BMW 3 Series Convertible   Women's view

If ever there was a benchmark convertible, then BMW's latest 3 Series is it, says June Neary

Im a big fan of convertibles because I really enjoy that wind-in-the-hair feeling when I drive a car open to the skies. Trouble is, with our unpredictable UK climate, I also want a drop-top that can become a snug cocoon when the weather turns wet and cold. The latest BMW 3-series Convertible would suit me perfectly. It seats four and takes plenty of luggage, ideal for ferrying a group of friends out to a country pub on a sunny day.

Yet, should the sky darken ominously and the rains fall, well, the metal hood purrs easily back into place.

The latest shape Convertible features numerous improvements over its much-liked predecessor. First and most obviously, it no longer features a fabric hood which will be welcome news to those who live in fear of vandals in urban areas. Instead, theres one of those trendy metal folding arrangements which comes apart like a swiss army knife. It splits into three pieces when you fold the thing and the advantage of this is that you dont need a distended bottom on the car to accommodate the larger sections of a two-piece roof.

The downside of stacking three pieces atop each other instead of two in the boot is that when theyre folded, theres not a great deal of luggage space left. With the roof in place, youll get 350 litres of load space. Fold it down and 140 litres is instantly pared from that figure. Thats less than all this cars key rivals the Mercedes CLK Cabriolet, the Audi A4 Convertible and the Saab 9-3 Convertible.

Never mind. From this point the story improves. I timed the operation of the roof at a so-so 22 seconds (compare that to 12 seconds for a Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe) but there are some real practicality benefits offered. Because of the larger glass rear screen and side windows, visibility has improved by 38 per cent when compared to its predecessor.

Not only does this mean that rear seat occupants will feel less claustrophobic, its also an important safety feature, with cars and bikes less able to sit in your blind spot on motorways. The designers have also factored in some key practicality benefits too. The rear seat backrests can be folded flat to provide additional luggage space if the 210 litres in the boot isnt cutting it. As an option, customers can also specify a through loading facility for bigger items that can still be used with full folding hard top functionality.

I found the depth of engineering to be impressive. Take this issue that many convertible owners will identify with: Its a beautiful summers day, you arrive back in the office after lunch, park the car in your reserved space, pop in for a couple of hours work and then get into the car to drive home and promptly cremate yourself on upholstery thats hot enough to fry an egg. With this 3 Series, BMW has pioneered Sun-Reflective Technology for its leather upholstery. Specialised pigments are embedded into the hide that reflect infra-red radiation. This means that areas that are exposed to sunlight for a prolonged period remain up to 20 degrees cooler than similarly coloured but untreated leather would.

Just make sure you remember the factor twenty.

3-series Convertible customers have a wide range of choices, with 320d, 325d and 330d diesel models and 320i, 325i, 330i and 335i petrol models, all sitting beneath the range flagship, the 420bhp M3 Convertible, the model I tried. This, Im told (though I didnt put a watch on it), can make 60mph in 5.3s seconds and go on to a top speed of 155mph. That proved more than adequate for my needs but in the real world, Id probably go for one of the diesel models.

After all, even the 320d version will make sixty from rest in 8.6s on the way to a maximum of 139mph, yet it will average over 50mpg.

In M3 form, this car can cost as much as £55,000 but prices start at around the £30,000 mark: still, that includes electrically adjusted seats, climate control air conditioning, front and side airbags, electric windows and a good stereo. Like all Convertible models, my car also came with BMW's ASC + T anti-slip system and CBC (Cornering Brake Control) as standard. These clever gadgets take over if you get too enthusiastic, helping to prevent the wheels from spinning or sliding.