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2009 BMW 650i Convertible photos

The 6-series may have its problems, mostly in the design of its posterior, but it's still a BMW, and benefits from exceptional technology under the hood and in its chassis.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
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1 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
BMW's 6-series became legendary when launched in the late 1970s, and acquired the appellation "shark" for its body style. BMW's revival of the 6-series lacks the styling of the original, but modern BMW driving characteristics are excellent.
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2 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The 2009 650i gets some minor styling updates, such as a strip of LEDs above the headlights. High intensity headlights come standard with the 650i.
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3 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
Belying the car's designation, the engine is actually a 4.8-liter. This V-8 produces 360 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque.
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4 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
This convertible version of the 650i has a power-operated soft-top. We found it's not particularly fast. A special control lets you roll down the rear window.
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5 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The 650i is a couple configuration with two seats in the rear that won't prove very useful, as the front seats cut off leg room.
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6 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The worst design element of the 650i is the trunk lid. Lacking the nice slant of the original 6-series, the rear of the 650i rises up, forming a vestigial spoiler, while rounded rear fenders seem out of place.
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7 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
Trunk room is better than we've seen in other convertible coupes. The top doesn't compromise space to a great degree.
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8 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The cabin is comfortable for front passengers, and these seats are covered with optional high-grade leather.
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9 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
BMW keeps it interior design relatively simple, and tends toward metals and plastics rather than wood.
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10 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
Key cabin electronics can be controlled with steering wheel buttons. BMW also has unique programmable buttons on the right spoke.
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11 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The head up display is an optional feature in the 650i Convertible. It shows the car's speed projected on the windshield, and route guidance information when a destination has been set with the navigation system.
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12 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The six-speed-automatic transmission is programmed well, actively downshifting when you hit the brakes. A six speed manual is also available.
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13 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The 650i uses the old iDrive interface, reason enough to wait for the model update before making a purchase.
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14 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The navigation system in the 650i, which comes standard, is DVD-based, resulting in slow operation. But it does have live traffic with active detouring.
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15 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
An iPod and USB connector comes as part of the Premium sound package.
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16 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
The iPod interface works OK, although the iDrive-style interface isn't our favorite.
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17 of 17 Corinne Schulze/CNET
Bluetooth phone support is standard in the 650i, and lets you view a phone's contact list with the car's interface.

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