2012 BMW 650i Convertible
Having seen the 6-series coupe concept in Paris just a few weeks ago, we’re in no way surprised by the styling of the 2012 650i convertible. What is a bit of a surprise is that BMW chose to display the 6-series coupe concept in L.A., showing only images of this production car during its press conference at the show. Now, the car has appeared in the metal at the 2011 Detroit auto show.
Looks Greatly Improved, Top Still Goes Down
As previewed on the coupe concept, the somewhat ungainly 6-series has evolved into a well-tailored grand tourer, taking more than a few aesthetic cues from the recent 5- and 7-series redesigns. Changes from the concept are few and subtle, aside from the differing roof executions, of course. The front and rear fascias have been toned down a bit, with the biggest difference being the exhaust finishers that route below (instead of through) the rear valance. All of the lighting elements—adaptive xenon headlights and LEDs for all other functions—have been redesigned for real-world use, and, this being a convertible, the CHMSL has been moved to the trunklid.
As on the previous 6er droptop, a flying-buttress top is used here, as is an independently opening, power rear window. Lowering the roof is said to take 19 seconds, while raising it again requires 24. As with the previous model, the roof can be operated at vehicle speeds of up to 25 mph. Color choices for the cloth roof are black and beige. The car’s wheelbase and length grow by about three inches and it’s 1.5 inches wider than the outgoing model. As with the 5-series, the 6 gets an aluminum hood and doors, with reinforced plastic being used for the front fenders, tonneau panel, and trunklid.
Ought to Go Pretty Fast
The 50i suffix on this car means BMW’s increasingly ubiquitous 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 lives below its sculpted hood. Output is rated at 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque—just as in the 5 and 7 sedans—increases of 40 hp and 90 lb-ft over the outgoing 650i’s naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V-8. The V-8 comes with a standard six-speed manual or a ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic; interestingly, BMW’s release on the car claims the former is “quite popular with North American enthusiasts.” We’re awfully proud. BMW projects 4.9-second 0-to-60-mph times for 650i convertibles with either transmission. The U.S.-market 6-series also will join other new BMWs in including a clutched alternator to help efficiency.
As for other powertrains, we expect M versions of both the coupe and convertible to rejoin the lineup a year or so in the future. Power will come from a higher-output version of the twin-turbo eight, with as much as 580 hp. The next M6 should get a dual-clutch transmission and, hopefully, retain a three-pedal option.
Chassis Tech and Classy Tech
Another unsurprising inclusion is BMW’s Driving Dynamics Control system, which lets drivers choose between four driving modes to tailor throttle response, power-steering assistance, the adaptive suspension, and transmission behavior (for auto-equipped models). Tweakability aside, our hope is that the electric power steering is an improvement over the 5-series sedan’s; the setup’s lack of feel and communication contributed to a 535i’s last-place finish in a three-way comparison test. Optional items—which then can also be fiddled with through DDC—include active roll stabilization and four-wheel active steering.
The interior is a slightly more driver-focused iteration of what’s found in the 5- and 7-series. There’s a separate binnacle hood in front of the driver, and the standard iDrive controller is integrated into an armrest for the helmsman that sweeps away and into the dash. The center stack is dominated by a huge, 10.2-inch screen that can show, among other things, images from a standard rearview camera that’s hidden under the hinged roundel badge on the trunklid—it swivels when the camera isn’t needed to keep the lens free of raindrops and schmutz.
The 6’s front seats are said to use lightweight construction, and BMW claims improved headroom in all four spots. (The latter refers to top-up motoring, mind you. BMW hasn’t moved the troposphere.) An optional package bundles automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, blind-spot detection, cameras on the front and sides, parking sensors, and a new, three-dimensional color head-up display. Active cruise control and night vision can be added as well, but shouldn’t be.
This new 650i convertible will go on sale in the spring of 2011 as a 2012 model, wearing a base price of $91,375. We expect the production-ready 6-series coupe to appear at an auto show in the not-too-distant future, and we're told it will trail the convertible to market, arriving later in the year. The 650i will be built in Dingolfing, Germany, alongside—no surprise—the 5- and 7-series.
Having seen the 6-series coupe concept in Paris just a few weeks ago, we’re in no way surprised by the styling of the 2012 650i convertible. What is a bit of a surprise is that BMW chose to display the 6-series coupe concept in L.A., showing only images of this production car during its press conference at the show. Now, the car has appeared in the metal at the 2011 Detroit auto show.
Looks Greatly Improved, Top Still Goes Down
As previewed on the coupe concept, the somewhat ungainly 6-series has evolved into a well-tailored grand tourer, taking more than a few aesthetic cues from the recent 5- and 7-series redesigns. Changes from the concept are few and subtle, aside from the differing roof executions, of course. The front and rear fascias have been toned down a bit, with the biggest difference being the exhaust finishers that route below (instead of through) the rear valance. All of the lighting elements—adaptive xenon headlights and LEDs for all other functions—have been redesigned for real-world use, and, this being a convertible, the CHMSL has been moved to the trunklid.
As on the previous 6er droptop, a flying-buttress top is used here, as is an independently opening, power rear window. Lowering the roof is said to take 19 seconds, while raising it again requires 24. As with the previous model, the roof can be operated at vehicle speeds of up to 25 mph. Color choices for the cloth roof are black and beige. The car’s wheelbase and length grow by about three inches and it’s 1.5 inches wider than the outgoing model. As with the 5-series, the 6 gets an aluminum hood and doors, with reinforced plastic being used for the front fenders, tonneau panel, and trunklid.
Ought to Go Pretty Fast
The 50i suffix on this car means BMW’s increasingly ubiquitous 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 lives below its sculpted hood. Output is rated at 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque—just as in the 5 and 7 sedans—increases of 40 hp and 90 lb-ft over the outgoing 650i’s naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V-8. The V-8 comes with a standard six-speed manual or a ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic; interestingly, BMW’s release on the car claims the former is “quite popular with North American enthusiasts.” We’re awfully proud. BMW projects 4.9-second 0-to-60-mph times for 650i convertibles with either transmission. The U.S.-market 6-series also will join other new BMWs in including a clutched alternator to help efficiency.
As for other powertrains, we expect M versions of both the coupe and convertible to rejoin the lineup a year or so in the future. Power will come from a higher-output version of the twin-turbo eight, with as much as 580 hp. The next M6 should get a dual-clutch transmission and, hopefully, retain a three-pedal option.
Chassis Tech and Classy Tech
Another unsurprising inclusion is BMW’s Driving Dynamics Control system, which lets drivers choose between four driving modes to tailor throttle response, power-steering assistance, the adaptive suspension, and transmission behavior (for auto-equipped models). Tweakability aside, our hope is that the electric power steering is an improvement over the 5-series sedan’s; the setup’s lack of feel and communication contributed to a 535i’s last-place finish in a three-way comparison test. Optional items—which then can also be fiddled with through DDC—include active roll stabilization and four-wheel active steering.
The interior is a slightly more driver-focused iteration of what’s found in the 5- and 7-series. There’s a separate binnacle hood in front of the driver, and the standard iDrive controller is integrated into an armrest for the helmsman that sweeps away and into the dash. The center stack is dominated by a huge, 10.2-inch screen that can show, among other things, images from a standard rearview camera that’s hidden under the hinged roundel badge on the trunklid—it swivels when the camera isn’t needed to keep the lens free of raindrops and schmutz.
The 6’s front seats are said to use lightweight construction, and BMW claims improved headroom in all four spots. (The latter refers to top-up motoring, mind you. BMW hasn’t moved the troposphere.) An optional package bundles automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, blind-spot detection, cameras on the front and sides, parking sensors, and a new, three-dimensional color head-up display. Active cruise control and night vision can be added as well, but shouldn’t be.
This new 650i convertible will go on sale in the spring of 2011 as a 2012 model, wearing a base price of $91,375. We expect the production-ready 6-series coupe to appear at an auto show in the not-too-distant future, and we're told it will trail the convertible to market, arriving later in the year. The 650i will be built in Dingolfing, Germany, alongside—no surprise—the 5- and 7-series.
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