BMW i4 Cabrio: Neue Klasse convertible could arrive in 2028

BMW is continuing to broaden its “family” of models built on the Neue Klasse platform. After the debuts of the iX3, the i3 and, more recently, the iX5, the Bavarian manufacturer’s electric push will carry on over the coming years with fresh additions. One of them could be an all-new convertible.

The two-door prototypes with a fabric roof that we “caught” during testing point in exactly that direction. All signs suggest these are the first trials of the future BMW i4 Cabrio, a model expected to reach the market in 2028.

Rather than simply expanding its line-up, BMW appears keen to move into niches that rivals have largely walked away from. The upcoming i4 Cabrio could be one such example, entering a space where fully electric convertibles are still extremely rare.

Only the name changes

Even though the letter “i” now comes before the badges, the range logic remains the same: the number still indicates the segment and where the model sits in the hierarchy. The key change is under the bonnet, as propulsion becomes electric-only.

Even so, it looks unlikely that this will be the only choice on offer. As is currently the case with the 3 Series and the i3, the future i4 Cabrio is expected to be sold alongside an equivalent version fitted with combustion engines. Two cars that should look very similar, but aimed at buyers with different preferences.

Compared with the i3, the biggest difference will, of course, be the lack of a fixed roof. That is precisely where one of the toughest engineering hurdles for any convertible appears: maintaining structural rigidity without using the roof as a load-bearing element. Convertibles typically rely on extra reinforcement in the lower sections of the bodyshell to compensate for the roof’s removal.

With electric cars, however, that area is almost entirely taken up by the battery pack, which will force engineers to find new ways of achieving the same stiffness without adding excessive weight.

Beyond that, despite the camouflage, it is clear the future BMW i4 Cabrio will closely follow the Neue Klasse design language of its i3 “sibling”. Notable cues include the new lighting signature integrated into a black strip across the front, along with cleaner, less sharply creased surfaces than those of BMW’s current models.

One of the more intriguing details is the door handles. Unlike many recent EVs, these do not appear to be fully retractable, instead using an opening mechanism similar to the system found on other BMW models.

The cabin has not been photographed, but it is expected to mirror the i3 and iX3. Everything points to an interior dominated by BMW Panoramic Vision, a display that runs along the full base of the windscreen, complemented by a 17.9-inch central screen.

More than 700 km of range?

BMW has not yet released any technical specifications for the future i4 Cabrio, but the newly unveiled i3 offers clues about what the convertible could deliver. The new model should sit on the Neue Klasse platform, developed exclusively for the brand’s electric cars, and it is likely to inherit a large share of the saloon’s technology.

In the i3, the confirmed version so far is the i3 50 xDrive, using two electric motors-one per axle-for a combined output of 345 kW (469 hp) and 645 Nm of torque. Thanks to an 800 V electrical architecture and a 108.7 kWh battery, it claims up to 900 km of combined-cycle range (WLTP).

Later on, as happened with the iX3, the line-up should be rounded out by a more affordable variant with a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 235 kW (320 hp) and 500 Nm, paired with an 82.6 kWh battery. It is expected to beat the 637 km (WLTP) quoted for the SUV.

Despite the likely shared platform, the prototypes indicate the i4 Cabrio may have a slightly shorter wheelbase than the i3. If that proves true, there may not be enough space to package the larger-capacity battery, limiting the maximum range available in this version.

It arrives in 2028-but it won’t be alone

With its launch pencilled in for 2028, the new BMW i4 Cabrio will not arrive by itself. The brand is also preparing a fully electric Coupé, as well as equivalent variants powered by combustion engines.

According to the rumours, future electric BMW M4 models are also already in development in both Coupé and Cabrio forms, taking inspiration from the M Concept Neue Klasse prototype. At the same time, M4 versions using the current straight-six engine are expected to remain on sale.