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Road Test

BMW 120i convertible

Test Date Wednesday, January 02, 2008  Price When New £25,435

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Verdict

We like the 120i convertible more than this bald star rating suggests. It’s a car that does very little wrong, and even when it does trip up, it’s rarely over something serious.

But two powerful factors contrive to make the 120i SE a less desirable prospect when seen in the context of the market in which it must compete.

Most obvious is an over-ambitious price that pitches it at or even ahead of substantially more powerful opposition. Then there’s the presence of the diesel 120d that is about to land plumb next to it in the market.

Fact is, unless your surname is Ludd and you think diesel is fit only for commercial vehicles, it’s almost impossible to argue against its blend of extra performance, wildly better economy and lower emissions. Good though the 120i is, it would need to be a sight cheaper to overcome an obstacle like that.

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