I’ve got a real beauty for you this week, the 2019 BMW M850i xDrive convertible, the largest ragtop of the BMW lineup.
The M850i has beautiful body lines, front-end and fender vents to feed the big engine, huge tires on 20” wheels, massive brake calipers, dual exhaust, big rear haunches thanks to the redesign, and front and rear spoilers.
Under the long, chiseled hood is a beast of an engine, a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 rated at 523-horses, but more importantly it is pumping out 553-pound feet of torque. It has an 8-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles on the steering wheel. This combo will thrust you from 0-to-60 in just 3.6 seconds and it does it with authority all the way to 155-miles per hour. The xDrive designation means it is all wheel drive, but under heavy acceleration, you can tell it is rear wheel-biased.
Inside you find a beautiful interior with white bolstered seats, heavy stitching throughout and beautiful door panels with all soft-touch materials.
The gauge cluster is easy to read and configurable with the speedometer on the left and tachometer on the right. You can change it, but I like to see a map between them.
The center console is where everything is controlled. It starts with the crystal gear shifter that is stunning. To the left is the traction lock button, camera control switch, park assist, and the start/stop disable button.
Just under that is the push button start, and under it are the drive modes. There is Sport and Sport Plus, then Comfort, Eco Pro, Adaptive so you can pick and choose, and finally the Auto Hold button, which I love.
Buttons to the right are the electronic emergency brake, the control to put the top down, and buttons to blow warm air on the back of your neck from the headrests. Nice touch on those cold nights with the top down.
To the right of the shifter is the controller for the 10.25” screen that operates the navigation, sound system, vehicle settings, and a suite of apps. The Drive version 7.0 is actually easy to operate and quick to respond. The M850i has Apple CarPlay but no Android. By the cup holders is a wireless phone charger, but it is not easy to get to.
Front seat passengers over 6-feet tall may have issues getting comfortable, and although officially this is a 4-seater, there is no legroom OR head room in the back. It’s great for a briefcase or purse, and the front seats slide electrically out of the way. Trunk room is exceptionally good and very deep.
My review vehicle has a number of options, but pretty much everything is standard equipment including 20-way power seats, keyless entry, laser LED headlights, power trunk closer, ambient lighting, soft close doors, and a colorful head-up display with sign recognition.
On the safety front, you get active driving assist, front collision warning, lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring.
Options total $9000, with $1950 of that being the Dravit Grey paint, which I love. Other options include air-conditioned seats, heated armrests on the center console, remote start, and a few smaller items.
A couple of standout features with this sportster are the acceleration and the exhaust sound, both are incredible when in Sport Plus mode. This mode changes steering, suspension, and transmission shifts, if you don’t use the shift paddles.
On the opposite end, in Comfort mode, you have yourself a quiet, luxury convertible. It is essentially two completely different cars in one.
Even with all that power, fuel economy is actually pretty good at 17 in town, 26 on the highway, for a combined 20.
As you might expect, this luxury convertible is not cheap. Total MSRP is $131,395, but it’s a heck of a car.
Just to be clear, this car is not part of the M Series speedsters from BMW, although rumor is there will be M8s coming later this year pumping out over 600-horses, and frankly, I can’t wait.
Credit: BMW
