by Jay Traugott
Convertible sales aren't anywhere near what they once were, but this hasn't stopped BMW from building them. Not only has it pressed ahead with the second-generation 4-Series Convertible, but it's done so with the high-performance version. Meet the 2022 BMW M4 Competition Convertible, a 503-horsepower, German-built, roofless road missile. Available only in Competition guise, the new M4 Convertible is also only sold with the xDrive all-wheel drive system, something the previous generation lacked.
Another major departure from its predecessor is that it's equipped with a folding soft-top instead of a heavy retractable hardtop. Why these changes? Because the latter saves a substantial amount of weight which in turn allows for better performance. Why no rear-wheel-drive? The likely answer is because BMW determined there wouldn't be sufficient demand. Having AWD (with a rear-drive bias) allows BMW to expand M4 Convertible sales to parts of the country facing harsh winters and other adverse weather conditions. But make no mistake about it, the 2022 M4 Convertible is a true M model through and through.