BMW 650i convertible: A fast and good looking car
05 Jul 2011 2:39 PM by
Sarmad Kadiri
in
Single review,
BMW,
Dressed in all black , the BMW 650i gleamed as it stood under an array of tubelights. The large 19-inch wheels (245/40 in front and 275/35 in rear) do justice to the profile. Designer Nader Faghihzadeh got some of his inspiration from flowing water while designing the all-new BMW 650i convertible. If a stick is dipped into a stream , it leaves a V-like ripple , which inspires the soft creases that emerge from the convertible’s nose and gently curve towards the edges of the bonnet , before streaming up the ‘A’ pillars.
The black-fabric soft top unfastens automatically and folds nicely into the boot to unveil the stylish cabin and , of course , the occupants. A sight so rare in our country that it attracts a crowd , who , their jaws dropped in awe , fumble with their mobile phone cameras to record the ‘event’. It justifies every paisa of the Rs 1.2 crore price tag. To some it might seem impracticable , given the hot and humid climate of our country , but for others it does what it’s supposed to do – make you arrive in style!
It is interesting to see how BMW have used the ‘L6’ platform they introduced with the new 7 and 5 Series to make this sports-
convertible. This has also given the 6 Series a generous wheelbase of 2 , 855 mm. Since there is no roof , the car’s chassis had to be strengthened to make it rigid , which tends to add unwanted weight to the car. But the boffins have employed some intelligent lightweight design by using high-strength steel and aluminium and have reinforced key areas with hot-formed ultra-high-tensile steel. The manufacturers have also made sure that the doors , bonnet and front axle spring mounts are made of cast aluminium to reduce weight. Other measures include thermoplastic front wings and a tonneau cover and boot-lid made of fibreglass composite. In spite of all these the BMW weighs 2 , 015 kg , 300 kg more than the heaviest 5 Series.
Like its siblings the 6 Series sports aluminium double wishbone suspension in the front and integral-V multi-link set-up at the rear. Steel springs , passive dampers and fixed-rate anti-roll bars come as standard. There is an option to upgrade to ‘Adaptive Drive’ , which features adaptive dampers and active anti-roll bars along with high beam assistant , head-up display and BMW night vision with person recognition for an additional Rs 8 lakh.
The cabin-enlarging wheelbase offers larger interior compared to other cars in this class. The steering wheel is sporty and features audio controls and shift paddles. The leather-draped dashboard swoops down elegantly to meet the centre instrument console and feels luxurious. You do recognise a few parts used here from its less expensive sibling , which is not a great feeling , especially since the 650i costs almost three times the Five. The front seat is assuringly firm and sporty. It is well positioned and offers a low driving position , keeping you sheltered from blasting wind. The rear seats are cramped , though , as in most convertibles. Sacrifice some of the front legroom and you might be able to squeeze out just about enough legroom for an adult. With the soft storage sleeve folded and the roof on top , the boot can offer upto 350 litres of storage space.
Apart from airbags and seat-belts there are a couple of other safety equipment and technologies like extra-strengthened windscreen frame , reinforced floor , sills and ‘B’ pillar , and automatic aluminium roll-over bars that deploy from behind the rear head rest in case the car happens to go turtle. The crash sensor releases the central locking , switches on the hazard lights , cuts off fuel supply , interior lighting 
and safety battery terminal.
But the feather in the 650i’s cap is its all-aluminium 4.4-litre V8 petrol motor with direct injection , which powers the rear wheels using an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. BMW’s TwinPower Turbo Technology (One turbocharger per cylinder bank) boosts the maximum output of 408 PS between 5 , 500 and 6 , 400 rpm and a remarkable torque of 600 Nm all the way from 1 , 750 to 4 , 500 rpm. It catapults the car from 0 to 100 km/h in just six seconds , making this one of the fastest cars that we have tested on Indian soil! The short intermediate gear ratios , the steady flow of the massive torque and a gearbox that could put Quick-gun Murugun to shame give it a staggering mid-range. It’s a fast car , but the engine-transmission set-up is such
that it doesn’t make you feel as if you’re speeding.
You get the Drive Dynamic Control which allows drivers to vary the car’s sporty characteristics and comfort by choosing the desired suspension settings with three options – Normal , Sport and Sport+. But even in the Normal mode the torque converter never slips and 
there is no delay from the twin turbo to effortlessly spin out a surge of power to propel the car ahead. The 650i is so adaptive that you can cruise lazily in the City and in a moment launch it like a rocket. It’s a sports car and the ride quality is accordingly is on the harder side. In the Normal mode and on the sparse section of good roads the car behaves well. But on the commonly found bad roads , it does not offer enough body control. Select Sport mode on flat roads and the car dons a more dynamic mien , reduces body roll and offers a lot of grip. If you hit a bad patch of road , it unsettles the composure and every pothole sends a shudder through the car’s body.
In typical BMW fashion , the steering feels heavy , in spite of being electrically powered. Its electric motor consumes energy only when the steering is actually in use. When the driver is travelling in a straight line or holding the wheel steady on a bend , the electric motor remains inactive and saves energy. The other flag-bearer of BMW’s EfficientDynamics is the Brake Energy Regeneration that transforms the car’s redundant kinetic into storable electrical energy. The battery gets charged ‘gratis’ and the car uses less engine power to feed the battery , which , in turn , saves fuel.
It is definitely among the best looking soft-tops available in India and the 4.4-litre V8 with the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox is a marriage made in automotive heaven. Yes , the ride could have been more comforting and it’s expensive too. But it is a sports convertible and one can forget the shortcomings because it is fast , good looking , sumptuous and built to last.
Read more "EXPERT REVIEWS"
Content courtesy: 
on 10 May 12 at 7:21 PM
Allstate puts a small device in the cars of drivers who sign up for the program that monitors how much they drive and how fast they drive, among other factors. Insurance rates can go down 30% as a result. Check "Auto Insurance Clearance" for more info
The black-fabric soft top unfastens automatically and folds nicely into the boot to unveil the stylish cabin and , of course , the occupants. A sight so rare in our country that it attracts a crowd , who , their jaws dropped in awe , fumble with their mobile phone cameras to record the ‘event’. It justifies every paisa of the Rs 1.2 crore price tag. To some it might seem impracticable , given the hot and humid climate of our country , but for others it does what it’s supposed to do – make you arrive in style!
It is interesting to see how BMW have used the ‘L6’ platform they introduced with the new 7 and 5 Series to make this sports-
convertible. This has also given the 6 Series a generous wheelbase of 2 , 855 mm. Since there is no roof , the car’s chassis had to be strengthened to make it rigid , which tends to add unwanted weight to the car. But the boffins have employed some intelligent lightweight design by using high-strength steel and aluminium and have reinforced key areas with hot-formed ultra-high-tensile steel. The manufacturers have also made sure that the doors , bonnet and front axle spring mounts are made of cast aluminium to reduce weight. Other measures include thermoplastic front wings and a tonneau cover and boot-lid made of fibreglass composite. In spite of all these the BMW weighs 2 , 015 kg , 300 kg more than the heaviest 5 Series.
Like its siblings the 6 Series sports aluminium double wishbone suspension in the front and integral-V multi-link set-up at the rear. Steel springs , passive dampers and fixed-rate anti-roll bars come as standard. There is an option to upgrade to ‘Adaptive Drive’ , which features adaptive dampers and active anti-roll bars along with high beam assistant , head-up display and BMW night vision with person recognition for an additional Rs 8 lakh.
Apart from airbags and seat-belts there are a couple of other safety equipment and technologies like extra-strengthened windscreen frame , reinforced floor , sills and ‘B’ pillar , and automatic aluminium roll-over bars that deploy from behind the rear head rest in case the car happens to go turtle. The crash sensor releases the central locking , switches on the hazard lights , cuts off fuel supply , interior lighting
and safety battery terminal.
But the feather in the 650i’s cap is its all-aluminium 4.4-litre V8 petrol motor with direct injection , which powers the rear wheels using an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. BMW’s TwinPower Turbo Technology (One turbocharger per cylinder bank) boosts the maximum output of 408 PS between 5 , 500 and 6 , 400 rpm and a remarkable torque of 600 Nm all the way from 1 , 750 to 4 , 500 rpm. It catapults the car from 0 to 100 km/h in just six seconds , making this one of the fastest cars that we have tested on Indian soil! The short intermediate gear ratios , the steady flow of the massive torque and a gearbox that could put Quick-gun Murugun to shame give it a staggering mid-range. It’s a fast car , but the engine-transmission set-up is such
that it doesn’t make you feel as if you’re speeding.
You get the Drive Dynamic Control which allows drivers to vary the car’s sporty characteristics and comfort by choosing the desired suspension settings with three options – Normal , Sport and Sport+. But even in the Normal mode the torque converter never slips and
there is no delay from the twin turbo to effortlessly spin out a surge of power to propel the car ahead. The 650i is so adaptive that you can cruise lazily in the City and in a moment launch it like a rocket. It’s a sports car and the ride quality is accordingly is on the harder side. In the Normal mode and on the sparse section of good roads the car behaves well. But on the commonly found bad roads , it does not offer enough body control. Select Sport mode on flat roads and the car dons a more dynamic mien , reduces body roll and offers a lot of grip. If you hit a bad patch of road , it unsettles the composure and every pothole sends a shudder through the car’s body.
In typical BMW fashion , the steering feels heavy , in spite of being electrically powered. Its electric motor consumes energy only when the steering is actually in use. When the driver is travelling in a straight line or holding the wheel steady on a bend , the electric motor remains inactive and saves energy. The other flag-bearer of BMW’s EfficientDynamics is the Brake Energy Regeneration that transforms the car’s redundant kinetic into storable electrical energy. The battery gets charged ‘gratis’ and the car uses less engine power to feed the battery , which , in turn , saves fuel.
It is definitely among the best looking soft-tops available in India and the 4.4-litre V8 with the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox is a marriage made in automotive heaven. Yes , the ride could have been more comforting and it’s expensive too. But it is a sports convertible and one can forget the shortcomings because it is fast , good looking , sumptuous and built to last.
Read more "EXPERT REVIEWS"
Content courtesy:
Allstate puts a small device in the cars of drivers who sign up for the program that monitors how much they drive and how fast they drive, among other factors. Insurance rates can go down 30% as a result. Check "Auto Insurance Clearance" for more info