an experience we would likely never forget.

It had taken just a couple of hours, and suddenly, the benefits of a convertible roof were starting to make themselves very clear. I had all but disregarded the fact that there was a pointlessly powerful 523hp engine under the bulky blue bonnet because I was too busy being utterly enamoured by the environment I was driving in.

Flex and body wobble?

This is the question that has always popped into my own mind when discussing the idea of a convertible performance coupe. Coupe's are designed to be stiff and rigid, and by removing the roof, some crucial triangulation is deleted, which surely will transform the performance car from having the sturdy characteristics of a box with a sealed lid, to one with no lid at all.

And yes, I'd be lying if I said that the characteristic changes of the convertible weren't noticeable, but they're nowhere near as bad as many might expect. There is some flex, but it's minuscule in comparison to the convertible M3s of yesteryear. The E36 and E46 models of the 1990s and 2000s would shake and shudder over minor bumps, like an old Boeing 747 on a hard landing. Whilst it would be near-impossible to iron out any flex, there's not so much as a creak or clunk in the G83.

The Weight

The most noticeable characteristic change from the coupe is the weight. In removing the roof, the chassis needs to be stiffened and with bracing comes mass. With a couple of passengers and a boot crammed full of luggage, the G83 M4 comfortably exceeds 2,000 kilograms, which is a significant jump from its 1,700-kilo coupe equivalent. This increase in mass is most noticeable on undulating corners, where the car is inclined to hop over minor bumps. The sensation of a 2+ tonne car cornering at 60mph and very suddenly transferring its weight in the opposite direction that you're hoping to turn doesn't feel especially 'Motorsporty' the first couple of times - once you know what to expect, you adapt your driving style appropriately and it all becomes quite good fun.

Stopping and turning

The braking performance is still staggering, thanks to the M compound brakes with 6-piston callipers up front. The exceptionally clever adjustable traction control settings help keep everything in line brilliantly, too. Despite the weight, the suspension does a remarkable job of maintaining a perfect balance of comfort and control.

The G83 M4 still stops and turns into corners as you would expect a BMW M car to, and does so in a way that generates some sizable smiles whilst taking in the wider visual, audible and smellable aspects of the environment. A significant help to grip and performance is the tyres. Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres offer all the sticky grip you could hope for, while being versatile enough not to be too noisy or intrusive for everyday driving.

Topless Grand Touring - (I think I'm starting to get it)

Our first day of driving in northern Spain had rewarded us with some unforgettable roads. We enjoyed a slightly more relaxed pace in the afternoon, taking a drive along the picturesque coastal roads to the town of San Sebastian, which would be our first stop. The coastal roads in Northern Spain are comparable to some of the best I've experienced in the world. California's Pacific Coast Highway, the French Riviera, and the coastal roads to Sorrento in Italy all come to mind as comparisons.

The following morning, after a night of overindulging in Pinxos (the Northern Spanish version of Tapas) and Basque Cheese Cake (yes, it really is worth a try), it was time for the adventure to continue and head for the Principality of Andorra, nestled in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain.

As was my intention from the start of the trip, the day was to begin and end with the roof folded flat; the only potential downside to that idea was that the morning was to be spent mostly at motorway speeds.

80mph with the roof down

In France, the motorway speed limits are up to 130kph, as near as damn it 80mph, and you would be forgiven for assuming (as I did) that 5 hours of driving at 80mph without a roof might become a tad tiresome.

Much to my surprise, even with the roof down, I was able to enjoy music and podcasts from the as-standard Harmon Kardon sound system and finished each stretch of the drive feeling pretty relaxed.

The only compromise to my own well-being was the realisation, toward the end of the day, that I'd spent the best part of six hours sitting in undisturbed direct sunlight, which in absolutely any other environment wouldn't be the done thing. Thank goodness for factor 30spf.

We made it to the principality of Andorra just in time for the temperature to dip to a more forgiving level and for us to start climbing the mountain passes to our overnight stay in an unexpectedly automotive-themed hotel called The Hotel Nordic. The cooler evening drive was a rewarding end to a long day, but the real treat for all of the cars would come the following morning, with a few hours spent at the highest permanent circuit in the world, Circuit Andorra.

A Trackday 7,800ft above sea level

I've been lucky enough to drive more than my fair share of circuits around the world, but none can compare with what I experienced on the morning of Friday, September 19th, a day which also happened to be my birthday. As a group, we departed the hotel to head up yet more staggeringly beautiful twists and turns to the Circuit of Andorra - a small and technical race track in the Pyrenees mountains. The circuit sits 2,400 metres above sea level, and to get there, we needed to drive through a handful of clouds - a first for all of us en route to a track day.

Givern the fact I was in a press car and one that had to see me through another 1000 miles to get me home again, I opted for some gentle parade laps over anything too ambitious, but I might have had a play with the RWD reduced settings... and maybe just one or two laps playing with the M Drift Analyser for good measure, afterall, when else am I going to get the chance to powerslide a brand new BMW M4 two and a half kilometres in the sky?

I spent the morning laughing and smiling endlessly as I admired my friends' efforts, watching them drift and slide their cars. The sound of a Ferrari FF transitioning drifts at the top of a mountain is one I'll treasure for years. I put the M4 to use for a few laps as a camera car, chasing the Ferrari, an NSX, two AMG Mercedes, and the Corvette, with action cameras attached to the front. As camera tracking cars go, the M4 does an incredible job! It was magical.

As driving memories go, this one will remain with me for life, and the fact that it coincided with my 38th birthday was a real treat.

Love driving? Book a trip to Andorra immediately

In case you haven't heard of Andorra, I feel it's my duty to tell you about it. Andorra is like something out of a computer game. It's a small country, approximately the size of Greater London, but with a road network consisting of almost exclusively mountain passes. Each road is paved with silky smooth tarmac, and in every direction and at virtually any given time, you are surrounded by breathtaking mountainous views. I've never before driven through a country that's made me exclaim "oh my god, look at that view!" so frequently.

I'm also fairly certain that it would be categorically impossible to run out of fuel in the country, as there are at least 20 petrol stations, despite the entire road network spanning just 167 miles. That means that by my calculation, there is one petrol station for every 8.3 miles, even when including gravel roads and dead ends. Oh, and it's a tax haven! The price of 50 litres of premium-grade fuel in the M4? £34.86.

Also, I'm not a smoker, but if I were, I'd probably visit Andorra solely to take advantage of the bulk buy buckets (yes, actual buckets) of cigarettes, which work out to be about 4.3 pence per stick.

Following our morning at the circuit, and some gasps at the price of bottled booze in the local supermarket, it was time to press on and take in more of Andorra's roads toward the French border. Our end destination for the day was the small town of Angoulême in France's Bordeaux region.

Wind Noise on Motorways

Once in France and away from the frankly mesmerising Pyrenean mountain range, the ambient temperature began to rise. At the point of seeing 34 degrees C on the instrument cluster, I decided it was time to sample the M4's air conditioning and put the roof up to cruise on the motorway.

As the drive relaxed into a good playlist and the comfort of air conditioning, the G83 revealed another welcome surprise. Historically, softtops have always had a compromise, and at motorway speeds, it was often noise. However, time has clearly been kind to the engineers and R&D departments at BMW, as the G83 with the roof up feels almost as quiet as a car with a permanent roof, even at 80mph. There were no roars of wind, no creaks or flexes over bumps or around corners either; the car simply hunkered down and got the job done. With cruise control and lane assist handling the basics, I was able to relax and cover 330 miles with tranquil ease.

MPG and Efficiency

The M4 happily maintained a bearable 24mpg average between the twisty roads, constant motorway stints, and occasional spirited exits from the toll booths (come on, we all do it), which, given its performance capabilities, is pretty impressive. For those wondering, the M4 will get up to 62mph out of a toll booth in around 3.7 seconds and up to a further 80mph in around another 4 seconds.

A weekend break from driving - surrounded by racing cars

Waiting for us in Angoulême was the fantastic event called Angoulême - Circuit des Remparts, an annual event that features historic racing cars competing on the ramparts of a medieval town before crowds of adoring fans. Imagine the Goodwood Revival meeting, but as a street race, and you're on the right track. The M4 had covered well over 1,000 miles up to this point, bringing me to the event, and I'm pretty sure that had I been driving a supercar or a hypercar, the idea of hopping back into the car to get home again would have filled me with despair, but the M4 had been glorious and all the better for being a convertible.

Following a frankly fantastic weekend of motor racing, excellent beer consumption and some great moments with great friends, it was time to think about jumping back into the driver's seat and making my way home.

A convertible M4 actually makes a lot of sense

Throughout the trip, the M4 proved to be an absolutely sublime asset. It was fast, comfortable, practical, and so much more engaging than I could have hoped for. Following the weekend in Angoulême, I gave myself one day to drive from Bordeaux to Calais to catch the Le Shuttle and then head onward to my home in Warwickshire. That's no mean feat at 630 miles door to door, and, just as it did on the drive from Andorra to Angoulême, it simply got the job done.

Once back in the UK, I was on the final leg of my drive, on the M40 from London to Warwickshire, where, while admiring a sunset that illuminated the entire sky in a bright orange glow, I thought about the real significance of the car. The modern versions of the M3 and M4 aren't so much softened versions of the racing car (as seen back in the 80s and 90s), but instead have become more of a GT car, with the ability to occasionally thrash around a circuit and have some fun in the process.

In stock form, the M3 and, latterly, the M4 have been celebrated throughout all iterations over the past 30+ years as the perfect everything car. They're cars you can use daily with comfort and ease. They're also cars you can enjoy on the occasional track day without adaptation, and for an annual grand tour, it's up there with the very best. Ahead of my trip and my time with the G83, I'd allowed myself to discount the convertible version of the M4 from the 'do-it-all' mindset. But now, on reflection, I realise that's not fair.

I admit it. I was wrong.

I realised once I'd made it home, in an almost epiphany-like moment of reflection, that my negative pre-conceptions about the convertible version of the iconic performance coupe were almost entirely wrong.

Okay, sure, if you're buying an M4 to drive on track days exclusively, then yes, the coupe is the model to choose, but if you're considering an M4 to enjoy day-to-day and with aspirations for the occasional spirited road trip with friends, then the soft top might actually be the better option.

Just as when trying to figure out the true quirks and personality of a person, I was intrigued by the G83 M4. To find out for sure what it was really like, I undertook the best test possible and travelled with it. In doing so, I realised something significant. You don't lose much by having a soft-top M4, but you do gain a lot. The 2000-mile road trip, which started with mountain roads in Spain and Andorra, is one I'll remember for the rest of my life, thanks, of course, to its significance and the people I was surrounded by, but also thanks to the car I was driving. The G83 M4 has a significant role in making it so memorable, in a way that I'm not sure the coupe version could have compared.

words by John Marcar
photography by Fraser Macauley, Henry Faulkner-Smith and John Marcar

BMW M4 Competition Convertible (G83) - What's the Point?