The body remains the same, but BMW offers, for the first time, a hard convertible top. Hard-top convertibles have become increasingly popular because they offer the top-down fun of a convertible with the quietness and security of a hard roof when the top is up.

The 3-series' three-piece steel top will open or close in about 20 seconds, the company says. When the roof is up, the "Hofmeister kink," a traditional BMW design cue, is still there around the rear side windows.

The car is expected to cost a little over $40,000.