BMW 6 Series 650i Convertible Review: Six Therapy

What we like:

Elegant proportions

superb performance

comfortable ride

well-thought out roof design

well-built interior

we-equipped

noise from the V8

What we dislike:

Handling not as taut as its predecessor

priced within range of exotic rivals like the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet

thirsty when pushed

Retract the multi-layered hood into the compartment behind the rear seats and you can fully appreciate the 6's all-new cabin. The dashboard features a driver-oriented design theme with the large widescreen iDrive screen and centre console angled slightly towards the driver. The instruments are shared with the 5 and 7 Series models but the dash's flowing design is unique to the 6.

The electrically adjustable front seats not only look plush but also are superbly comfortable and supportive. The rear seats two passengers. There is sufficient room for the rear passengers to feel comfortable on short trips and drives. Boot space is more than adequate for overnight bags for each of the four occupants thanks to the space efficient soft-top design. Build quality and perceived luxury levels are high, higher than in the 5 Series models. The dashboard and door cards are covered in soft touch materials, leather for the instrument panel with contrasting stitching on the edges in the range topping 650i.

Like the 5 Series, the 6 gets the new generation iDrive system that is more intuitive to use than earlier versions. Also standard on the 650i is a 500W 12-speaker hi-fi system with iPod connectivity, an internal hard disk to store music, sat nav, rear view camera, parking sensors front and rear, adaptive bi-Xenon headlamps, LED fog lamps, comfort access, soft closing function doors, head-up display, 19-inch alloys and BMW's ConnectedDrive system. With BMW ConnectedDrive, the internet can be accessed in-car via your smartphone's 3G network, allowing email messages received on the phone to be shown on the car's display screen for example.

At over $400k, the new range topping 6 Series Convertible is certainly pretty expensive. The Porsche 911 Carrera cabriolet models will deliver a more dynamic driving experience and are priced lower but none will be better equipped than the BMW. There are also rivals like the sexy Maserati GranCabrio to consider. The topless and evocative Maserati is now not much more expensive than the 650i. At the end of the day though, none of the abovementioned models are as all rounded, as comfortable and easy to live with as the 650i Convertible.

Credits: Story by Raymond Lai Photos by Yang and Raymond Lai