Bucket Seat: Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series

The Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series redefines the roadster as a masterpiece of sensory indulgence. It is the sportiest and most extravagant model in Maybach’s storied history, blending the exhilarating soul of a sports car with the whispered luxury of a private sanctuary.

In keeping with the brand philosophy, the Mercedes-Maybach SL offers a holistic sensory experience. The contours of the brand-specific, chrome-finished radiator grille are illuminated, as is the finely integrated MAYBACH lettering. The distinctive bonnet bears an upright Mercedes star and a chromed fin running front to rear along its centre. 

Curated Ambience: A Study in Contrast

Every line of the Maybach SL is an invitation to witness automotive artistry. The Monogram Series debuts with two meticulously curated concepts, each offering a distinct personality. Red Ambience pairs Obsidian Black metallic with the vibrant, multi-layered depth of MANUFAKTUR Garnet Red metallic. For a more ethereal presence, White Ambience balances Obsidian Black with the luminous MANUFAKTUR Opalite White Magno.

A Cocoon of Light and Air

The interior is designed to convey a feeling of weightless elegance. Wrapped entirely in sustainably tanned Crystal White MANUFAKTUR Exclusive Nappa leather, the cabin creates a cocooning effect that remains airy and open. From the new floral design of the comfort seats to the silver chrome accents and galvanized backrests, every detail is a testament to skilled craftsmanship. The acoustic-comfort soft top, featuring a discreetly integrated Maybach pattern, ensures that even with the top closed, the cabin remains a serene gallery of silence.

Effortless Power, Refined Precision

The heart of the Maybach SL is a 4.0-litre biturbo V8, delivering a commanding 430 kW. This power is managed by the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission and fully variable 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive, ensuring every journey is as secure as it is spirited. The driving experience is further elevated by Maybach-specific suspension featuring semi-active hydraulic roll stabilisation and softer steel springs to absorb road imperfections. Comprehensive insulation measures and a noise-optimized exhaust system preserve the tranquillity typical of the brand, while standard rear-axle steering provides the precision required for winding coastal roads, making the Maybach SL as manoeuvrable as it is majestic.

"We want to surprise, inspire, and excite. This is a true Maybach for the ultimate in open-air-motoring enjoyment." Alexandra Boavida Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Pricing: R5 092 000 (incl vat, ex CO2) and 5 year / 100 000km service and maintenance plan

Bucket Seat: BMW M4 Competition Convertible

This week saw BMW unveil the topless version of their most controversial model yet, the BMW M4 Competition. With the M3 and M4 already being acclimatized to the market, there still are some who still get uncomfortable looking at the large grille. Yes it is in your face and rather different from the brand but come now guys, its time to build a bridge, for me and many others, it looks great and the performance speaks for itself so lets forget about your opinion on the cosmetic aspects. Needless to say there was always going to be a performance model of the M4 and thank the heavens because BMW have opted to re-introduce the soft top. I mean, no offence to the hard top on the previous model but if you've ever driven the 4 Series with the folding hard top, you would know how much extra weight is added to the rear when folded as well as the car just not feeling hundred percent balanced. The only good thing I could speak about the folding hard top was that it looked cool while being opened or closed, almost like a transformer but that's about it for me. 

Anyway, lets not dwell on the past and look to the future with the all-new M4 convertible and my isn't she a beauty. BMW say that this is a new generation of top-class high performance sports car for the premium midsize segment. At the heart, the new M4 convertible retains the M TwinPower Turbo 3.0L inline 6-cylinder beast that powers its siblings the M3 and M4 Coupe, delivering 375kW and 600Nm of torque which propels the can from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds! Doing that with the roof down must be another level of thrilling and probably will give new meaning to the term "feeling the wind in your hair". The engine is a high-revving one so you will be able to hear the sweet symphony of the exhaust even better with the convertible. 

Just like its hard top sibling, the M4 convertible will be offered in a host of colours and options for the end user to choose from, which includes all the cool stuff like multi-spoke rims, carbon kit, carbon seats not to mention some great textures and trims for that interior. Standard spec includes three-zone automatic climate control, ambient lighting, hi-fi speak system, plus BMW Live cockpit professional featuring fully digital display grouping, cloud based navigation system on BMW Maps and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. BMW promises an emotionally engaging drive with this new M4 convertible and I'm pretty sure it will deliver. The BMW M4 Competition Convertible M xDrive will be available in South Africa from the fourth quarter of 2021. Pricing yet to be announced. 

 

Bucket Seat: BMW M240i Convertible

The last time I got a convertible on test, I either had really bad karma or the weather God's really hated me, as for the full seven days in which I had the car, Durban had been experiencing torrential downpours for a week! But all was not lost, there was a brief 4 hours of sunshine in which I had to drop the top and take some pictures but then it was back to rain again after that. Now with this in mind, when I heard I was getting another convertible from BMW, I did some prayers to the weather God's, asked them nicely not to rain on my parade again, and to much of my surprise, they obliged! So here's how my week with the revised BMW 2 series convertible went. 

DESIGN

Now I've covered the bases on whats new with the revised BMW 2 Series when I had the 220d M Sport earlier in the year, hexagonal LED headlamps, etc, now with the convertible much of it is the same but I didn't have no run of the mill car, it was the range topping M240i and it came fitted with all of BMW's M Performance parts, to say the car looked menacing is an understatement! Painted in the much loved Estoril Blue, fitted with 19" M Sport multi-spoke rims with blue calipers, it certainly had heads turning as I drove around, whether the roof was up or down. If the looks didn't catch their attention, the crackle from the the twin tail pipes as I flew past them definitely did. This car is loud in every way, and I was loving it! The BMW M Performance parts adds a very different dynamic to the car, apart from making it look sporty, it adds character and flamboyance with the break in colour and this particular set of rims with the bi-colour scheme in jet black accentuated the style. On the interior, there wasn't much difference to speak off, apart from the cool brushed aluminium look you get with the M Sport package. Now the main highlight of this car is the roof, and while I'm not the biggest fan of a soft top, I learned to appreciate it much more especially with this car in particular. 

PERFORMANCE

Having driven the 340i before, I had sort of impression of what to expect with this one, but I was wrong, very wrong. The 2 Series is an entirely different car to the 3 Series, its lower, smaller, more agile and lighter, which makes you want to push the limits...in a safe manner that is, around all the bends and twists you may encounter, then when the road opens up, its time to unleash all 250kW of power, with the 500Nm ripping the tarmac along the way. 0-100km happens in a blink of an eye, and the musical notes that the exhaust sings just makes you want to keep carrying on! The 3-litre engine in the M240i is truly magnificent and if you a lover of the 2 Series, this is as close to an M2 convertible you're going to get! While it may not have the same power output as the M2, it still is a lot of fun to drive, and the plus side you can drop the roof when the sun is out. Now getting to that aspect, I said I wasn't a big fan of the soft top, while I have driven BMW's hardtop convertible offerings, the weight added by the roof has an astounding impact on driving dynamics, whether its up or down, with this, I couldn't feel a difference! Apart from the hurricane going through my hair when the roof was down. Mind you, when you do drop the roof, it's nice to flick the car into Eco-Pro mode, it tames the motor down a bit, giving you enough power but rather lets you enjoy the drive with the world all around you. 

COMFORT

When it comes to Coupes, I'm not the biggest fan, sure it looks great but those long doors only work well when you have tonnes of space either side of you. Don't understand what I'm saying? Well go park a coupe in a busy mall parking lot and let one idiot park as close as possible next to you. You'll be doing all sorts of yoga moves trying to get in. Then there's the seating position, it's coupe so it has to be low, but being a tall guy I need the seat more lower than normal which is fine while driving but getting out does become a bit of a strenuous activity. Now since I'm done complaining like an old man, everything else about the cars comfort is sublime. It's BMW in a nutshell, no matter what car you driving, what size rims you have, what setting you have the suspension in, the car tries it's best to give you that smooth ride. Yes with this one you can feel the odd bump here and there but you honestly don't care because you're having so much fun driving it. With the roof down it's much of the same, I didn't even use the air-net given since I had a passenger sitting in the back (with no complaints about space might I add), and the wind noise wasn't and issue. 

TECHNOLOGY

The revised 2 Series comes with the new lit up instrument cluster, not as fancy as the full digital ones we see in the 3 Series on-wards where the dials change colour in respect to your driving mode. The car does come with the new HD infotainment screen and has the upgraded tile format menu system. The car had the basics like PDC's and reverse camera but the light package really illuminated the car at night and justified it's price tag. I cannot preach more about BMW's adaptive LED light package with high beam assist. it works like magic and while I know many other manufacturers have this option too, I've seen it work the best with BMW. 

VERDICT

It's this part of the review where I give you a break down on my pros and cons of the car, why you should buy it and what to look forward to. Also what works well and what doesn't but with this but lets me honest, if you got the money to buy a car like this, just do yourselves a favour and do it. No matter what minor things I did or did not like about the car evaporates once you press that start button. The car will leave you breathless in more than one instance. It's pure fun and it will be difficult to wipe that smirk off your face every time you know you have to drive. With my last experience of a convertible, having rained for 90% of the time I had it, this one I maximised driving with the roof down, every damn opportunity I had, it was down and I was loving it! 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	3.0litre, 6 cylinder
Gear Box	8 Speed Sport Automatic Steptronic
Power	250kW
Torque	500Nm
Top Speed	250km/h (electronically governed)
Economy	7.4 L/100km
Price	R809,800*

*Excludes extras

Bucket Seat: 2017 BMW 420i Convertible

Picture the setting, the sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky, the sea is a deep blue colour and there is a slight breeze in the air. Perfect weather to cruise around in a drop top, and that is practically what an average day on the coastal city of which I reside, that is Durban is like. As luck would have it though, the week I get to spend with a luxury convertible, will bring in a vicious cold front that will last for longer than nine days. Yup, there I was, the keys to the brand new BMW 420i Convertible in hand, staring at the dark clouds and pouring rain, cursing every curse word I have in my vocabulary and pretty sure I came up with some new ones as well. I know I could still drive around in the car with the roof up, but, urgh! Why would you when the roof could fold away into the boot, leaving you one on one with the elements?! Well not the rain and cold, those elements can stay out of the cars cabin, none the less, the clock was ticking and the car needed to be driven, although there was a brief moment of sunshine that the heavens afforded me, just enough to do a make-shift photo shoot for this blog post as soon after it was completed, the skies opened again. 

DESIGN

As discussed in the post about the revised 4 Series Gran Coupe, this updated spec of the model doesn't see a lot of cosmetic changes, it's hardly visible to the naked eye and you really have to pull out a measuring tape to see the real difference. The car has a new chassis which has been redesigned to suit all models of the range. This makes a huge difference in the driving dynamics. Visually the biggest change is the head lamps both front and rear which see's the introduction to full LED technology and phases out the old xenon's. Apart from it looking great with the hexagonal shape, the lights with high beam assist really light up the road like nothing I've seen but more about that later. BMW have also added some new paints which are exclusive to the 4 Series, most popular being Snapper Rocks Blue, the other being Sunset Orange which I honestly prefer from the two, the car I had came in good ol white. The interior see's some minor upgrades as well with more options in trims and textures to make your car exclusive and unique.

PERFORMANCE

The revised 4 Series comes with the revised engines that filter down from the 3 Series, but with the Convertible, BMW have dropped the diesel engines from that line as from customer preferences, it was the least engine sold...in fact there were hardly Convertible diesel engines sold. The 420i I had was pretty awesome, while many think it is under-powered, I can assure you it is not! Even with the added weight of the folding roof, the car's engine produces 135kW and 290Nm of torque, more than adequate to propel you on both straight stretches and winding corners, you do tend to feel the weight at the rear if you really giving it horns but with a car like this, I've come to realise it is a proper cruiser. So low speeds, top down, music on and you're in the element but as my introduction stated, most of my driving was done with the roof closed.

TECH

If you are like me, crazy about the latest technology than the 4 Series won't disappoint you. BMW have updated the info screen to the tile format found in the 5 and 7 series, with apps and widgets for easy information on the move. BMW Connected drive also is included, with access to a 24 operator to help you with your every need. The 4 Series also has the option to have your instrument panel fully digital, this is pretty neat as it the display changes on every driving mode you chose. With comfort giving the standard BMW display, Eco Pro, has a blue theme, and the Sports display is full red with large display, it really gives you the impression that you're in a game, but be-careful, you're not and speed limits apply! It is loads of fun, though. The list of optional extras for the BMW's are endless, and I am bleak this test car didn't come with most of them as certain publications in the country complained about the cost of the actual test car with all of the extras it came with, My opinion is, it's there so we can tell you, the buying public about them, oh well.

VERDICT

I'm usually not the biggest fan of convertibles, yes they look cool with the roof down but coming from a climate that's always humid and having sensitive skin, I try to avoid having to bake myself. However, in saying that this car has changed my mind about convertibles, firstly the car has air-conditioned seats, so air flows through the seat and has a vent on the headrest, so it can either cool you or keep you warm as I found out while driving around with the roof down in overcast and cold conditions with everyone thinking I'm gone mad, I was actually quite comfortable. Secondly, the 4 Series Convertible has a hard top roof, yes it does mean less boot space, but who cars! Solid roof and it actually opens and closes rather fast, as my video will show you. The fuel consumption ain't so bad if you have to take into account that this car is almost 300kg's heavier than the Coupe and Gran Coupe, there is really lots of room in the car, I had 4 adults in it! If you in the market for a drop top, this in the first one you need to take a look at. Pricing is a bit stiff but you definitely getting what you paid for,

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L Twin Power Turbo
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic with paddles shift
Power	135kW
Torque	290Nm
Top Speed	230Kph (electronically limited)
0-100kph	7.8 Seconds
Price	R743,824.00*

*Excluding Extras

Bucket Seat: 2017 BMW 4 Series Facelift

The BMW 3 Series face-lift has been on the roads for little over a year now and it was only time it's two door variant received the subtle cosmetic changes as well. Yesterday BMW SA released images showing these changes to the 4 Series line up which includes the Coupe, Cabriolet and Gran Coupe. Like the 3 Series, the major changes see's a revised LED headlamp configuration as well has new design to the tail light LED's. 

Engines on the 4 Series were changed with the 3 Series face-lift seeing that the models all use the same engines, it wouldn't have made sense for BMW to still continue making the older ones just for the 4 Series, so nothing has changed under the hood.  As I said for the 3 Series, while these changes are subtle, they add a bit more character to the car and style. All these upgrades also transfer over to the M4 Coupe and M4 Cabriolet. I look forward to testing the new variants soon.