Big disappointment that the rain moved in, making a top-down drive home, or drive back in to the office, a no-go. I've always liked the 6-series convertible, as it is one of the more graceful luxury drop-tops available. The 2012 BMW 650i convertible has a strong presence, and the lines of the car from coupe to convertible are not offensive, as sometimes happens when the hardtop goes away.
The top allows for a lot of road noise to creep into the cabin, even though the top is insulated. At freeway speeds, you can certainly hear other cars and trucks very well inside the cabin. On the plus side, the top doesn't move around at all--it's a rock-solid as the chassis. Only the harshest of bumps, or ruts, or railroad-track crossings, give a hint of chassis flex.
I like the new touches on the interior, the slightly raised info screen atop the center stack, and the updated switchgear. It is a solid improvement over the preceding car. And the powertrain is simply terrific. In the market for a luxury convertible, the 6-series is a major player.
The 6-series convertible is a gorgeous piece of rolling automotive art punctuated by the impressive 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. This is a superlative luxury car that is well-executed in nearly every element, and I enjoyed the opulence and athleticism of one of BMW's finest.
So I'm drooling over this car, but when you're talking about a six-figure 6-series with 400 hp, it really is that good. BMW designers did a sharp job with the styling, from the pointed bow to the details in the flanks to the standout wheels--it's all here. The inside is similarly well-adorned, featuring beautiful stitching and an enveloping layout. The feel of the steering wheel, the relatively simple-to-use version of iDrive, the soft leathers and the cabin accoutrements work in harmony.
With the top down one night, this 6-series offered a truly excellent driving experience as I traveled in class and comfort.
What a beautiful car, with a beautiful ride to match. And driving home down the expressway with the top down on a starry night after seeing a movie was like icing on the cake.
It took a little contorting to get into the low-slung 650i, but that was all forgotten once you are enveloped by the soft leather seats and the wraparound dash. All of the controls are easily at hand, and iDrive was painless to use. The switch to lower the top made the process quick and smooth. And smooth also described the ride--plenty of power as soon as you hit the gas, and it stays strong throughout the drive. We were gliding through the night, but there was no sense of floatiness. And the brakes provided good bite to slow everything down. You do get a lot of noise coming into the cabin through the top when it's up, especially from the big trucks. But overall, this is a car that exudes luxury, sleekness and power. Excellent.
Michigan's weather cooperated in full with my top-down needs while driving the 2012 BMW 650i convertible. The one-button transformation from tightly buttoned up top to wide-open sky is a miraculous combination of flaps flipping, windows rolling and the tonneau cover tucking everything into place. From there, it's just a matter of picking your pleasure, from pure comfort settings for suspension, steering and powertrain to the high-strung sport-plus amplification of seemingly every system in the car. I'm sure I'm mistaken, but even the audio system seems like it gets clearer and louder in sport-plus mode. It's like putting on a new pair of glasses with a stronger prescription--suddenly everything seems bright and crisp again.
Punching the accelerator brings everything into sharp focus--the car really gets up on its haunches and hauls for what seems like a mighty big machine. Steering is tight and precise, the brakes immediate and the suspension is highly controlled. Avoid the bumps, because these tires and the stiff suspension don't like them much, but on all but the rougher patches, the ride is oh-so-smooth. Careful of your speed--it's easy to creep toward 90 mph without even realizing it, even with the top down and the wind blowing through your hair.
I'm not so sure anyone who wants to carry more than one other passenger would want to opt for the 6--there's very little space in the back seat for such a big car, so it's more like a 2+2. There are more practical luxury convertibles, but none that cut quite the stylish line and have the performance edge of the 6-series.
My night with the new 650i convertible didn't allow me to crack open the roof, but I did have plenty of time hustling one of these around down in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Surprisingly, there were some stellar roads between the sleepy towns we rolled through on our drive route. The pavement was in great shape and slithered through some beautiful mountainous terrain. With the top dropped and the sun beaming down on me, I hit it, and the 650i drop-top didn't disappoint.
Slot it into sport and it responds with composure through sweeping and tight corners with very little lean. Steering is responsive, well-weighted and offers good feedback to the driver. Push it too far, and the car will understeer, but you really have to be forcing the issue to make that happen.
With things in comfort, it rolls along comfortably and took the edge off the bumps I encountered down in Mexico. I also ran around with the soft top up to shield myself from the heat and sun for a bit. It offers good sound isolation (for a soft top), and I'm thankful that BMW decided to stay with the ragtop to save on weight over a power-folding hardtop that's been the rage over the past few years. The run-flat tires were noisy, though.
The new sheetmetal looks much better than the bulbous styling of the previous 6-series. The lines are more defined and more appealing to my eye overall. Inside, the layout is intuitive and the leather-wrapped dash looks stellar. And the cupholders are usable instead of the previous car's single holder that seemingly was an afterthought and stuck on the right side of the center console.
My one complaint centers on the force-induced V8's throttle tip-in. Just as in our departed long-term 750Li, there is a muted response when you first step on the gas. You step down on the right pedal, there's nothing and then all of sudden it seems like the engine wakes up from a short slumber and you take off. After that, the engine pulls like a freight train, and the eight-speed automatic transmission performs quick shifts when left in auto and is responsive when you use the paddles.
Overall, the new 6-series is a nice improvement. I look forward to getting some time in the coupe and, of course, the M6 when it gets here.
