BMW 6 SERIES OVERVIEW:
Introduction
The 2009 BMW 6 Series' aggressive avant-garde styling may not be everyone's cup of German tea, but in the realm of luxury GT coupes and convertibles, everyone hardly matters. This is a price range and segment where buyers make purchases for emotional reasons. Perhaps a past model from the brand used to grace your bedroom wall, or maybe the car's aesthetic somehow speaks volumes about your own style and personality. The important bit is therefore how the 6 Series satisfies the less sexy rational form of the equation -- will the right side of the brain be making a poor decision?
Of course, buying an $80,000-plus large luxury coupe or convertible is inherently not very rational. But given the 6's fair-sized interior, impressive build quality, thrilling performance and surprisingly fair price, this BMW is about as rational as it gets in this arena. Two flavors of 6 Series are available -- coupe and soft-top convertible -- both of which are dubbed the 650i and available with a lone V8 engine. Both are based on the stout 5 Series sedan platform, and although the ride height has been lowered and the suspension retuned for more sporting intensions, the 6 still features the 5's stellar ride and handling balance as well as the magical ability to drive smaller than it actually is.
While many convertibles today feature complex folding hardtops, the 650i features an innovative soft top. Its sleek, buttress-like aft pillars give the car a unique look, but it's the glass window between them that is really worth noting. This is the only convertible on the market whose glass window raises and lowers independently of the roof. This allows two benefits. With the top up, the lowered window increases airflow while preventing sunburns and excess heat. With the top lowered, the raised window doubles as a wind deflector.
Regardless of which body style you're thinking about, it's important to note that the 2009 BMW 6 Series is a big car -- it weighs about 4,000 pounds. As such, it lacks the agility of more lithe competitors like the Porsche 911 or the 6's smaller siblings, the BMW 335i and M3 (which offer hardtop convertibles). For those interested in a more traditional, sumptuous cabin, the 650i may seem a little cold and austere. For them, the Jaguar XK/XKR and Mercedes-Benz SL-Class may be a better choice -- the latter features a retractable hardtop only and is a two-seater.
And yet, with the exception of its BMW comrades, the 650i is less expensive than all these competitor vehicles while providing the most spacious cabin. It also provides the rewarding and often thrilling driving experience one expects from not only BMW but a luxury GT as well. Therefore, the rational side of your brain can rest assured. Feel free to let the right side take over.
For Pricing information, see our Pricing page.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options:
The 2009 BMW 650i is available in coupe and convertible body styles. Standard equipment on the coupe includes 18-inch alloy wheels, hill holder (manual transmission), adaptive xenon headlights, foglights, auto wipers, parking sensors, power-folding mirrors, a panoramic tilt-only sunroof, eight-way power front seats with driver memory, leather upholstery, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, auto-dimming mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, a universal garage opener, the iDrive electronics interface, a navigation system with voice commands and real-time traffic, Bluetooth and an eight-speaker stereo with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio jack. The convertible adds a fully lined and fully powered soft top, a separate glass rear window that can be independently raised and lowered, and sun-reflective leather upholstery.
The Sport package adds 19-inch wheels, a sport suspension, a different exhaust sound, Shadowline trim, a different hood design, sport seats, an Alcantara headliner (coupe only) and exclusive color options. The Premium Sound package adds a premium hi-fi sound system, a glovebox-mounted six-CD changer and a USB/iPod adapter. The Cold Weather package adds heated front seats (available as stand-alone), a heated steering wheel and a trunk-pass-through ski bag. Other options include different 19-inch wheels, active steering, adaptive cruise control, keyless ignition and entry, a head-up display, an infrared night vision display, a lane departure warning system, HD Radio and satellite radio. There are also special-order interior leather colors.
For more Style information, see our Compare Styles page.
Powertrains and Performance:
The rear-drive 2009 BMW 650i is powered by a 4.8-liter V8 good for 360 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual, while a six-speed automatic with manual shift control is optional. In performance testing, a 650i Coupe went from zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The convertible should be in the low sixes. Fuel economy with the automatic is an EPA-estimated 15 mpg city/23 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. Getting the manual drops the highway number by 1 mpg.
For more Performance Data, see our Specifications page.
Safety:
Standard safety equipment includes four-wheel antilock brakes with advanced standby and drying features, traction and stability control, front-seat side airbags, front knee airbags and active head restraints. The coupe features side curtain airbags while the convertible gets pop-up rollover hoops. Optional equipment includes a night vision display and a lane departure warning system.
For more Safety information, see our Safety page.
Interior Design and Special Features:
Although elegant, the 2009 BMW 6 Series cockpit has a somewhat austere feel compared to its competitors. Still, everything's set up perfectly for driving, with BMW's familiar orange-lit analog gauges dead ahead, a thick steering wheel grip and supportive seating. BMW's iDrive control system reduces button clutter to a minimum, making for a clean dash design but confusing operation of many controls, even with this year's "shortcut" buttons. The new iDrive found in the 3 and 7 Series is much better. Another downside is the lone front cupholder -- which is a separate unit that plugs into the center console and must be stored someplace else when not in use.
Thanks to its generous dimensions and a panoramic glass roof in the coupe, the 650i feels spacious for two, but four adults make for a tight fit. Both coupe and convertible have an easy-entry feature to ease access into the backseat, but only the convertible's is power-operated. Trunk space measures 13 cubic feet in the coupe and a still-healthy 12.4 in the 650i convertible (10.6 when the top is down), and both cars have a pass-through to accommodate longer items. The convertible features a brilliant rear window design, which is separate from the power soft top and doubles as a wind deflector when the roof is lowered.
For more Interior Features information, see our Specifications page.
Driving Impressions:
For a vehicle so laden with technological comfort and safety features, the 6 Series maintains a remarkably direct and visceral driving experience. Although not as nimble as the smaller 3 Series coupe, the 2009 BMW 650i is a very capable performer when driven hard. The Active Roll Stabilization system keeps the big coupe flat around corners, and the lightweight suspension does its part to maintain traction and soak up the bumps without diluting the lines of communication. Regardless of transmission choice, you're sure to enjoy the 650i's 4.8-liter V8. Like every BMW engine we've ever experienced, this V8 is silken and anxious to rev. Although there's a nice surge of power toward the top of the tachometer, there's plenty of torque available at any rpm.
For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from our Editors, see our Road Tests page.
SPECIFICATIONS:
BMW has long offered fine driving cars for every luxury budget, though most have been high on door count. The BMW 6 Series coupe and convertible are for those seeking Bimmer performance two-door style in a high-end package that's noticeably more extravagant than the company's entry-level offerings.
In many ways, one can consider the current BMW 6 Series to be a two-door variant of the company's 5 Series sedan. The singular (non-M) 6 Series model, the 650i, inherits most of the 550i's running gear, including its 4.8-liter V8. The resulting 360 horsepower means speed comes quite naturally to the 6 Series. In fact, its agile handling, swift braking and slick pair of transmissions make it a great performer all around, while a composed ride quality and supportive seats keep comfort levels high.
The BMW 6 Series coupe and convertible are some of the more interesting luxury two-doors on the market. Furthermore, a competitive pricing strategy on BMW's part makes them a better value than many other European-brand two-doors. As an imperfect but unexpectedly affordable coupe or convertible, the 6 is hard to ignore.
Current BMW 6 Series
The 6 Series is offered in one model, the 650i, and as either a four-seat coupe or a four-place convertible with a conventional, power-operated fabric top. The details of the 6 Series experience largely depend on how you choose to equip it. Adding the Sport Package will firm up the ride and increase cornering grip via a set of 19-inch wheels and tires, while ordering the variable-ratio Active Steering quickens low-speed turning response. The most important choice buyers have to make is picking between two six-speed transmissions: a manual and a sport-oriented automatic.
In reviews of the BMW 6 Series, we've found that the ride is supple and quiet, the brakes are powerful, and despite nearly two tons of weight, handling limits remain high thanks to aggressive tires and a well-balanced rear-drive chassis. The highly praised 4.8-liter V8 makes 360 hp and 360 pound-feet of torque and provides forceful and sweet-sounding acceleration.
As with any luxury touring coupe or convertible, the specific mission of the BMW 6 Series is to cover lots of road in a hurry while making its occupants look and feel great -- the front ones, anyway. Unfortunately, the 6 Series offers precious little of the rear seat space found in its sedan counterpart despite similar midsize dimensions. The 6's swoopier body lines are the reason for this, but even with the heightened focus on appearances, neither the 650i coupe nor the convertible could be considered the pinnacle of style. The 6 Series also inherited BMW's iDrive -- an electronics interface notorious for bringing pointless complexity to the simplest of interior controls.
Used BMW 6 Series models
The current BMW 6 Series debuted for 2004. Originally, it came equipped with a 4.4-liter V8 rated at 325 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque and was known as the 645Ci. The name change to 650i (minus the "C") and update to the current 4.8-liter V8 occurred for 2006. Driving characteristics between the 645Ci and 650i are very similar: The smaller V8 shared the 4.8-liter's athletic character but had a slightly less vigorous power band. If you find a well-kept 645Ci on the used market, you won't find it lacking from a performance standpoint.
Prior to 2008, there were three six-speed transmissions available: a traditional manual, a traditional automatic and BMW's SMG, which used an electronically control clutch to provide both the responsiveness of a manual and the forget-about-it friendliness of an automatic. Sounds good, but in reality, we'd steer clear of this transmission as its herky jerky performance makes everyday driving a pain in the neck. Most 6 Series from this time were equipped with the traditional automatic.
Not counting the BMW 8 Series of 1990s vintage, the only true predecessor to BMW's big coupe is the 6 Series that spanned from 1977-'89. All models used an inline six-cylinder engine ranging from 3.2 to 3.5 liters, tuned to varying degrees of power. Even the most potent version could only accelerate to 60 mph in the low 6-second range and grip the road in the upper 0.70g range -- modest by today's standards -- while the car's semi-trailing arm rear suspension never did the best job of keeping the car planted to the road. Still, it was an engaging car to drive in its day and, for that reason, the original BMW 6 Series coupe retains an important place in BMW history.
PRICES:
SELECT A SPECIFIC BMW 6 SERIES MODEL YEAR*
Year
Current BMW 6 Series $74,882 - $81,690
2008 BMW 6 Series $63,898 - $69,754
2007 BMW 6 Series $45,850 - $52,571
2006 BMW 6 Series $37,490 - $41,111
2005 BMW 6 Series $32,909 - $36,262
2004 BMW 6 Series $28,969 - $32,119
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