MOLI VIEW™

Those Germans have done it again, and no, I'm not talking about their irritating and inevitable progress at Euro 2008. BMW, those giants of the motoring world have unleashed another gem, the 1 Series Convertible. BMW believes the 1 Series has the right look and the right price to appeal to a younger group of motoring acolytes.

BMW has positioned the 1 Series convertible between the hugely popular Mini convertible and the recently introduced 3 Series convertible, providing it with a formidable five-model range of top-down cars that also includes the 6 Series convertible and Z4 roadster. For the record, BMW will sell around 13,500 Convertible models in the UK this year.

Folding hardtops have become the fashion in upscale convertibles like the 2007 BMW 3 Series Convertible, as carmakers attempt to add a measure of all-weather utility and overnight security to the traditional convertible formula. But naturally the more affordable BMW 1 Series Convertible has an electrically operated fabric top which folds compactly into the rear deck beneath a hard tonneau cover.

BMW says the electrically operated roof can be opened and closed in 22 seconds at the press of a button. This isn't the quickest time on the convertible market, but it's certainly a best-in-class effort and speedy enough to get the job done at a traffic light. (It's also as quick as the effort from the 2007 BMW hardtop convertible can manage.) The 1 Series top can also be operated at speeds up to 25 mph. Even with the roof down you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the way the coupe and convertible drive. With the roof up there is a little wind rustle, though engine and road noise are kept well suppressed.

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