BMW M4 Competition Convertible vs Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet

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The new BMW M4 Competition Convertible has gone on sale in South Africa for R2,119,596.

There aren’t many topless four-seaters on offer in this price range, making the Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet 4Matic+ one of the BMW’s biggest competitors.

Below, we compare this BMW against the Mercedes-AMG to see if the extra R350,636 is worth the spend.

Features

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class on which the E53 is based is a more premium vehicle than the BMW 4 Series that inspired the M4, but thanks to this BMW’s price tag it was made to match every feature this particular E-Class has.

On the M4 Competition Convertible you get Merino leather upholstery, carbon fibre finishes, heated and electrically adjustable M Sport front seats, and an M leather steering wheel with shifter paddles and red drive mode buttons.

The E53 Cabriolet sees Artico man-made leather upholstery, grained aluminium finishes, heated front seats with an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, and a Nappa leather AMG Performance steering wheel with shifter paddles and a drive mode dial.

As these are drop-tops, they both have air scarfs – which are vents located in the seat headrests that blow hot air into your neck when the roof is down.

Connectivity in the M4 is covered by the BMW Live Cockpit Professional infotainment system, which comprises a 12.3-inch configurable instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch central display.

Between these, you have access to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, integrated navigation, gesture control, real-time traffic information, and a Harman Kardon sound system.

Additionally, this BMW comes with tri-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, BMW laserlights with high-beam assist, rain-sensing wipers, an automatic tailgate, ambient lighting, a wireless charger, a heads-up display, and cruise control.

While the E53 shares plenty of these features, it falls short on a few aspects.

This includes only having dual-zone climate control, LED lights with no automatic high beams, no automatic tailgate, no gesture control, and no heads-up display.

However, connectivity is taken care of by two 12.3-inch displays on the dash.

These support Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, integrated navigation, and traffic information, and play through a Burmester sound system.

Both these manufacturers also have a smartphone app that connects to the car to provide online services such as weather information, detailed POI searches, vehicle status checks, and emergency services.

While it may not sway a purchasing decision, it is worth mentioning that the M4 comes with the BMW Display Key, too, which is a large fob with a small touch display that lets you control several vehicle functions straight from the key.

Driver assistance

The M4 Competition Convertible and E53 Cabriolet are fitted with the latest technologies in the pursuit of passenger safety.

Standard on both are ABS with brake assist and all-round parking sensors, while the Mercedes-AMG also gets a reverse camera and seven airbags.

The BMW gets six airbags, park assist plus, and driving assist as standard.

Park assist plus lets the M4 maneuver itself into tight parking spaces while you handle the throttle and brake, while driving assist brings with a forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning.

Performance

The real test for whether the Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet can hold a candle to the BMW M4 Competition Convertible lies in the performance department.

While both are fitted with a 3.0-litre, in-line six cylinder, petrol engine, they go about generating power rather differently.

The BMW features a twin-turbocharged configuration connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels.

This set-up produces 375kW and 650Nm, allowing the M4 Competition Convertible to sprint to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 280km/h.

It also gets the M Sport suspension, M Sport exhaust, M Compound brakes, and 19-inch and 20-inch M forged alloy wheels.

The Mercedes-AMG boasts a 48-volt mild-hybrid starter-generator alongside a single turbocharger, and sends power to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

This layout produces 320kW and 520Nm, while an additional 16kW is also available thanks to the mild-hybrid system.

The result is a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.5 seconds and a 250km/h top speed.

This Mercedes-Benz then sits on the AMG Ride Control+ adaptive sports suspension system and 20-inch AMG-twin-spoke alloys.

One area where the E53 does beat the M4 is combined fuel consumption, with a rate of 8.9l/100km – compared to 10.4l/100km.