Peak perfomer: New BMW six series

1.763242-1344935158 — The peak torque comes in at just 1,750rpm and more than compensates for the hefty 2,015kg load. Image Credit: Supplied picture

Going against the grain, BMW has decided to unveil the new 6 Series Convertible several months ahead of the Coupé. This explains the car’s February launch in South Africa; in the Southern Hemisphere it’s the height of summer, perfect conditions to experience BMW’s latest cabrio. Given the response from nearly everyone who got near the car during the launch in Cape Town, it looks as though the German manufacturer’s maths is going to pay off.

Table Mountain, at the base of which lies Cape Town, offers one of the most jaw dropping views of an urban landscape anywhere on earth. With the low hanging clouds that arrive almost daily, to set the flat-topped mountain range that nearly touches the Atlantic, it’s easy to see why this peak is in the running to be named one of the new Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

In every direction I gazed a comparison with another of one of the world’s great landscapes came to mind. Equal parts Grand Canyon, Southern France and Pacific Coast Highway, coupled with an incredible array of wildlife made this area quite possibly one of the greatest places in earth to test the new 6 Series Convertible.

The only problem is that they drive on the wrong side of the road! I realised that was the case when I was telling my mum about the trip, and she said, “Hey, don’t they drive on the left down there?” There was a pause, followed by an, “Oh dear.”
The bulk of my driving experience has been in the US and Dubai, and the mere thought of reversing my entire driving equation had me worried from the moment I realised that mum sometimes really does know best. If I told you the new BMW 650i is such a great car that for this left-side-of-the-road rookie it was hardly an issue, would you believe me?

Motoring heaven

I took the wheel on the tree shaded suburb lanes to the west of Cape Town, orientating myself with this automotive idiosyncrasy shared by a handful of nations. Before I too could seriously ponder life on the left, several things became abundantly clear.
First and foremost, this 6er is quick. It will go from zero to 100kph in 5.0 seconds. The 650i packs a 4.4-litre V8 rated at 407bhp and 600Nm of torque; that’s 47bhp more than what we got from the old 4.8-litre. The peak torque comes in at just 1,750rpm and more than compensates for the hefty 2,015kg load.

The same reserve of torque that provides the smoothness of sailing down the oak lined South African side roads that reminded me of the Northern California of my youth, makes possible its accommodation for the mad need for speed required by my own impending head on collision with mid-life.

High above the Atlantic, ascending Chapman’s Peak, I had the chance to sample one of the world’s greatest driving routes; an experience I will not soon forget.

The 9km stretch of road from Noordhoek to Hout Bay boasts 119 curves, which provided numerous opportunities to really test the car’s handling. And on those tight, death defying angles, the 650i never once lost any of its composure, nor even hint that it might."

BMW’s Dynamic Drive Control system offers a driving experience tailored to every taste. The various modes — Normal, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus — allow a driver to be as detached or engaged as he likes while sitting behind the 650i’s wheel. Normal mode provided just the right combination of comfort and sportiness that my controlling personality demands. Comfort seemed a little too geriatric than necessary for such an aggressive car. Sport Plus, though, is where the 650i really excels.

Even though it seemed a bit wide for such tightly curved passes, it scythed through the narrow and winding mountain roads, often overlooking drops of hundreds of metres. It handled and felt like a much smaller car. Thanks to a double wishbone front axle and integral rear axle, both made predominantly from aluminium, combined with the optional Adaptive Drive system, which includes Dynamic Damper Control and the Dynamic Drive active roll stabilisation system, the 650i absolutely devours a challenging stretch of road. So able was its handling, in fact, that several times I took liberties in passing other vehicles that I still do not believe were possible, and surely not advisable.

Zooming through the French named towns of South Africa, uniformed school children snapped and whistled; apparently they also approve of the new 6er.

BMW chose Cape Town’s sumptuously refined 6-Star One and Only Resort in the heart of the city’s V&A Waterfront district as the site to host the launch, which proved not only a fitting locale to unveil the car, but also offered ample opportunities for city drivers to get a peak at the luxurious new machine.

BMWs aren’t at all uncommon in South Africa, as the country was home to the company’s first plant outside of Germany which started production in 1973. Despite the number of Bimmers on the road, however, the 6 Series stood out even in luxury-conscious Cape Town.

A delivery truck pulled up next to me at a stop light as I was about to exit the city via one of Cape Town’s picturesque highways. “How much?” The driver asked.

“I’m just test driving it,” I replied. “Just buy the thing already. Whatever it costs, it’s worth it!”

At Dh540K, one would have very high expectations of such a purchase, and the 650i does not disappoint. The overall refinement, both inside and outside as well as under the bonnet, makes the 650i a boulevard cruiser that just about everyone will admire, as we experienced throughout the two day drive in and around Cape Town.

According to the designers, they hoped to offer the “perfect combination of elegant design and innovative technology,” to create the ultimate convertible and they have certainly succeeded in delivering a serious contender for one of the most pleasurable
Al fresco experiences on the road.

With the roof down, or sealed, the 650i is extraordinarily quiet, removing perhaps the final rational argument against owning a convertible. It wasn’t until we got out of the cars, tops down, that several of the journalists on the trip lost their cool 6 Series baseball caps provided by the nice folks at BMW to the extreme Atlantic winds; the design is so airtight, and the car so heavy, that punishing weather conditions go almost unnoticed while you’re sitting inside.

The gadgets that come along with the new 650i are up to the standards that we have come to expect from BMW. The improved head-up display made me feel as though R2D2 wasn’t that cool after all, at least not from a digital playback standpoint.

The 13-speaker audio system provides crisp sound even when the top is down.

If I have to make a complaint, though, it would be that there was just a lone Jamiroquai CD in the system. Come on guys, that’s so 2000.
Again though, they make up for it with their Bluetooth and USB interfaces, so I guess it’s my bad for not bringing along a stocked iPod.
The car’s infotainment system is also compatible with Blackberry and iPhone, and you can integrate your email, which is also nice. All of this adds up to a technically, very complete experience.

The modifications to the exterior of the new model are surprisingly pleasing to the eye. The look is curvier than before, and only slightly wider and longer than the last generation. This is by no means, however, a small car, although it offers the agility of a much more compact, performance focused machine.

Besides the size and shape, everything about the new model is a step forward from the previous one.

Verdict

Well, almost everything. Despite having its share of junk in the trunk, one area in which the 650i feels a bit deficient is in rear passenger room; there simply doesn’t seem to be any. If we’re going to be honest, though, do you really want people riding in the back? Well, unless of course they’re leggy, in which case this may become problematic. If your rear guests are really having difficulties stretching out, not to worry, the deep foot wells and generous seat width offer ample space for at least one front passenger.

Ultimately, the new 650i succeeds in its designers’ attempts to improve on the evolving idea of what makes for great convertibles, which have long been part of BMW’s legacy. It’s hard to imagine how BMW will outdo this generation of 6 Series, but experience should tell us that they will. For the time being, though, this one is well worth your money.

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