2019 BMW M850i Convertible: Grand tourer with huge curb appeal

The 2019 BMW M850i Convertible exemplifies the style, comfort and performance we expect from a grand touring car.

It has a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 serving up 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

The 8 Series Convertible is 258 pounds portlier than the coupe, at just over 4,700 pounds. Weight-loss efforts include employing aluminum for the doors, hood and firewall, and carbon-fiber reinforced plastics used for the center tunnel.

The 8 Series has a 12.3-inch instrument cluster running BMW's latest infotainment system, iDrive 7. It supports Apple CarPlay. My test car also has wireless phone charging.

The trunk holds 12.4 cubic feet of your belongings, which is less than the coupe's because the soft top folds into the trunk. That cuts down on vertical room, so you'll probably want soft-sided bags for your weekend getaways.

One great feature for extending your roof-down season: a button that turns on a blast of warming air that emerges from the front-seat headrests. The car also has heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

Other tech highlights include adaptive suspension and laser headlights, as well as a highway driver-assistant feature that uses a camera to monitor the driver's attention.

About the only downside to living with the M850i every day is fuel economy. It's rated for 17 miles per gallon city and 26 mpg highway... but driving enthusiastically netted me 16 to 17 mpg even in mixed driving.

The M850i Convertible is priced from $122,395 with destination, with my tester listing for $126,395 after a handful of options.

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