2020 BMW M4 Cabriolet Has Something for Everyone

Whether you’re into outright power, a raspy exhaust or top-down driving, you can find something to like about the M4 Cabriolet.

Sport utility vehicles such as the Jeep Wrangler are typically referred to as the automotive version of a Swiss Army knife. They’re rugged and have a variety of features to help you conquer the outdoors. But cars can be multi-purpose vehicles, too – even sports cars.

In one of their latest reviews, Yuri and Jakub, the hosts of the popular YouTube channel TheStraightPipes, get behind the wheel of the 2020 BMW M4 Cabriolet ($115,895 CAD/$87,234 USD as tested). Given its powerful engine and retractable hardtop, it has something to offer to people who like:

-Performance cars. No surprise there. It’s in the name. The M4 has a twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six with 450 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque under its bulging hood. That’s connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which has a disappointing habit of lurching when it doesn’t get the footwork it wants. That hardware combination, along with rear-wheel drive, gets the M4 Cabrio to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds.

BMWs have a reputation for satisfying steering. The M4 Cabrio’s rack doesn’t disappoint. Jakub praises it. “The steering doesn’t feel weird at all. Nothing like the new M Performance BMWs, which are really annoying. This is just great.”

-Exhaust sound. The M4 Cabrio’s carbon-fiber-wrapped exhaust finishers pump out a lot of pop and burble. Yuri and Jakub find their own things to like about the raspy sound, but they aren’t exactly on the same page when it comes to the M4’s exhaust note.

-Pillarless coupes. Unlike its German competitors, the M4 Cabrio uses a retractable metal hardtop to keep the interior dry and as couple-like quiet as possible. If only it allowed the M4 to keep the same silhouette as its fixed-roof sibling.

-Convertibles. To quote Billie Eilish, “Duh.” With the press of a button, the M4 Cabrio’s metal lid does a mechanical dance right into the trunk. If you want to get to the little cargo that fits under it, you can press a button on the trunk lid to lift the roof out of the way.

-BMWs of yesteryear. The M4 Cabriolet is a 2020 model, but its bones go back a few years. As a result, it doesn’t share a lot of the exterior styling cues or technologies of BMW’s truly newest models. That’s not necessarily a bad thing to Yuri and Jakub, who are grateful for the M4’s exterior design and certain interior elements, including the round analog tachometer and speedometer. Yuri covers the inside, saying, “This one has the old infotainment, it’s got the old shifter, it’s got the old gauges.” Jakub sums up the exterior. “It’s got the old headlights, the old grille, the old body lines,” which both guys think are superior to those on the new 3 Series.

Jakub’s and Yuri’s review serves as a reminder that no matter how much technology and horsepower BMW puts into its new vehicles, they can’t stop people from missing – and wishing for – the cars they used to make.

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.