[msej449]

As an M235i Convertible owner who also looked at the 4 hard-top convertible, I'd make a few observations which are, of course entirely subjective.

The latest 5-layer soft-tops give pretty much the same noise levels as the hard-top equivalent on real road surfaces. I tested both coupé and convertible 2 Series, and I couldn't tell the difference. Especially when BMW insist on adding extra pseudo-exhaust noise through the audio. I don't see security as an issue. No one in their right minds leaves anything inside a car when parked, soft or hard-topped. Any serious/deranged criminals will just hammer through the windows anyway. My soft-top 2 Series loses very little space to the folded roof. When I looked at the 4 I couldn't believe how little space was left with the top down. For me, it rendered the car useless for carrying any serious luggage securely. Aesthetically, I found the 4 convertible inelegant with the roof up. For me, the engineers hadn't completely cracked the problem of folding the metal into the boot - the top-up version concedes too much to folding practicalities. However, I would concede the point about rear visibility: you absolutely need the reversing camera and you have to return to your learner-driver days of using all the mirrors conscientiously when reversing/parking. I'd also concede the coupé version of any model is always going to have smoother lines (think RR Wraith vs Dawn).

I think BMW are responding to the positive feedback on the 2 Series convertible in deciding to switch to fabric roof, given the comparable noise levels and far greater boot space a fabric roof provides. However, I appreciate that these coupé vs convertible and soft-top vs hard-top aesthetics are always going to be subjective.