Months of spy photos and an official teaser in the form of the 6 Series Coupe Concept have left little to the imagination, but here at last, the 2012 BMW 6 Series has arrived.
Bigger in all most directions than its predecessor, the new ‘F12′ 6 Series is 75 mm longer, 40 mm wider and 10 mm shorter top-to-bottom than the outgoing ‘E63′, while its wheelbase has also stretched to 2855 mm.
In the case of the 650i, power is provided by BMW’s new direct-injected and turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine, producing 300 kW and 610 Nm of torque – up from the old 4.8-litre V8-powered 650i’s 270 kW and 490 Nm.
The new V8 is available with either BMW’s new 8-speed Sport Automatic transmission or a 6-speed manual transmission. The 0 – 100 km/h sprint is now below 5 seconds, the 650i Convertible cutting the run in 4.9 seconds with both transmissions, shaving a few hundredths off the 5.2 seconds of the outgoing model.
As with its predecessor, the 650i Convertible is fitted with a fabric roof, able to open electronically in 19 seconds and close in 24 seconds – doing so at speeds up to 40 km/h. Storage space for the convertible is limited to 300 litres with the roof open and 350 with the roof in place.
