Open gallery 
The 6 Series shares its plaform with models as diverse as the 5 Series and Rolls-Royce Ghost
More upright kidney grille and prominent surround are nods to the original 6 Series’ shark nose
The 650i’s reversing camera is hidden away under the boot release, which pops up when you select reverse
Double corona headlamps and LED daytime running lights give the car a recognisable BMW visual character in the rear-view mirror
The sides are free from bling, aside from the side repeaters
Cabin features soft-touch leather and some elegant design touches
Optional head-up display works well. The brightness, height and extent of information are configurable through the iDrive
Translucent information display gives a high-quality feel
There’s enough boot space for most people’s weekend needs
The front cabin offers lots of legroom and the seats afford a low-slung position
By class standards the rear is very roomy – more so than in previous versions
The 640i will reach 62mph in 5.7secs; the 650i clock this speed in 5secs dead
The V8 in the 650i emits a wonderful bassy woofle
Performance is excellent. The 650i allows simple and rapid overtaking
The 650i has an astonishingly flexible engine
At eight-tenths the Six is precise and controlled, with plenty of entertainment value still to give
The more money you spend, the longer it’ll take you to familiarise yourself with its active and adaptable chassis settings
Class-leading drivetrain and a lovely interior, but blunt handling
by Steve Cropley 5 February 2012 Follow @StvCr Share
How we test cars
With the question ‘how good is the BMW 6 Series’ is linked the question ‘just how versatile is the modern car platform?’.
Because, beneath the unconventionally-styled skin of BMW’s big coupe and cabriolet (and four-door Gran Coupe), lies the same architecture you’ll find beneath all of BMW’s large rear-wheel-drive cars, including the latest 5 Series, the 5 Series GT, 7 Series saloon and even the £200k Rolls-Royce Ghost.
A remarkable powertrain, versatile chassis and practical body allow it to play almost any role with convictionSteve CropleyEditor-in-chief
Can you really take a platform used for a full-size limo and adapt it to make a convincing GT? We’ll see.
What’s already clear is that, as is now the norm in the BMW range these days, the badging gives no clue to the engines under the 6-series’ long, sculpted bonnet. The 640i features a 316bhp 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbo, while the 650i gets a 402bhp 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8. There’s also a 309bhp twin-turbo 3.0-litre diesel, badged 640d.
The same engines feature in all variants of the 6 Series, including the Mercedes-Benz CLS-rivalling 6 Series Gran Coupe, even when the range was facelifted in 2015.
Verdict
The 6 Series shares its plaform with models as diverse as the 5 Series and Rolls-Royce Ghost
Model tested: Rating:
BMW 6 Series 2011-2018
GoodPracticality and usabilityRefinementMighty powertrainBadBland designLifeless steeringUninvolving handling
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DESIGN & STYLING
More upright kidney grille and prominent surround are nods to the original 6 Series’ shark nose
The BMW 6 Series convertible put on 39mm of width (to 1895mm) and 74mm of length (4897mm) in the transition from second to this third generation model when it was introduced in 2011. Its body-in-white is predominantly high-strength steel but was reinforced in key areas; it’s 50 per cent more torsionally rigid than the previous car’s.
The 6 Series’ long wheelbase and its profile with that long bonnet and rear-biased cabin are all visual styling hallmarks to which BMW lays proprietorial claims, particularly for its convertibles.
BMW calls the convertible’s folding soft-top its “fin roof” which is triple-layeredMatt BurtExecutive Editor, Autocar
It is a profile that has incorporated four doors very successfully with the Gran Coupe, producing one of BMW’s most aesthetically pleasing cars from recent times. Despite being based on a unique platform that adds another 113mm to the wheelbase, the Gran Coupe is successful as an elegant four-door coupe, rather than appearing like a saloon with a lowered roofline.
Surface sculpting in the 6 Series’ metalwork is supposed to represent the movement of waves of water flowing from the bow of a motor boat.
If you’re not paying quite such close attention, the headlamps and LED daytime running light design are meant to give the car a recognisable BMW visual character even in the rear-view mirror, even at night; while an upright kidney grille and prominent surround are nods to the original 6 Series’ shark nose. Pedestrian protection regulations rule out any closer recreation. To boost safety credentials, that long bonnet pops up in a frontal collision.
On the convertible, it’s worth noting the heated glass rear window is separate from the folding roof. It can be lowered to create a gentler ventilation than an open side window when the hood is up, or it can stay up with the roof down to reduce buffeting.
The 2015 facelift also gave the 6 Series new bumpers, a full-length air intake, new kidney grille on the outside and LED headlights, while greater care was given to the aesthetics inside with finer care given to the stitching of the leather in and around the switchgear.
INTERIOR
Cabin features soft-touch leather and some elegant design touches
The BMW 6 Series has a cabin that’s remarkably spacious by class standards, with two rear chairs big enough for occasional use even by average-sized adults, if you’re prepared to sacrifice a little of the generous legroom you get up front. The boot can accommodate as much as 350 litres of luggage with the roof up and its soft storage sleeve folded away.
When entering a convertible of the 6 Series’ type, it’s normal to adjust the driver’s seat squab to the bottom of its vertical travel just to sit low enough. That’s because, with so much underfloor strengthening, big convertibles tend to have relatively high-set front seats. Not the 6 Series. BMW credits “intelligent seat design” for a driving position that’s low, even for taller drivers, helping to keep you sheltered from the wind. It also means that the coupe has a generous amount of headroom.
There’s loads of cabin cubbies up front: glovebox, centre console compartment, door bins and cupholdersNic CackettRoad tester
With an upper dashboard, instrument cowl and upper door cards swathed in soft leather, which swoops down elegantly to link up with the leather topping on the centre console, the 6 Series’ cabin is, for the most part, richly upholstered. It would have a more special ambience were it not for a few too many stock BMW parts bin components of the sort that you’d expect on a £30k 5 Series, but not a £75k luxury tourer. As it is, the cabin feels luxurious and comfortable but doesn’t distinguish itself clearly enough from lesser models.
The same story is true for the Gran Coupe, despite its slight cabin changes over the regular coupe and convertible; whilst the overriding impression is of luxury, too many familiar components remain on the interior.
There are three trims to choose from – SE (only available with 640i and 640d), Sport (only available with 650i) and M Sport. Opt for the entry-level SE models and you’ll find BMW’s Professional Media iDrive system complete with sat nav, 20GB hard drive, DAB tuner and real-time traffic information. There is also dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, auto wipers and headlights, and LED headlights. The 650i entry-level Sport trim gets 19in alloys, lumbar support and Nappa leather seats. The range-topping M Sport trim gets an aggressive bodykit, while opting for the M Sport Plus pack includes 20in alloys, head-up display, and a Harman and Kardon speaker system.
Those wanting a more ballistic drive are well catered for with BMW the 552bhp M6 and the 592bhp M6 Competition Pack complete with 10.2in display iDrive system, 19in front and 20in rear alloys, full M Sport aerodynamic bodykit, double-wishbone suspension and of course a brutish 4.4-litre V8 engine.
ENGINES & PERFORMANCE
The 640i will reach 62mph in 5.7secs; the 650i clock this speed in 5secs dead
Of all the performance figures we logged with the BMW 6 Series, only one seemed below par. BMW claims 5.0sec dead for the 650i convertible’s sprint to 62mph, but our two-way average from zero to 60mph – 5.6sec – suggests that’s a bit optimistic. The six-cylinder 640i shouldn’t be a whole lot slower, as BMW’s claimed 0-62mph time for that car of 5.7sec suggests.
But don’t think that any 6 Series is anything other than seriously rapid. The 640d is the least powerful in the range but even so has more than 300bhp and rides on a 464lb ft swell of torque, so can reach 62mph virtually as quickly as the 640i. All engines, in truth, have plenty of short intermediate gear ratios, wide plateaus of torque and a superbly fast-acting eight-speed auto gearboxes In particular, the 650i can simply hurtle into the middle distance when you want it to; we measured it reaching 100mph in 12.4sec.
The 650i can hurtle into into the middle distance when you want it to – we measured it reaching 100mph in 12.4secMatt PriorEditor-at-large
Better still is the flexibility of performance. That kind of urge makes overtaking easy almost no matter which gear you’re in, and it allows you to travel every bit as quickly as the terrain permits.
BMW In the M6, this crushing performance is upped even further. Headline outputs of 552bhp and 501lb ft make for a hugely fast car at any revs and in any gear. Select the right options and the M6 is capable of 189mph.
And, if you’re a fan of laid-back ground-covering, there’s no ostentatious exhaust blare that comes along with that performance. There’s a bassy, cultured V8 woofle from the 650i, sure, but certainly not the kind of howl that announces itself from 200 yards or impinges upon cabin refinement at speed.
RIDE & HANDLING
At eight-tenths the Six is precise and controlled, with plenty of entertainment value still to give
The more money you spend on your BMW 6 Series, the longer it’ll take you to familiarise yourself with all of its active and adaptable chassis systems, its various driving modes and its many driver assistance gadgets. Which is fine, up to a point. Complexity goes hand in hand with sophisticated technology, after all, and sophisticated technology is what you want for your £60-£80k. But if you’ve spent time fiddling with the various software control algorithms for the dampers, anti-roll bars, stability control systems and power steering and are no closer to having a car you’re completely satisfied with… well, then you’ve got a problem.
That’s the situation this BMW puts its driver in. With four chassis modes ranging from Comfort to Sport+, and three gearbox control maps, you’d imagine one combination would allow you to connect with the dynamic character of the car on a cross-country road and explore its handling potential. But whatever mode you select, the 6 Series seems to remain frustratingly aloof.
The 5 Series isn’t far off BMW’s trademark weight distribution; 51 per cent is over its front wheelsMatt SaundersRoad test editor
Normal and Comfort modes allow you plenty of compliance for comfortable town and trunk road mileage, but not enough steering precision or body control for more challenging roads. Sport mode makes the car’s dynamic demeanour more accurate and composed, enough for keen back-road driving with lots of grip and commendable roll control. But at times Sport sends an unsettling shudder through the car’s body structure over a sharp-edged bump.
None of the modes dials much natural feel into the electric power steering system, which seems sticky at times and overly heavy at others. None of them really counteracts a mild tendency towards understeer. But worse still, none of them feels like a proper baseline setting in which the 650i offers an ideal blend of control and compliance.
BMW Unfortunately, the same is true of the flagship M6. The complexity of the drivetrain options is upped but still no setting delivers proper feel to the steering or an agreeable dynamic compromise between ride and handling.Bizarrely, given its billing as the most luxurious 6 Series, it is the Gran Coupe which provides the most engaging drive. It is balanced, fluid and neutral, and selecting Comfort mode even allows for a cosseting ride.
BMW 6 Series 2011-2018 news
Greatest road tests ever: BMW 633 CSi Greatest road tests ever: BMW 633 CSi Nearly new buying guide: BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe Nearly new buying guide: BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe BMW axes 6 Series GT in UK due to SUV demand BMW axes 6 Series GT in UK due to SUV demand Used car buying guide: BMW M6 Used car buying guide: BMW M6