2011 BMW 650i Reviews

FOR more than 70 years, BMW has been making coupes. They are often the prettiest of their fleet and currently the sexiest Bavarian coupe is the new 6 Series which has just arrived in our showrooms."Coupes are always about looks," says BMW product and pricing analyst Christoph Priemel. "This car has a brand-shaping function for BMW."It arrives with a choice of either 640i six-cylinder or 650i V8 with no plans to bring in the 230kW/630Nm six-cylinder turbo diesel. "We don't see any market demand for a diesel model here," says Priemel.VALUEHe says the competitors are naturally the Mercedes-Benz CL and SL, but also more exotic models such as the Jaguar XK and Maserati GranTurismo. With its bounty of hi-tech features, power and acceleration figures it is also now a serious competitor against the Porsche 911 Carrera.We're not sure many would go from a Porsche to a BMW, but the new 650i might just attract those intimidated by the Stuttgart sports car. On paper, the Bimmers (from $178,300 for the 640i and $232,300 for the 650i) are cheaper and less powerful than the exotic competitors, but the six-cylinder alternative adds some choice. Priemel won't comment on sales figures, but says the 640i will become the higher seller. Like most German vehicles, some of the optional extras can hit the hop-pocket nerve.Some are worthwhile such as headlights that follow the corners ($2800), while others such as ceramic surrounds on a few knobs ($1100) are a pointless  excess and options like Bluetooth music streaming ($220) are standard even on most of today's small cars.TECHNOLOGYThis is where the BMWs have the edge with hi-tech efficient engines, the most advanced suspension in the segment, Connected Drive with colour head-up display that shows a realistic presentation of the road ahead, optional active four-wheel steering, new night vision with pedestrian awareness, active cruise control, parking assistance with birdseye view and smart phone integration with email capability.Options include a 14-speaker, heart-massaging B&O sound system ($14,000), digital radio ($950), LED headlights ($2800) for the first time in a BMW and active cornering lights ($2800), a first for the 6 Series.  What we won't get is speed limit information - Australia's constantly varying speed limits are too confusing. There is no in-car internet, except through pairing a smart phone. The 640i and 650i are called "twin power turbos". In the V8 it means two turbos working together while in the six-cylinder it is a single twin-scroll turbo. In other BMWs, a small and large turbo work in sequence.The 650i has 300kW of power and 600Nm of torque, but the 640i is no slouch either with a good combination of performance and economy. In fact, it accelerates to 100km/h in 5.4 seconds which is the same as the SL500.The 640i includes a driver mode called "Eco Pro" that adjusts the throttle and transmission for more frugal driving and gives the driver hints on conserving fuel. In conjunction with the satnav option it also suggests the most economical route.It comes with the new eight-speed automatic transmission as standard with steering wheel paddles and M Gearshift logic for faster shifts, while at low revs it goes into an economy mode. Both models are rear-wheel drive. Australia will not get the all-wheel drive version, a first for a non-X model BMW, as it is only available in left-hand drive.STYLINGThe previous model was bloated and lethargic looking. Even though the new 6 Series coupe is 120kg heavier, it appears sleeker thanks mainly to the nose that looks like a great white shark. It's also lower, longer, wider and meaner looking with slit-eyed headlights and muscular rear quarters.Priemel says group design director Adrian von Hooydonk was inspired by the way water flows around objects such as rocks in a stream. You can see it in the way the bonnet crease flows around the blue-propeller emblem.The interior features overlapping layered surfaces and a cosseted feeling. Some may find it a little claustrophobic and will elect to raise the seat as high as possible. It was also designed with golfers in mind, so it can fit three sets of golf clubs in the back. The satnav-info screen is high on the dashboard for ease of viewing, creating an aircraft instrument appearance.SAFETYThe head-up display is one of the most visible and useful safety features in the car. There is also a wide array of standard and optional driver aids to keep the 1770kg beast on the black stuff, including stability control, ABS, cornering and dynamic brake control, dry braking function and hill-start assistance.Lurking underneath is a combination of lightweight chassis and body parts together with enough high-tensile steel to increase rigidity by 50 per cent. Passengers are surrounded by six airbags and inertia-reel seatbelts with latch tensioners.Up front there are seat belt force limiters and crash-activated head restraints. There are not plans yet for a Euro NCAP crash test but Priemel says it would "meet all the requirements" for a maximum five-star rating.DRIVINGAt the world launch in Munich this year the sun shone on the fleet of 640i coupes. The reverse was true at the national launch in Queensland last week - drizzling rain and only 650i models. It felt like a recipe for disaster as we carefully tip-toed our way over the twisting switchbacks of Mt Glorious and Mt Mee.With all that brutal turbo power cutting in so radically, the order of the day was a delicate right hoof and prayers that the driver aids were on full alert. The result was that the car twitched quite severely on occasions as traction broke very suddenly then just as suddenly the stability and traction control systems intruded.While it felt like a chore to drive safely, a quick and short glance down to the handy head-up display revealed rapid progress on the glass-like road surface. We left the suspension settings on "comfort" for more stability in the wet, so there was no opportunity to fully test the suspension.There was also little opportunity to push the engine and transmission, but the V8 rumble and growl was an audible joy. In fact, it sounded better in the standard model than in the variant with the $7500 M Sport option pack which, among other things that are mainly cosmetic accessories, also features an exhaust system with "characteristic" sound. To my ears it was a bit too muted.The eight-speed transmission is a no-fuss box that copes well with steep grades and sudden throttle inputs, although we were conservative on the latter. Steering is the main concern. At high speeds the electric steering is numb and heavy while at slower speeds it responds better. Yet it never provides feedback or a feeling of connection with the wheels.On the international launch, the brakes popped my eyeballs out of their sockets in a panic stop for a Bavarian farmer on his tractor. Thankfully we had no such cause for a panic stop on the rain-soaked roads through the Kilcoy cattle properties.VERDICTPerformance, beauty, technology and efficiency collide in the new 6 Series coupe. No longer is it a lardy loper, but a worthy option to some Italian, British and German GTs.BMW 6 SERIES COUPEPrice:  $178,300 (640i), $232,300 (650i)Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmEngine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo, 235kW/450Nm; 4.4-litre twin turbo V8, 300kW/600NmTransmission: 8-speed auto Thirst: 7.6L/100km, 177-181g/kmCO2: (640i ); 10.5L/100km, 245-246g/km CO2 (650i )Safety: ABS, stability control, cornering control, adaptive drive, 6 airbagsWeight: 1660-1845kg

This week it seems everything has royal connotations, BMW anointing the 6 Series Convertible the "jewel in our crown". The second-generation 6 Series Convertible is more powerful and more economical, more luxurious and safer than before. It's also more expensive, but BMW believes the new models have the goods to justify the price hike. Two models make up the range: the 640Ci, powered by a bi-turbo 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine, and the 650Ci which packs a bi-turbo V8.A turbodiesel 640d is available overseas, however BMW believes its appeal would be limited in Australia. A high-performance V10-powered M6 was available in the first generation. The new M6, if BMW gives it the green light, won't appear before 2013. The 6 Series is 74mm longer and 39mm wider, which does liberate more legroom in the rear seats, but it's far from capacious. Rear headroom is in short supply with the roof up. The 6 Series is 80kg heavier than before despite having a plastic bootlid and front quarter panels, unusual at a time when weight reduction is common.VALUEBMW is claiming the value-for-money high ground, trumpeting that the 640Ci - a new addition this time around - as the only luxury 2+2 under $200,000, but that's still plenty of coin by any measure. Its only direct rival is the Mercedes-Benz SL350 ($217,800). The 650Ci packs a 300kW twin-turbocharged V8 that puts its up against a broader range of powerful rivals. The Jaguar XK may only have 283kW, but its $224,114 price is well under the BMW's. Mercedes-Benz's V8-powered SL500 has 285kW and costs a whopping $327,000 - and it's only a two-seater. The Maserati Gran Cabrio, arguably the sexiest soft-top going around, is a 2+2 like the BMW, and has more power (323kW), but charges $338,800 for a ticket to drive.TECHNOLOGYBMW has replaced the 650Ci's 4.8-litre V8 with a new 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 from the 5 Series sedan. It brings 300kW (up 30kW) and an eight speed automatic transmission, propelling the rear-drive 650Ci from rest to 100km/h in 5.0seconds flat - 0.8 seconds faster. Despite this step up in performance, the 650Ci's fuel economy is two percent better than the outgoing model, 10.7 litres/100km.The 640Ci employs a bi-turbo 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine with 235kW, also mated to BMW's smooth eight-speeder. It's no slouch, either; its 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds is faster than the old V8.A low fuel economy rating of 7.9L/100km is possible thanks to the auto stop/start system, and makes this almost guilt-free performance. Both models come with Heads-up Display standard, now in full colour and incorporating satnav instructions, lane-departure and night-vision warnings where fitted. Both models come with bluetooth audio streaming, parking sensors, radar cruise control, leather upholstery and 19inch alloy wheels. BMW's auto parking system is optional, as is lane departure warning and Night Vision.DESIGNIt's easy to pick the second generation of BMW's flagship 2+2 convertible. It wears a smoother, less controversial skin, though still with distinctive BMW cues like the sharknose and kidney grille up front, and protruding bootlid at the rear. The interior has been given a major workover, but is still immediately familiar. The instrument cluster is clean and easy to read. A new dashboard and centre stack are topped by a bigger 10-inch colour screen that is no longer integrated into the dash.SAFETYThe 6 Series has a full complement of airbags, and the electronic chassis control systems are extensive. The 650Ci comes standard with Surround View, two cameras in the wing mirrors to show the road on either side, making kerb-side parking easier. A rear-view camera, hidden behind the badge protrudes like a James Bond missile-launcher when reverse is selected. Only the rear-  view camera is standard on the 640Ci.DRIVINGIt's a fair bet that when BMW chose Queensland to host the launch, it wasn't expecting leaden skies and pouring rain. That didn't stop us sneaking every opportunity to drop the top - which can be done in just 19 seconds - when the rain eased. We were just lucky the cloth roof closes almost as quickly, and on the move (at speeds below 40km/h), because the rain seldom abated for long.There's no denying the 650Ci is a big car, measuring almost five metres long. It's also heavy (1940kg). But the powerful V8 and its quick-thinking eight-speed transmission combine to disguise that bulk on the go. Add to that the 650Ci's active dampers and the 650Ci is one seriously capable convertible brimming with sporting character and verve.It stays remarkably flat in corners and barrels eagerly forward when unleashed. Its 65mm longer wheelbase and wider rear track make the 650i more surefooted than before, and able to exploit the biturbo V8's prodigious torque. The engine's crispness is equally impressive because there's hardly a skerrick of turbo lag or fuzziness about its responses. Same can't be said of the steering, though. It may be light and consistent, but doesn't have the same catlike reflexes or tactile nature as the engine. That's to be expected in a car weighing two-tonnes (with a driver).The 650Ci is more than happy to wind its way up a mountain with alacrity, yet it's even more at home boulevarde cruising. With the multi-setting suspension on Comfort, it soaks most bumps and wafts regally. And it doesn't half turn heads, either. But then, if you'd just spent a quarter of a million, you'd want people to notice, too.VERDICTLuxurious and leisurely, yet more than capable of turning up the wick. The 650Ci the consummate Grand Tourer.BMW 650CiPrice: from $248,300Warranty: 3yr / unlimited kmService interval: 12 monthsSafety equipment: six airbags, TCS, ESC, CBC, EBD, EBAEngine: 4.4-litre 300kW/600Nm bi-turbo V8Transmission: eight speed automaticBody: two-door soft-top convertibleWeight: 1940kgThirst: 10.7 L/100km, 95RON, 249g/km

Luxury boulevard cruisers have a new way to glide the streets as BMW unveils its bling-bling 6-Series convertible.Expected here in June with pricing to repeat the outgoing versions quarter-million dollar-plus tag, the new 6 is a sharper, more athletic and better focused two-seater.BMW pulls no punches as it launches the car in Cape Town. Its Australian spokesman, Piers Scott, says it will mark a substantial jump in sales - improving on its 30-plus annual average for the convertible."That's not including the M version and it's not including the coupe," he says. "When they come, we expect even stronger buyer response."BMW is breaking a few rules - including some of its own - with the new luxury convertible.For once its being launched - unprecedented - before the coupe, which is due in Australia in the last quarter of this year.Second, because we may not all need the bi-turbo V8 of the 650i, there's the (cheaper) option of a turbo-six, the 640i.And thirdly, though the company has crowed about the advantages of a folding metal roof, the new 6 retains a cloth lid."Fabric is lighter and a lot of the engineering and focus of this car is about saving weight to improve fuel economy and to lower emissions," Scott says. "It also folds down tighter and that means when the roof is down, it doesn't adversely affect boot space. There's only about 50 litres of boot storage difference between the roof up and down."But one of the deciding factors for a fabric roof was the style.Scott says: "It sits a lot better and retains the lines of the roof compared with metal - there's not a huge difference but we have discerning buyers and we want the car to look absolutely right."VALUEClearly, its expensive. It will perhaps add a couple of thousand to the outgoing $245,100 650i Convertible but that's still an awful lot of bickies.It rivals roadsters like the Jaguar XK ($247,415), Maserati GranCabrio ($338,000), and perhaps even the two-seater Mercedes SL500 ($331,350) and Porsche Carrera cabriolet ($245,300).But it's actually closer in design and appeal to only the Jaguar.Typically, the 6-Series has heaps of features and a soaring (in quantity and price) options list. Few will buy it in its raw state, lured by active suspension and geek-candy ConnectedDrive that can incorporate night vision, surround view cameras and lane change warnings.I'm not saying the standard equipment doesn't impress - I'm saying you should be prepared to be lured by technology and its ability to open your wallet.DESIGNThis is streets ahead of its predecessor in looks. It is tauter, so the various body bulges seem stretched over the chassis hidden muscles. Despite being 75mm longer, it looks smaller.The cabin is neater and though it retains that BMW teutonic simplicity, you will marvel at that superb 250mm centre screen that, thanks to its matte finish, remains so perfectly clear and user-friendly regardless of reflective light when the roof is open.Then there's the stitched leather dashboard, perfectly fitting trim panels and extremely comfortable (standard) seats.TECHNOLOGYPages could be written about what's inside this thing. The electronics that run the audio, central monitor, ventilation and all the stuff layered beneath iDrive will bogle the mind and make you wonder how any owner has the time to find its end.The drivetrain now starts with the bi-turbo 235kW/450Nm 3-litre six and closes with the 300kW/600Nm 4.4-litre V8. A diesel may be available in Europe but no word about Australia.Both mate to an eight-speed automatic, drive the rear wheels and suspend on aluminium struts with the optional electronic dampers and adaptive steering of Adaptive Drive that includes active rollbars.The 640i also gets regenerative braking that charges the battery for the stop-start system. BMW says the V8 may follow later.DRIVINGBMW could have dished out a drive route of boulevards and freeways and held the launch on a sunny day to magnify the benefits of the convertible.Instead, it chose stunning roads that glued the sides of cliffs as they precipitously edged the dark threatening maelstrom of the joint of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.Some roads were smooth and tight - Chapman's Peak being the most enriching for its vista, potentially deadly for any driver error - while the equally as scenic run around the rocky gorges of FranschhoekPass was a series of blind corners on narrow, rutted cliff-sided roads.Quite deliberately, these varied road surfaces and driving conditions focussed on the car's (optional) Drive Dynamic Control that offers the choice of four suspension settings.Get it right and the Franschhoek Pass' sudden jolts is ironed out and the bodyroll through Chapman's Peak is flat. There's more - the steering is sharper, throttle response and gearchanges quicker as you go up the suspension "ladder" and at Sport+, there's barely a hint of traction control.The steering is equally as impressive and though I could query its tendency to occasionally feel a bit numb, it can't really be criticised for the job of steering a near two-tonne convertible being treated like a one-tonne sports coupe.The engine is a surprise. It does all the things you expect from a V8 with two turbochargers and while it has a rare seamless torque spread and an unruffled 7000rpm top end, it doesn't rev the heart.There's a nice burble and a subdued roar but - unlike for example the Maserati and Jaguar - it masks its soul.The 6-Series Convertible will seat two adults and two children, has a respectable "two golfbag" boot space with the roof down, and has tireless seating backed by a brilliant audio system.VERDICTA big, beautifully built and engineered GT roadster that is actually a seriously fast sports machine - sadly, to be bought by cityfolk commuting to the suburban golf club with the roof down.