After updating the standard BMW 6 series for the 2012 model year, BMW follows up with the M version in both coupe and convertible style.
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.
BMW's 6 series got an especially long product cycle after its launch in 2003, but now the company is updating what became an old warhorse. The standard models, the 640i and 650i, have already been shown, but now BMW has announced the high performance M6 variant. The new M6 shares its underpinnings with the latest M5.
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The heart of the beast is the engine, a 4.4-liter V-8 with two twin scroll turbochargers. This engine produces 560 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque, which gets the M6 coupe to 60 mph in about 4.2 seconds. BMW came up with innovative technology for this engine, such as an exhaust manifold moving gasses from out of phase cylinders into one duct, creating near constant pressure for the turbochargers. The engine is mated to BMW's seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.
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Although still not true to the 1976 6 series in profile, this new generation captures more of that original style. Due to regulations, the rear trunk lid cannot dip down as much as it did on the original model, but it does not look quite as tacked on as on the outgoing model.
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BMW includes very robust brakes on the M6, using six piston calipers on the front wheels.
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The suspension uses many technologies to keep the M6 stable. The active differential takes sensor data, such as steering angle and yaw, to determine how much locking force to apply. And similar to previous BMW M cars, active damping technology stiffens the shock absorbers depending on the setting chosen by the driver and conditions.
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BMW will also offer the M6 in convertible form. The convertible will come out earlier than the coupe, as a 2012 model.
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The cabin of the M6 gets BMW's latest electronics, which includes app connectivity to both Pandora and MOG for music playback. The navigation system also allows Google search.
