The newly styled 650i by Nader Faghihzadeh, the Exterior Designer of BMW 6 Series Coupe and Gran Coupe, portrays the true BMW design elegance which relates to the first-generation 6 introduced in 1976, depicting a good balance between luxury and performance dynamics, which became the iconic vehicle in the BMW family since it was introduced. The cabriolet has empowered owners and seduced them with its sporty and sharky lines.
IT exudes a subtle yet aggressive
sharky look with an underlying element of elegance. The front look features a
new fog-light style, with LEDs and ofcourse the subtle shark nose. Fitted with Xenon
adaptive headlights with dynamic auto-leveling, corona headlight-rings &
cornering lights, it certainly has a distinctive BMW front look. The previous 650i used the
heavy folding hardtop but to cut weight it currently has made use of fabric
roof instead.
The
all new redesigned 6 series is built on the all new aluminum-intensive structure inspired from
the BMW's 5 and 7 Series sedans which provides greater structural rigidity and
keeps weight down.
I
had to go to the International airport to pick up a close friend, who was
arriving from Dubai.Her jaw dropped, seeing the 650i, and as soon as she sat on it, hmmm,
her heart melted. Just flick a button and in 20 secs it is time to bask in the sun while cruising.
The
beauty of the convertible is its soft top intelligent roof design which allows
for the rear window to be controlled separately. The roof is on top for
added ventilation or raise it with roof down as a wind deflector. The
top is constructed of multiple layers of fabric and gives a quite operation.
To provide
more space for seating and legroom, the 650i's body length has been increased
by 3 inches than its predecessor and the width too has increased by 1.5 inches,
providing optimal rear seat back angle and slightly more spacious
seating.
The
interiors which is so enticing and gives a warm feeling of being at a CEO's
plush executive office chair, a very focused view of the drivers display, with data
being displayed on the dashboard and all round view.
The dash
top and top of the glovebox, the sensous sculpted and twisted style to the
centre stack and centre console, is truly an evolving design. With premium
materials- Fine leather, precious wood,
there is a vast combination one can choose for as per his/her personal tastes.
With
stitched leather dash , perfect wood trim and a dna of a sporting convertible, this is definitely a driver's delight.
Relaxed with the memorized seating position, press the start button of the 650i’s aspirated
twin-turbocharged 400-hp, 4.4-liter V-8, the soundtrack makes you excited, the
slight burble from the exhaust, automatically puts you in BMW mode.
From 2006, the name was changed to 650i and
its engine was upgraded to a 4.8-liter V8 that produced 360 hp and 360 lb-ft of
torque. The 2012 650i's turbocharged V8 engine is more powerful, rising from
400 horsepower to 445 hp, which shoots
immediate power through a series of smooth shifts.
The trunk is very
spacious even with the top down, with 10.6 cubic feet with top lowered and 12.3
cub. Ft., when roof on top. The upholstery is specially made with a fabric that
stays cool when top is down on a sunny days, pretty cool, heat-reflective
leather upholstery which works amazingly well.
In particular, the under-thigh
support can be extended for long drives. 
A large 10.2 inch high-res display, prominent
enough, in upright position provides latest infotainment system for the BMW
driver. Time to put on some Lana Del Ray. The iDrive controller makes things a lot easier to change
music or car settings, etc for a relaxed drive, customization at its best.
The sound
system is one of the best features, fitted with the all new Bang & Olufsen
high-end audio system. Hearing Lana Del Ray voice coming out from those 16
speakers with 1200 watt of hi fi crystal, clear sound, wowwww, so unbelievable.
A
dash-mounted tweeter that rises when the sounds goes live with a pair of
sub-woofers under the front seats, keeping you wide awake. Some fabulous
acoustics,a sheer driving pleasure.
The stereo system has the usual AM/FM stereo
CD/MP3 audio system and for the tech savvy, iPod & USB adapter is provided
too. In case of a call, the Bluetooth wireless
technology makes it easy for hands-free conversation. For
long cruises, put on Phil Collins, and to hear it on the Bang & Olufsen audio system,is an out of the world experience.
BMW’s body-to-glass
approach with pillarless doors of the 650i Coupe which fits harmoniously with
the rest of design, is their best trademark providing best all around visibility
and sexy look.
The sides
have two sharp lines that run from the front of the car back, accentuates the BMW design, very similar on the 7 Series.
After
the evening tea at Four Seasons, I want to understand the 650i’s performance and
handling, and my best place is the Hanging Gardens, voila, roller coaster test.
Negotiating
the downhill from Hanging Gardens, a good S curve, the chassis is stiff and
sportier.I feel its the weight that should be reduced by a good 250kgs, yet
handling is firm and solid.
The 650i is quick & responsive, not
only for its V8, twin turbo, but also for its transmission too, the ZF 8HP70
eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Quick shifts with efficiency, and the extremely tall
top gear helps keep fuel consumption at good levels. But if you are an
aggressive driver, the 650i will hand you a nice fat fuel bill. The 8-speed
sport automatic transmission has automatic sport & manual shift modes, and
the much needed steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
0-60 mph acceleration, full nailed, get a good punch, good force, rock
steady, no wheel spin, and voila in
about 5.1 seconds, tested by BMW is 4.9secs. At the same
time, the 8-speed sports automatic transmission keeps the engine in the optimum
revving range and shifts almost imperceptibly while offering you supreme traveling comfort with a
top speed of 155mph (250 km/h ).
A
very responsive torqy engine, at 400HP and 450 lb-ft, the 650i’s new 4.4L
twin-turbo engine is up 40HP and 90 lb-ft compared to the outgoing 4.8L
naturally aspirated engine from last year. The twin turbocharged
V8 is smooth and delivers power in the entire rev range with a very quick torque response
from 1,750 RPM.Being aggressive all the way to 4500 RPM,it is more powerful than
its previous 650i.
Truly
and practically, the 650i has
performance technology with excellent engineering in the drive line and
suspension and steering that adjust depending on driver settings and
conditions.
BMW 6
Series Coupe is the first vehicle from the Munich-based automaker to get full
LED treatment; driving lights, indication lights, brake lights and rear-lights.
The deisgn
of the 6 series as described by BMW’s Chief Designer Adrian van Hooydonk, the
front-end “a shark-like nose” featuring a slightly forward-leaning kidney
grille and a full-width air duct within the lower part of the bumper. The
front-end design reflects both, sophistication and aggressiveness that went
into this design. The kidney-grille are unique across the lineup with glass
inserts along the top ridge. The rear with its L-shaped taillights continue to
remain a BMW icon and the full LED treatment brings out the luxury and
sportiness of the new 6 series.
The handling characteristics of the 650i’s innovative
multilink suspension front and rear is phenomenal, which has actually added the
extra pounds, while the ride quality being smooth as it hugs the road, thanks
to the Driving dynamics control w/ECO PRO mode. The BMW 650i has a ride
which is dynamic & smooth, the brakes are powerful and despite weighing nearly
2 tons, the handling remained fabulous and thanks to its aggressive tyre size
and a well-balanced rear-drive chassis. Having being equipped with the optional
active roll stabilizer, it provided superb road holding, even the roughest
surface it did not unsettle the car.
In the
front, the suspension setup is the Double wishbone front suspension with front
& rear stabilizer bars, Dynamic damping control, and in the rear Multi-link
rear suspension and all shocks are Twin-tube gas-pressure shock absorbers, a
carpet ride, yet stiff and added stability at rough terrains and tight turns.
Thanks to the 19" x 8.5" star-spoke light alloy
wheels, P245/40R19 run-flat all-season tyres, it offers a smooth ride and hugging grip. The active
suspension does a superb job.
The stability
system assists in maintaining the 650i with no oversteer or understeer, in
normal or sport mode. As in other BMWs, the chassis settings are sporty, normal and
comfortable.
There are
numerous safety features, the important are the 4-wheel
anti-lock brake system (ABS) with dynamic brake control (DBC) and Dynamic
stability control (DSC) .
Other
few standard safety equipment includes four-wheel antilock brakes with advanced
standby and drying features, traction and stability control, front-seat side
airbags, active head restraints and BMW Assist rearview camera.
The
impressive 650i has the best of all features of a grand touring car,
spectacular good looks, awesome power under the hood and a great amount of
handling dynamic capability that will ensure a superb drive to mountainous
regions or inter city highway driving. The state-of-the-art infotainment
fitted, keeps oneself busy with the entertainment of one’s choice. It inspires
with style, elegance and class, it is one of the most exhilarating luxury
experiences you can have, either with top down or up.
For
those seeking a two-door style, convertible, with a luxurious package, and
elegance, the answer lies with the BMW 650i Convertible and yes, a must have for BMW’s die hard
enthusiasts and loyalists too.
The
styling boasts elegant contours and design with slight beefed-up sharky
proportions while maintaining BMW’s 6 series dynamic genes on an enhanced
level. The 650i is agile at handling, with a composed ride, superb engine and
a well sculpted cabin.
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