ELEGANCE. For a greater part of the previous decade, it was a word not generally associated with the designs of BMW passenger vehicles. Not too long ago, every new BMW introduction was punctuated by vociferous debate… In the case of the previous generation 6 Series, for example, the majority of respondents either favoured the coupé and convertible’s progressive styling or lambasted former BMW Group design chief Chris Bangle for foisting fussy, indigestible shapes on the paying public.
The reception to new 6 Series Convertible, which saw the light before its hardtop sibling, has been remarkably different. Its design is still arresting, but unlike its predecessor, this BMW has garnered instantaneous admiration from CAR road testers and gawking onlookers alike. The 650i’s lithe exterior lines were inspired by “the movement of waves created by the bow of a speedboat as it pierces the water” and, while it would be easy to dismiss the preceding phrase as art house twaddle, the 650i undeniably fulfils the role of each and every luxury convertible. It makes a statement, but with a whisper, not an exclamation.
There are a many subtleties to take in, such as the recesses at the bottom edges of the Xenon headlamps that visually elongate the units and broaden the car’s front end. Note the twin banks of front LED fog lamps, the ornate strakes that house the side indicators and subtle swage lines that guide one’s eye to the torpedo-shaped Convertible’s extended shoulder lines. The most controversial exterior design cue is arguably the chunky tail-lamp clusters, which blend the bootline and rear fenders, but those chrome-finished trapezoidal exhaust tips, which jut from the rear valance and are fully integrated with the tail pipes, are striking indeed.
With the roof stowed, a satin chrome surround frames the sill of the interior as well as the matte black deck, on which the “fin”-design fabric hood sits when in place. With a swing of the convertible’s sizeable driver’s door, its pilot is greeted by a stitched-leather dashboard that extends into a sweeping collar on the centre console that incorporates the iDrive controller. Smatterings of rich oak wood veneer complement swathes of ivory-white leather and those familiar with the controls and switchgear of the 5 Series will find themselves immediately at home behind the wheel of the Six. The execution of the interior, not to mention the standard specification, is notably grand. A Professional hi-fi and navigation system is fitted, along with side and reverse view cameras, a full-colour head-up display, electrically adjustable steering column, seats and side mirrors with a memory function, Active Headlights and, lest we forget, Adaptive Drive.
For soon after one sets off in the 650i Convertible, its true temperament is revealed. Although the newcomer is almost five metres long and tips the scales at a whisker under two tonnes, it remains a compelling driving machine. The exhaust system of the twin-turbocharged 4,4-litre V8 engine, itself mated with a slick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, has been harmonically tuned to emit a double-bass V8 burble, which is accompanied by gruff blips on upshifts. By selecting Sport mode on the Adaptive Drive selector adjacent to the pistol-grip gearlever, the 650i’s damping firms up and then, with a flick of a gearshift paddle and prod of the accelerator, one person’s boulevard cruiser transforms into another’s performance machine.
The biggest advances over the previous 6 Series ragtop translate in the newcomer’s remarkably refined ride quality and improved driving position. The quickness of the steering wheel at parking speeds (courtesy of the optional Integral Active Steering fitted to the test car), combined with the heavier feel at normal to higher speeds may require familiarisation, but the abundance of overtaking grunt, noticeable lack of scuttle shake and sheer fleet-footedness under enthusiastic driving conditions drew universal praise from the test team.
There are no air-turbulence-reducing electric addenda (only a standard plastic wind-deflector that needs to be manually clipped in behind the front seats), but at least the fabric top offers adequate headroom front and back, can open and close at road speeds of up to 40 km/h, and provides reasonable insulation from road noise. Can the 650i Convertible overcome the limitations that afflict most softtop four seaters, then?
Not quite. Although some might overlook the limited boot space, four adults can only be accommodated if those seated in front are willing to liberate marginal legroom for those in the back at the cost of their own comfort. What’s more, the front seats, although comfortable and almost infinitely adjustable, have cumbersome backrests that take effort to flip forward so that rear passengers can get seated. There is an electric forward and backward adjustment-function that allows a driver and his/her front passenger to slide their seats fore or aft to let rear occupants in or out of their (bucket) seats, but why can’t the pews slide automatically at the pull/release of the catch to begin with?
Whether four-up practicality will be a major consideration for potential buyers (most of whom will hail from households with at least three vehicles) could be debated ad infinitum, it must be said. The majority of testers remarked that as a package, the 650i Convertible offers a dynamic driving experience by virtue of its sporty, but nonetheless comfortable on-road demeanour. The cabin is both aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically efficient and tailored to the driver’s every need … and those are significant drawcards for the majority of well-heeled, statusconscious consumers.
TEST SUMMARY
With a list price of R1 178 530, the BMW 650i Convertible seems a tad pricey, but it does come with a raft of high-tech adornments and creates the impression of being a bigger, more sophisticated car than some of its rivals. That will undoubtedly be enough for many buyers. Yet despite its pre-requisite all-round elegance and admirably dynamic driving experience (with roof up or down!), this BMW hasn’t quite revolutionised its tiny segment … just tastefully garnished it.
