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BMW 6 Series convertible 2011 review

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."

VALUE

Clearly, 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.

DESIGN

This 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.

TECHNOLOGY

Pages 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.

DRIVING

BMW 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 Franschhoek

Pass 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.

VERDICT

A 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.

Pricing guides

$36,300
Based on third party pricing data
Lowest Price
$22,220
Highest Price
$50,380

Range and Specs

VehicleSpecsPrice*
650i 4.8L, PULP, 6 SP AUTO $43,340 – 50,380 2011 BMW 6 Series 2011 650i Pricing and Specs
650i 4.8L, PULP, 6 SP AUTO $37,840 – 44,550 2011 BMW 6 Series 2011 650i Pricing and Specs
Neil Dowling
Contributing Journalist

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Pricing Guide

$31,790

Lowest price, based on third party pricing data

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