BMW 650i: A powerful machine
15 Jul 2009 8:28 AM by
Amit Chhangani
in
Single review,
BMW,
Untitled Document 
What a lovely day to begin evaluating the first proper ragtop convertible of your life – cool , balmy breeze , sun shrouded by clouds , a twisty road leading into beautiful mountains ahead and the sound of birds and crickets casting a tranquillizing spell over you. But we motoring journalists aren’t exactly known to be of the tranquil variety , so i thwart the ambitious advances of the mushy feeling and put the drive selector stick into the Manual/Sport mode. Better. I give the right pedal a good , harsh shove and the 650i pitches forward , pushing me back into the seat. All good , but this isn’t quite the kind of acceleration I was expecting after having experienced the omnipotent surge of the 750 Li. Isn’t the 650 a lighter car? Yes it is. Does it not have a bigger capacity engine? Yes it does. Then why is it not feeling as addictive and potent as the heavier Seven? Ahh! The whistling twin-turbos of the Seven are missing here and that’s the reason the heady feeling is somewhat subdued. At close to 365PS the 6 Series is about 40 horses down on its bigger sibling , and with 490Nm , has a hundred and ten less twisters. But then again it’s a sports car , unlike the big limo , and naturally aspirated engines are the most fun on such cars they suggest. If the exciting burble of the 4.8-litre V8 is anything to go by , this should be a tasty drive.
I’ve stepped off the pedal for a while. The completely empty stretches are still some distance away and by practising caution on these roads , you are not doing anyone a favour. The villagers aren’t very kind to hooligan drivers and we have heard incidents of a few rash motorists being bashed up following some fatal accidents on the road passing through the village. The number of people around isn’t too many , but it’s tough to find an exception to craning and twisting necks while being aboard this car. That’s natural , as such big , wide convertibles are not a common sight in India. The 650 is unusual , 
but I won’t really call it beautiful or breathtaking. At the front , just where the lip of the bonnet ends , you have a horizontal line below which the kidney grille flanked by the headlamps sits giving the car a rather drab face. BMW have tried to Jazz things up a bit by introducing a cluster of LEDs above the headlamps , but generally the front really lacks the flair and flamboyance that’s a must for cars of this genre.
The rear isn’t too appreciable either – somewhat reminiscent of the earlier 7 Series – it isn’t One of the most proportionate sports car rumps I have come across. Overall , the 6 Series , as an exercise in automotive design disappoints but still manages to pass as an exclusive , stunning car to the untrained eye owing to its mass , convertible body and the premium badge. Those who really appreciate and understand good surface design probably won’t think of the 650i too highly. Fret not , though , it’ll still turn heads and make you feel special , we don’t have many such cars in this part of the world.
I have always been a big fan of BMW cars’ interiors. Classy , ergonomic , well built and high quality , BMW cabins represent some of the best places to occupy in the world of automobiles. This time , however , I was a tad disappointed. Don’t get me wrong , it doesn’t have anything to do with the aesthetics or the functionality of this Beemer’s cockpit. It’s just that having tested many Beemers over the past few months , I have realized that there hardly is a pronounced aberration from the image of a BMW cabin that you have in your mind , no matter which model you’re climbing in. I almost instinctively know what the cabin will look like before I enter one of these cars. The brown wood inserts , the impeccable build , the immaculate craftsmanship , the comfortable seating , it’s all quintessential BMW but so very typical that it’s beginning to become more of a vice than a virtue. The distinctive chrome finish cup holder further substantiates my point. I got excited when I noticed it – it 
represented change , difference and evoked curiosity. We are humans and we love variety. I think it’s time BMW started thinking about a clever use of different colours , materials and items in their cabins to excite those who want to replace their old Beemer with a new one. Currently , it’s almost like sitting in the same car.
The weather is getting more pleasant and we are clear of the populated zone. Time to bury the throttle , but there’s something that stops me from doing that. On any given day , in any given car , I would have been hurtling up the hill making the tyres screech as they shed carbon black , but in this weather , in this car , at a cruising speed of 80-100km/h the world feels so right. The wind feathering through the hair , an open view of the beautiful lake running parallel to the road – probably for the first time it feels too bothersome to drive fast around these twisties. This somehow feels like the more proper way of driving this car – relaxed , tranquil and at ease. Wait a minute , did I just say tranquil? Well , that’s what such cars do to you – introduce you to a totally different facet of motoring. I am glad I took it out for a spin on a perfect day and to the right place. For once , it doesn’t hurt to know that the hooligan in me can be kept at bay.
I kept driving like that for quite a while before I realized that I won’t be able to write anything about the dynamic ability of the car if I didn’t push it , and then you guys would probably curse me. Traversing the winding uphill roads at a relatively higher pace made two things very clear to me. One – the BMW 650 is an accomplished car when thrown hard around corners especially if you take its weight and open-top body type into consideration. Two – it isn’t probably as great a handler if you look at it purely from the price point of view and compare it with other options available in that range. Weight is the prime deterrent to performance and even as the premium carmakers of the world invest huge sums of money to neutralize the weight with technology , it’s impossible to entirely negate the effect. The 650i too is a victim of its own weight , and while there isn’t exactly anything wrong with its poise and composure around corners , it’s not quite the engaging and involving experience BMW cars are known for.
The V8 supplies enough power to the rear wheels to make the rear snap out at will , however , bringing that wagging tail back in line isn’t as easy. Make no mistake , the 650i is an accomplished handler and this was by far my quickest ascent to the hill after I started pushing it. But my experience with some other similar cars on some other terrains suggested that this ragtop Beemer could have done much better. Undoubtedly , it’s an accomplished dancer which will wow the audience with each of its performances. However , it isn’t the gracious ballad artist that’ll bring the spectators on their feet with a smile on their face and tears in their eyes.
The six-speed sequential auto gearbox is standard on this Beemer and offers smooth ratio transitions in normal mode. There is an additional Manual/Sport mode where the shifts become more dynamic to complement enthusiastic driving. There is an additional ‘Sport’ button below the drive selector to enrage the gearbox even further. You may shift manually too , either via the shifter itself or via the flappy pedals behind the steering wheel. At slow speeds , the stiffly sprung suspension with the added effect of the run-flat technology make affairs rather bumpy inside. The 650i runs best at cruising speeds on fairly smooth surfaces. It doesn’t like being driven on rough surfaces at all. If you’re buying such a potent machine and plan to drive very fast , which you would sometimes , you better find a glass-smooth piece of tar to quench your fetish. Thing is , when this car is driven fast over even slightly rough surfaces , its stiff suspension makes it bounce and feel skittish – not a very reassuring feeling as there are those very brief moments where the car isn’t properly connected to the road. A slightly softer setup will probably compromise the 650’s handling performance around a completely smooth racetrack like surface , but it’ll improve its overall compliance to the Indian driving conditions without 
disturbing the handling too much.
The BMW 650i is an exclusive , stylish (for most) and powerful machine that’ll announces the arrival of some rich blokes like no other. With all its size , it’s got presence and that V8 engine under the bonnet packs enough punch to quench all your speed fantasies. The set of rear seats may be small , but it can accommodate two adults if need be. It’s a different story that they’d want to hop out of that spot at the first chance they get , but they’ll fit in nevertheless. That technically makes the 650i a proper 2+2 GT ragtop convertible. It’s got the hardware to cross continents , and for the front two occupants , it presents a plush and expansive cabin. However , with that stiffly sprung suspension , it isn’t the cushiest car around and unless you’re planning to buy it exclusively for track days (which doesn’t sound too sensible) it’ll generally leave something to be desired. Even if you don’t care as much for comfort as much as you do for performance and handling , at more than Rs 1 crore , there are some better options available in the market today. Nonetheless , as a standalone car and for a BMW fan who wants a convertible , the 650i presents an exclusive option that’ll make his friends and neighbours get scorched with envy.
Content courtesy: 
Untitled Document
What a lovely day to begin evaluating the first proper ragtop convertible of your life – cool , balmy breeze , sun shrouded by clouds , a twisty road leading into beautiful mountains ahead and the sound of birds and crickets casting a tranquillizing spell over you. But we motoring journalists aren’t exactly known to be of the tranquil variety , so i thwart the ambitious advances of the mushy feeling and put the drive selector stick into the Manual/Sport mode. Better. I give the right pedal a good , harsh shove and the 650i pitches forward , pushing me back into the seat. All good , but this isn’t quite the kind of acceleration I was expecting after having experienced the omnipotent surge of the 750 Li. Isn’t the 650 a lighter car? Yes it is. Does it not have a bigger capacity engine? Yes it does. Then why is it not feeling as addictive and potent as the heavier Seven? Ahh! The whistling twin-turbos of the Seven are missing here and that’s the reason the heady feeling is somewhat subdued. At close to 365PS the 6 Series is about 40 horses down on its bigger sibling , and with 490Nm , has a hundred and ten less twisters. But then again it’s a sports car , unlike the big limo , and naturally aspirated engines are the most fun on such cars they suggest. If the exciting burble of the 4.8-litre V8 is anything to go by , this should be a tasty drive.
I’ve stepped off the pedal for a while. The completely empty stretches are still some distance away and by practising caution on these roads , you are not doing anyone a favour. The villagers aren’t very kind to hooligan drivers and we have heard incidents of a few rash motorists being bashed up following some fatal accidents on the road passing through the village. The number of people around isn’t too many , but it’s tough to find an exception to craning and twisting necks while being aboard this car. That’s natural , as such big , wide convertibles are not a common sight in India. The 650 is unusual ,
but I won’t really call it beautiful or breathtaking. At the front , just where the lip of the bonnet ends , you have a horizontal line below which the kidney grille flanked by the headlamps sits giving the car a rather drab face. BMW have tried to Jazz things up a bit by introducing a cluster of LEDs above the headlamps , but generally the front really lacks the flair and flamboyance that’s a must for cars of this genre.
The rear isn’t too appreciable either – somewhat reminiscent of the earlier 7 Series – it isn’t One of the most proportionate sports car rumps I have come across. Overall , the 6 Series , as an exercise in automotive design disappoints but still manages to pass as an exclusive , stunning car to the untrained eye owing to its mass , convertible body and the premium badge. Those who really appreciate and understand good surface design probably won’t think of the 650i too highly. Fret not , though , it’ll still turn heads and make you feel special , we don’t have many such cars in this part of the world.
I have always been a big fan of BMW cars’ interiors. Classy , ergonomic , well built and high quality , BMW cabins represent some of the best places to occupy in the world of automobiles. This time , however , I was a tad disappointed. Don’t get me wrong , it doesn’t have anything to do with the aesthetics or the functionality of this Beemer’s cockpit. It’s just that having tested many Beemers over the past few months , I have realized that there hardly is a pronounced aberration from the image of a BMW cabin that you have in your mind , no matter which model you’re climbing in. I almost instinctively know what the cabin will look like before I enter one of these cars. The brown wood inserts , the impeccable build , the immaculate craftsmanship , the comfortable seating , it’s all quintessential BMW but so very typical that it’s beginning to become more of a vice than a virtue. The distinctive chrome finish cup holder further substantiates my point. I got excited when I noticed it – it
represented change , difference and evoked curiosity. We are humans and we love variety. I think it’s time BMW started thinking about a clever use of different colours , materials and items in their cabins to excite those who want to replace their old Beemer with a new one. Currently , it’s almost like sitting in the same car.
The weather is getting more pleasant and we are clear of the populated zone. Time to bury the throttle , but there’s something that stops me from doing that. On any given day , in any given car , I would have been hurtling up the hill making the tyres screech as they shed carbon black , but in this weather , in this car , at a cruising speed of 80-100km/h the world feels so right. The wind feathering through the hair , an open view of the beautiful lake running parallel to the road – probably for the first time it feels too bothersome to drive fast around these twisties. This somehow feels like the more proper way of driving this car – relaxed , tranquil and at ease. Wait a minute , did I just say tranquil? Well , that’s what such cars do to you – introduce you to a totally different facet of motoring. I am glad I took it out for a spin on a perfect day and to the right place. For once , it doesn’t hurt to know that the hooligan in me can be kept at bay.
I kept driving like that for quite a while before I realized that I won’t be able to write anything about the dynamic ability of the car if I didn’t push it , and then you guys would probably curse me. Traversing the winding uphill roads at a relatively higher pace made two things very clear to me. One – the BMW 650 is an accomplished car when thrown hard around corners especially if you take its weight and open-top body type into consideration. Two – it isn’t probably as great a handler if you look at it purely from the price point of view and compare it with other options available in that range. Weight is the prime deterrent to performance and even as the premium carmakers of the world invest huge sums of money to neutralize the weight with technology , it’s impossible to entirely negate the effect. The 650i too is a victim of its own weight , and while there isn’t exactly anything wrong with its poise and composure around corners , it’s not quite the engaging and involving experience BMW cars are known for.
The six-speed sequential auto gearbox is standard on this Beemer and offers smooth ratio transitions in normal mode. There is an additional Manual/Sport mode where the shifts become more dynamic to complement enthusiastic driving. There is an additional ‘Sport’ button below the drive selector to enrage the gearbox even further. You may shift manually too , either via the shifter itself or via the flappy pedals behind the steering wheel. At slow speeds , the stiffly sprung suspension with the added effect of the run-flat technology make affairs rather bumpy inside. The 650i runs best at cruising speeds on fairly smooth surfaces. It doesn’t like being driven on rough surfaces at all. If you’re buying such a potent machine and plan to drive very fast , which you would sometimes , you better find a glass-smooth piece of tar to quench your fetish. Thing is , when this car is driven fast over even slightly rough surfaces , its stiff suspension makes it bounce and feel skittish – not a very reassuring feeling as there are those very brief moments where the car isn’t properly connected to the road. A slightly softer setup will probably compromise the 650’s handling performance around a completely smooth racetrack like surface , but it’ll improve its overall compliance to the Indian driving conditions without
disturbing the handling too much.
The BMW 650i is an exclusive , stylish (for most) and powerful machine that’ll announces the arrival of some rich blokes like no other. With all its size , it’s got presence and that V8 engine under the bonnet packs enough punch to quench all your speed fantasies. The set of rear seats may be small , but it can accommodate two adults if need be. It’s a different story that they’d want to hop out of that spot at the first chance they get , but they’ll fit in nevertheless. That technically makes the 650i a proper 2+2 GT ragtop convertible. It’s got the hardware to cross continents , and for the front two occupants , it presents a plush and expansive cabin. However , with that stiffly sprung suspension , it isn’t the cushiest car around and unless you’re planning to buy it exclusively for track days (which doesn’t sound too sensible) it’ll generally leave something to be desired. Even if you don’t care as much for comfort as much as you do for performance and handling , at more than Rs 1 crore , there are some better options available in the market today. Nonetheless , as a standalone car and for a BMW fan who wants a convertible , the 650i presents an exclusive option that’ll make his friends and neighbours get scorched with envy.
Content courtesy: