The convertible version of the BMW M4 has never been a huge seller for the M brand, but the sleek and fast open top offers a great alternative to those who live in warm climates and enjoy the experience of having the roof down. It’s also one of the best ways to enjoy the sound of the S58 engine, without being surrounded by the Active Sound inside the cabin.

If you add to the mix a special color like Tanzanite Blue II Metallic, then the G83 BMW M4 Convertible becomes an even more interesting proposition. The dark blue paintwork has been a staple in the BMW color palette for quite some time and it is certainly one of the most interesting hues. The color changes often based on the lighting conditions and can vary from a sparkly blue to a very dark blue close to Midnight Blue or even Sapphire Black.

In the case of the M4 Convertible, the Tanzanite Blue II blends in nicely with the XXL kidney grille, somewhat softening the front-end of the car and distracting from the large grilles. In the photo gallery below you can see M4 Convertible both on and off the track, and you can also see the variation in the color hues.

With the roof up, which is now a soft-top, it looks like a classy, performance GT car. Think mini-M8 Convertible, rather than drop-top M3. BMW’s decision to go with a fabric roof was also a good one. Soft-top convertible roofs just look more premium and more elegant than folding hard-tops. The only folding metal hard-top roofs that look good are those on high-priced exotics, such as the McLaren 720S Spider and Ferrari Portofino.

Not only is it more elegant but it’s a functional improvement, as well. The new folding soft-top is 40-percent lighter than the outgoing hard-top, which does a few things. It allows for BMW to add the increased structural bracing required when removing the fixed roof, without adding as much to the overall curb weight.

It also significantly reduces the center of gravity, versus the old car, which increases agility and provides better driving feel. Plus, BMW has done a ton of work on the fabric roof, increasing its insulation and providing a full glass rear window, to keep road and wind noise down, while also providing better weather insulation. It opens and closes in eighteen seconds, this new roof, and can be operated at speeds up to 31 mph.

Obviously, trunk space is hindered, versus the M4 Coupe, but having a folding soft-top gives the new BMW M4 Convertible more trunk space than its predecessor. So now you get 9.0 cubic feet (284 liters) of space, which is up 1.2 cubic feet (34 liters) from before.

So overall, the 2022 BMW M4 Convertible is a welcome addition to the M3/M4 family and it’s likely that in a distant future BMW will pair the open top with an electric drivetrain. But until then, you can still get to enjoy the nice blurbs coming out of that performance exhaust.