I would have to say that the line curves on any soft top, or hard top convertible, especially one that is as big as the C70 and the 3er are hard to get right. As of right now I think coupes are nicer, but in terms of hardtop MB has it right. However, one should note that MB has less distance to cover and therefore does not have to break the hard top into so many pieces. Therefore, I guess MB is not a suitable brand to talk about in reference to hard top. Rightfully so, the BMW and Volvo comparison is very well placed. As of right now I would pick the Volvo shape as far as which one is nicer, but the BMW to buy. I will not talk about the difference in decision as to why I would purchase the BMW over the volvo, because despite the fact that it may be obvious, that is not the point of my post.
Take a look at the quick drawings I made here at work on MSpaint. Please excuse the detail, and work. I am in a hurry.
Image 1
Here we have the 335i Coupe, which in my opinion is a beautiful car.
Image 2
Here we have the 335i Convertible Hard top.
Comparison. From the get-go it is clear that the hard top may have more space in the inside because of the fact that the top is longer and the windows are bigger. However, this may be due to an engineering issue which had to be done and does not necessarily indicate a longer top.
If you take a look at
Image 1 note
1 you will see that there is a thickness to the top meeting the trunk area. Of course, this thickness comes in place because of the fact that it is a 'one unit' piece rather than two pieces like on the hard top. However, there is a sense of 'flushness' here that maybe should've been attempted in the BMW hardtop convertible design. Maybe this could not have been done because of weight, and/or space in the trunk. Either way, its something that could've helped.
Now, if we compare
Image 1 note 2and
Image 2 note 1 one can clearly see that the window in the rear is biggeer for the hardtop convertible than for the coupe. Why is this? I would assume that BMW would make it smaller. Don't know why this happened.
Look at the line that I curved for both images that run, or attempt, to run the line of the roof line. You can see, even without this line, that the roof for the coupe is circular or eliptical while the roof line for tha convertible is so straight. Why is this? Could this be the culprit that confuses us, or at least me to thinking that the roof line in the hard top convertible is longer than that of the coupe? Maybe. Maybe not. Also noe, that the roof height inside seems to be higher in the convertible hard top than on the coupe. I don't understand why this is either. For head room?
Both notes of
4 should cover the overall distance. Can someone agree with me that the overall distance is longer on the convertible? If so, why is this?
I don't understand somethings that BMW does. For example, on the 6er convertible those triangular bridges that they did in the rear. What is up with that? It looks so odd. They are like imaginery C pillars in the car, but the car doesn't have B pillars, so are they imaginery B pillars then?
Overall the car may be a different story in person and even in different colors. I guess we will have to wait and see. All in all, I give it to the Volvo C70 for the idea that has manifested itself which is, COMPLETNESS.
