BMW officially launches M6 Convertible - UPDATED
After months of spy shots and rumor, including leaked photos of the car yesterday, BMW has finally released "official" pictures of its much-anticipated M6 ultra-performance convertible, which debuts at the British Motor Show in July. Featuring 2006's International Engine of the Year - BMW's 5-liter V10 - the big M convertible hustles from 0-100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds.
Mechanically identical to the M6 Coupe, the M6 Convertible includes as standard the seven-speed Sequential M Gearbox (SMG) with BMW's Drivelogic control software, which features no less than 11 different drivetrain management programs. Also included is the Variable M Differential Lock and BMW's Dynamic Stability Control with M Dynamic Mode. Still more driver options are provided in the Electronic Damper Control system, with three user-selectable suspension settings from sport to comfort.
Exterior styling is the same as the M6 Coupe (with the exception of the roof, of course), including aggressive front and rear fascia and the M-trademark quad tailpipes. The M-version is actually slightly longer than the 6-Series convertible, by virtue of the rear fascia with its built-in diffuser.
BMW has made sure that the convertible owner pays very little performance penalty for the privilege of open-air motoring - the company says that the M6 Convertible laps the Nurburgring's Nordschleife "almost as fast" as the M6 Coupe.
UPDATE - all of BMW's official pics after the jump...
[Source: BMW]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jason 1:44PM (6/20/2006)
I can't believe they still let these things leave the factory looking like it has a second trunk glued on top of the original trunk.
Maybe it's there to prevent the actual trunk from being scratched or dented.
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G. Snyder 2:11PM (6/20/2006)
Is this groundhog day? Didn't you guys post this yesterday.
Maybe it was just to draw out the BMW-haters some more.
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bgdc 2:17PM (6/20/2006)
As I felt on bimmerfest.com, that's one silly looking vehicle. Does anyone at BMW realize the 6 series looks like a Camry Solara that's been to the plastic surgeon a bit too much?
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bgdc 2:18PM (6/20/2006)
Oh and I'm not a BMW hater per se. I am on my second BMW in the last 4 years and just picked up this one in Europe, so you might say I dig BMWs. Their design guys are just f-ing retards though.
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Craig Schwartz 2:28PM (6/20/2006)
Such a waste of a great motor. These have always been girl cars, and that has not changed with the additional horsepower. Not that I wouldn't mind beating the living bejesus out of one.
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Coleman 3:22PM (6/20/2006)
It looks like my buddy's 645 CI except for the quad pipes.
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Winthorp 3:31PM (6/20/2006)
Coleman, it is your buddy's 645 Ci basically, except for the quad pipes......and the front air dam........and the rear diffuser...........and the M-specific wheels.........and the M6 badges.
Oh, and the v10 engine.....and the 7 speed SMG gearbox......and the suspension upgrades.
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verdegrrl 3:59PM (6/20/2006)
Sheesh! Can the back end get any busier? Well, at least the anteater nose is smiling - although it's rather a sleepy, goofy, idiot's grin.
It will be interesting to see who is driving these things.
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Finished.Law.School 4:08PM (6/20/2006)
But they forget to fix the trunk line...
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PJ 4:17PM (6/20/2006)
It seems pretty clear to me who the target audience is, given the backdrops in the pictures. This is for the rich guy (a mid-life rich guy, judging by the bald spots in the pics) who just wants to be able to say they own the most expensive, most exclusive convertible BMW builds. Enthusiasts wouldn't put up with the 4,000 lb curb weight or the compromised chassis rigidity.
Hmm... I suppose I left an almost identical comment on yesterday's M6 story. But then again, if Autoblog can post the same story twice, so can I.
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Brian 4:55PM (6/20/2006)
I still think it's a Camaro for rich dudes.
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Aki 5:06PM (6/20/2006)
Change the grille slightly, slap on a Pontiac logo and I wouldn't know the difference.
BMW has lost all of the design brilliance of the early 90s. Of course, they sell better than ever now since urbanites buy them up more for the "ooo look at me in this expensive car" than how they look.
And dang, I would never buy a BMW with that wretched iDrive. I mean using the Audi equivalent is a pain, yet that's supposed to be considerably better. They need to go back to their roots, dump the frumpy lines, dump the high-tech obsession and go back to the driving experience itself.
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the chad 5:40PM (6/20/2006)
Ahhh! Owww! NO! Please stop beating me with the ugly stick! Oww! Please, no more!
-M6 convertible to Chris Bangle
I thought the 6 series was ugly.
Then they introduced the M6 coupe.
Now, what the heck do you call this?
This is a joke. First off, being a convertible throws away all your chassis rigidity. While it might be "almost as fast", it won't be as fun with all the flex in it.
And is that rear diffuser designed for performance or to scare off kids?
Hmm, it looks sorta like an old drink guy smiling.
I agree with Aki. Just give us a car that is a blast to drive, with a real manual transmission, no adjustable ratio steering, and please, please no iDrive.
Oh yeah, no more Bangle butts, either.
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TS 10:01PM (6/20/2006)
"-M6 convertible to Chris Bangle"
^^^ I stopped reading right there.
Uninformed BMW hater
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the chad 10:28PM (6/20/2006)
TS: Yes, yes, I may not be completely in the know, it was just rhetorical. (But it is Bangle's design language-flame surfacing, the hideous trunk, etc)
I want to love BMW, I really do, but the current gen-models are just appalling. I absolutely loved the last gen's.
But the focus has shifted from simple, clean designs where the real strength is driving characteristics to a technology-driven tour-de-force with less emphasis on the actual driving experience and more on making a statement.
Aki said it perfectly: "They need to go back to their roots, dump the frumpy lines, dump the high-tech obsession and go back to the driving experience itself."
I concur.
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verdegrrl 10:32PM (6/20/2006)
Can't make up my mind whether the central element of the back end looks more like a chicken's bald ass or maybe a cow's udder. The tailpipes are the milk machine nozzles waiting to be hooked up of course;-)
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M3G60 12:41AM (6/21/2006)
You know BMW lovers, I had 01 M3, 02 M3, both were 6 speed and I hated the SMG that my Cousin still have on his 03 M3. Just bought 05 M3 because """"I HATE"""" BMW new designs and I will not drive the E90 or the 6 series for any price, I have to say here that the SMG is the best thing that BMW did in the last 4 years, It's unbelivable how great the SMG when you race someone on the straight line.
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JZeke 7:55AM (6/21/2006)
The interior is not a 6 series highlight. I've only been in a handful, but it doesnt have a sense of occaision that an SL (or XK) has, nor does it feel BMW in heritage. What happened to the cooly logical and precise interiors of old? These new ones are neither emotive or cool, just dumpy.
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Vik 12:53PM (6/21/2006)
Been a BMW fan/owner for decades. Now it's like watching an old sports hero of yours age poorly and embarrass himself on a national stage year after year.
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Own a few 7:59AM (7/05/2006)
Well - it looks like most of the M6 Convertible comments so far are from people that can't afford one. Oh - I suppose "Coleman" is an expert since he claims he has a buddy with a BMW. Sheeesh! At least "TS" openly admits he's uninformed.
I especially love "Aki's" disdainful comparison of the iDrive to the Audi equivalent - right before he makes it obvious he's never driven either one (I imagine he'll invent some way to dispute this). I do get tired of people parrotting blogs from four or five years ago in order to bash something they know nothing about. Get current, at least! The iDrive is yet another BMW invention that has been COPIED by Audi AND Mercedes, but BMW is now already on the third generation.
You can tell the BMW "wannabes" because they always complain about how a vehicle looks. This is because they either don't understand, or don't appreciate the technology. Aki - if you start out by admitting that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between an M6 and a Pontiac - why should anyone listen to you?
Congrats to "Winthrop" for realizing that this car is anything BUT your father's BMW. This thing combines some of the most innovative technology available in the car industry. The 7-speed SMG combined with the race-level engine are truly remarkable.
This machine will appeal to people who want the pure, untainted, heart-pounding rush of a 760, but with the top down. I know - you BMW-bashers haven't ever driven one of those either.
The M6 convertible will be spectacular.
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