The 650i makes use of its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 and 407 bhp with devastating effect, making this one scorcher of a drop-top cruiser. Mistaking this for a sportscar would be premature. A comparison with a boulevard cruiser with manic power would be more apt.
A brisk walk around the car is all it takes to understand the new BMWs design philosophy, which is a happy departure from the controversial lines of the previous generation 650i. With just the right blend of aggression and flowing lines, BMWs new cruiser hits the nail on the head and viewed side on, the body of the car just flows from the nose to the rear in a single sweep. It has a unique fold that drops down after the front wheel arch. The rear has been designed exceptionally well too; the elongated tail-lamps with the matching exhausts and myriad surfaces embellishing its looks.
The third-generation 6-series is based on the L6 platform which also underpins the 7-series and the new 5-series. This car looks enormous side on, it is just 175mm shorter than the standard wheelbase 7-series and build quality on the 650i is just as good. Everything feels solidly built and the black and red two-tone leather inside looks extra special. You sit low on the big seats, your boundaries defined by the especially attractive swooping central console, and BMW has slotted its set of regular features into this car. The 650i has iDrive, paddleshifts, adjustable driver modes and more.
The rear seat is deceptive with its generous-looking seats. The truth, however, is that even shorter people won't find it comfortable in here. Ingress and Egress is also inconvenient owing to the front seats not flipping forward enough and being fiddly to adjust.
The best way to enjoy the car, then, is from the front seat. Attention seekers will be happy about the roof being able to fold down, and with the wind deflector in place, the 650i is relatively free of buffeting.
The massively powerful engine remains the highlight, and the avalanche of power that's unleashed when you mash the pedal to the floor is breathtaking. The wide spread of torque makes the car an incredibly powerful tool, especially so when it's mated to the ZF eight-speed gearbox. The only letdown is the fact that the car is a tad hesitant while shifting down. The deep reserves of torque correct that to a certain extent, however, and the engine is butter smooth at all times.
Eager to test the BMW on long, winding and twisty roads, we had rather high expectations, but we were quite disappointed when we finally did attack the corners with a vengeance. This is because BMW's Adaptive Drive is an option on this car and comes with adaptive dampers and active anti-roll bars. Despite this, the 650i's suspension doesn't feel well-sorted. The rear suspension is much too soft and this big two-tonne convertible lacks the lithe and precise feel that makes such cars fun to drive.
Another dampener is the electro-hydraulic steering which, in ‘Normal' mode, isn't very communicative and lacks precision and a weighty feel. Slot it into ‘Sport+' mode and the steering weights up significantly. A slight vagueness still remains at the straight-ahead position though.
For the most part, this car will be used for in-town journeys. Set the suspension to ‘Normal' if you want a big American GT car feel with a pliant and soft ride. It never feels very settled though, and there's always a slight bobbing sensation.
At high speeds the unsettled ride amplifies, but the ‘Sport+' setting comes in handy in such situations. The suspension stiffens up and body control improves significantly. However, this setting isn't supple enough to use while munching kilometre after kilometre of broken roads.
As expected, the 650i turned out to be quite thirsty on our unofficial fuel efficiency run, and it never returned more than 5kpl. Drive it with a heavy foot and this figure is set to plunge further. Expect close to 285km from the 70-litre tank.
The 650i marks itself out to be an extremely capable luxury cruiser, and with its ability to cover miles with utmost ease, it could be the ultimate indulgence.
Use it for those late night drives to your favourite hotel or even that early morning drive up the hills to travel in style.
If effortless luxury cruising is what you want, then nothing else comes close in this price bracket (Rs. 95 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi).
