Hard-top roof for 3 Series convertible

• BMW ditches cloth on new convertible 3 Series
• Metal folding roof used on next spring's arrival
• New 3 Series Convertible to cost from around £30k

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• 3-Series convertible to have metal roof

BMW has ditched the fabric roof of the current 3 Series convertible in favour of a metal folding design for next year's new car.

These are first pictures of the car that will be launched at the Detroit motor show next January. It goes on sale in the UK next March with a starting price of around £30,000.

Petrol engines available from launch will include the 320i’s 168bhp 2.0-litre and two 3.0-litres producing 218bhp and 268bhp. Topping the range will be the 335i twin-turbo unit with 302bhp. A 227bhp 330d will also be available.

While the new convertible will lose the much-lauded 50:50 weight distribution of the fabric-roofed car, and gain more weight than usual over the coupe, BMW says driving pleasure is still top of the agenda.

BMW also claims visibility will be better than in the previous model. Thin rear-pillars and a low shoulder line mean the size of the side and rear windows has been increased by more than 30% over the old car's.

It takes 22 seconds for the fully automatic roof to split into three sections and stack into the 350-litre boot. When the roof is down, storage capacity drops to 210 litres.