What’s great about 2015 is that you no longer need to find a compromise between a fast yet affordable petrol-powered premium convertible and one that’s also fuel efficient and works perfectly regardless of season.

It wasn’t that long ago when a quick, fun to drive car was definitely something that wouldn’t have been too kind on your wallet in terms of fuel consumption. Make it a petrol-powered convertible and you would be hard pressed to find something that would make you yell “Eureka!” in front of your friends, as if you just found the car that ticks all the aforementioned boxes.

There’s something very special about driving a convertible BMW. You feel even more connected with the car – which is already a selling point for most BMW cars, offering you a bit more driver involvement than what Mercedes-Benz and Audi usually churn out. I’m talking of course about regular models, not “specials” like an RS-series Audi or a Mercedes-AMG.

What I’m trying to say is that you can still have plenty of fun and go pretty fast in a BMW car that isn’t powered by something that came from their M Division.

Just to take you back 7 years or so, the most sensible premium convertibles that you could buy at this price range were almost exclusively powered by turbodiesel engines. Back then it was the only way to extract performance and fuel economy at the same time. Remember the E93 330d or the Audi A5 3.0 V6 TDI?

Sticking to rev-thirsty petrol engines, though, I’d like to direct your attention to the BMW 330i Cabrio: a car that had more power than the modern day 428i Cabrio, yet wasn’t as fast, didn’t have as much torque and didn’t save you as much fuel as this car right here.

Looking mean and elegant at the same time

There are several good and not so good angles with the 4-Series Cabrio to consider. Generally speaking, it’s a very good looking convertible, but it rather depends on where you’re standing. Maybe that’s just me, because I usually feel that coupes look better than convertibles as they look more of a one-piece design.

Oh, but this is different: The 4-Series Cabrio looks awesome and we’d all love to own one. So much for preconceptions, then.

I really liked the Midnight Blue exterior color of the test car as well as the 18″ double spoke alloys which do grab your attention.

By the way, by now I’m sure you’re all familiar with the design of the 4-Series, so there’s not much else I can tell you about it that you don’t already know.

It’s clearly better looking than the previous generation (duh), being just as elegant and quite a bit more muscular. A must if you don’t just want people to check it out because you can fold the roof back, but also because it’s staring back at them in a very aggressive way.

Step right in and drive its wheels off

The cabin of the 4-Series is a very sporty place to sit in. It certainly doesn’t mirror the exterior’s elegance – you feel more inclined to start having some fun behind the wheel than just cruising around calmly, way under the speed limit, as you would in say a 6-Series.

There are all these subtle sporty hints that you notice, such as the manual handbrake being so close to you, the absolutely exquisite driving position that makes you feel so in control of the car, and even the large (partly) analog speedo. Plus, The materials throughout the cabin are as great as always.

Goodies such as automatic air conditioning, tire pressure monitor and xenon lights come as standard but “our” car came with a battery of optional extras that were were much appreciated. One surely cannot deny the comfort offered by the retractable armrest, PDC system, adaptive headlights, high-beam assistant, HiFi loudspeaker system, BMW Apps, BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line, active cruise control, Professional sat-nav system and of course the Head-Up Display.

The car also came with the optional sport automatic transmission and variable sport steering, but we’ll get to those in a little bit.

Another thing that’s great is that you don’t need to keep away from low-slung parking garages whenever you don’t feel like pulling over and retracting the hardtop. You can definitely do it inside any parking structure and you’ll only need about 20 seconds to do so.

Loving this 245 PS four-pot

What really made me experience that “Eureka!” feeling is the drivetrain. Here’s the thing about this BMW 428i xDrive Cabrio (yes, it’s packing all wheel drive too): Performance-wise, this car is an absolute steal! Seriously, this thing is so unbelievably good for “just” 245 PS, it will leave you in more awe than Katy Perry herself.

Sure, it’s a four-pot with a displacement of a mere 2.0 liters. Moreover, the 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) certainly won’t impress your dinner table guests, but the way in which it pulls and changes gears is pretty darn addictive.

Keep in mind also that it has a lower output than most modern-day hot hatches. In fact, it’s about as quick to 100 km/h (62 mph) as a Ford Focus ST, which has about as much power as the 428i but weighs almost 350 fewer kgs, or 771 fewer lbs. That’s a huge weight difference that the 4 Series is able to overcome thanks to its exquisite powertrain. As soon as you get off the line it just pulls and pulls, all the way towards the limiter. Shifting late is extremely rewarding as you’ll get plenty of mid-range grunt in return and lightning quick gear changes.

The car handles great in the corners as well, though it is a well-known departure from older BMW models where you felt a little more engaged to the front wheels. But even with all the electronics, you’re always in control, always in command, feeling like you can get the 4-Series to do pretty much anything you want on the road as it gives you complete confidence to push it to the limit. It may feel artificial at times but you’re always confident with your steering input.

Some facts and figures are in order. The old E93 BMW 330i Cabrio had 272 PS, 320 Nm and could hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.7 seconds, whereas this car is good for 245 PS, 350 Nm and will hit that same mark in 6,4 seconds (6.5 sec for our xDrive version).

So it’s really a matter of engine & transmission that sets this newer model apart from its older sibling. Once you factor in the fuel economy, it’s more than obvious this car represents a huge leap forward not just for BMW but petrol engines in general.

In terms of fuel consumption, you’re looking at around 9 liters/100 km (26 mpg US/31 mpg UK) in the city, with an average of 7 liters/100 km (33 mpg US/40 mpg UK) for the 428i xDrive Cabrio. The rear-wheel drive version is, naturally, even more economical and you can actually get really close to these numbers if you really behave yourself. It’s like the name says: BMWs are efficient.

When you get tired of zipping through traffic or canyon roads, you can cruise around at low speed in the 428i, because it’s very refined, despite its sporty interior and rev-happy power unit.

So then is it worth it?

Absofreakinlutely! It’s miles better than the 420i and less then a second off the pace of the 435i in a straight line. I can’t speak for all markets, but over here you can get a 428i Cabrio for just €5,982 more than you’d spend on the 420i Cabrio. If you want it to be better equipped to handle any and all elements, go for this xDrive version, which sets you back a further €2,604.

Our test car did have €14,060’s worth of optional extras that bumped the total price to a whopping €68,496. Are they worth the premium? Not really but that’s not the issue here. What matters is that you get this particular engine and not the 420i.

In case you’re thinking about alternatives (excluding strictly 2-seaters such as the Porsche Boxster), well, don’t. The Audi A5 Cabrio 3.0 TFSI quattro isn’t particularly faster than the 428i, despite having more power at 272 PS. It also weighs quite a bit more, uses more fuel and its 7-speed S tronic transmission isn’t as rewarding as the Bimmer’s 8-speed auto.

Proof, if any was needed, that the 428i Cabrio is much more than the sum of its parts and the best of its kind currently on the market.

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