For the convertible version of its E92 coupe, BMW added a new folding metal hard-top to bring the car in line with its rivals and to give it the same dynamic characteristics as the coupe. NVH levels and structural rigidity were improved but the car also gained a significant 440 pounds to accommodate the new design. This added weight not only affects straight line speed, but cornering and stopping distances as well.

Winding Road is reporting that BMW might revert to a conventional soft-top for the upcoming M3 convertible, to allow the car to remain its performance edge. A convertible body is already a compromise, and an extra 440 pounds is likely to be too much for the discerning M division engineers. However, the solution is not as straight forward as the simple addition of a soft-top. The new M3 convertible is expected to be significantly faster than the previous version, and the new roof will have to maintain NVH levels typical of a BMW even at extremely high speeds.

An alternative option, though severely expensive, would be to retain the folding hard-top concept but replace metal with light weight carbon-fiber. The exotic compound could be used for most of the panels and the arm extensions as well.