Although the M6 Convertible is 295 kg heavier and will take 0,2 of a second longer to complete the zero to 100 km/h sprint than its coupé sibling, the R1,16-million grand tourer is undoubtedly the fastest ragtop BMW has ever produced.
Although the M6 Convertible is 295 kg heavier and will take 0,2 of a second longer to complete the zero to 100 km/h sprint than its coupé sibling, the R1,16-million grand tourer is undoubtedly the fastest ragtop BMW has ever produced.
The latest creation from the Munich-based company’s M Division will make its début at the British Show next month and probably reach South African showrooms by the end of the year. It is powered by the same F1-inspired high-revving 5,0-litre V10 that does duty in the M5 saloon and M6 coupé and recently retained its International Engine of the Year award and recaptured the “Above 4,0-litre” and “Best Performance” powerplant titles.
Producing peak power of 373 kW at 7 750 r/min and 520 N.m of torque at 6 100 r/min, the powerplant – mated with a seven-speed SMG transmission in the M6 Convertible – has garnered seven “Engine Oscars” since its introduction last year.
The ragtop is mechanically similar to the M6 (offers Variable M Differential Lock and DSC with M Dynamic Mode) and aluminium, along with composite materials in the front wings and carbon fibre in the bumpers were utilised to keep the newcomers weight down to a minum. However, the Convertible doesn’t have the M6 coupé’s carbon fibre roof and has do accommodate a folding fabric-roof and its mechanism.
However, BMW claims “the M6 Convertible has retained its 50:50 weight distribution” and is capable of produced “lap times on the Nordschleife of Nurburgring almost as fast as in the
BMW M6 Coupé”.
The roof of the BMW M6 Convertible is made up of three layers. A special noise- and heat-insulating layer of polyurethane (PUR) foam comes between the rubberised outer layer and the interior roof lining. Thanks to its unique fin-roof look, the softtop boasts the same dynamic contours as the coupé.
The roof itself opens and closes electrically either by remote control or by pressing a button in the instrument panel, the entire process in each case taking less than 25 seconds.
Measuring 4,871 m in length, the M6 ragtop is more than 5 cm longer than other 6 Series convertibles, largely due to its aerodynamically-optimised rear air dam, giving the car an even sleeker, stretched-out silhouette. Widely-flared wheel arches, tell-tale M Division rims and four exhaust tailpipes further distinguish the V10-engined M6 Convertible from its ragtop siblings.
By selecting the most sporty shift- and activating the launch control programmes for the SMG transmission, the driver of an M6 Convertible can expect his or her Munich missile to catapult from standstill to 100 km/h in 4,8 seconds and reach an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h under full throttle…
