What they said when the BMW 6-Series was new… (Dec 5 2003)
SUAVE, sophisticated and so, so sexy, the BMW 6 Series is every bit the amazing luxury coupe to drool for.
Crammed with technology and oozing high performance this car has all the credentials to become a living legend.
Seldom has a car had so much presence that at just a glance it is a show stopper.
To drive the 645Ci is bordering on perfection, to look at it is sheer delight and to own one will be an experience of a lifetime.
For once this is a car where everything is right from the first instant.
The 1,700 people who have already snapped up virtually every 6 Series that will be sold in the UK next year will form a new elite among motorists.
On sale in March, costing £49,855 and available either as a coupe or convertible, the 6 Series allows every ingredient of BMW's expertise to flourish.
Powered by a 4.4 litre V8 that sounds incredible through twin exhausts, it has supercar performance. 0 to 60mph takes just 5.6 seconds and such is the kick from the 333bhp engine that it can accelerate from 50 to 70mph in less than five seconds with a top speed electronically restricted at 155mph.
The power delivery through either the six speed manual or automatic gearbox is smooth and refined while the balance of the car is impeccable.
The 6 Series may make use of oodles of electronics to keep it in check but not once do they interfere with the sheer enjoyment of this car.
It is a supreme driving machine with a precision touch and outdrives anything else in its class, including the Jaguar XK8, the Mercedes CLK and the Lexus SC430.
The key to that special quality comes as a £2,470 extra in the form of BMW's Dynamic Drive, computerised suspension system that produces rock solid handling under all conditions.
Working in conjunction with the car's standard stability and traction control devices, the drive system irons out virtually every moment of body roll ensuring maximum control at all times.
From behind the wheel, the 645 fits like a glove. Leather upholstery is standard as are electrically adjustable seats, and for the 6 Series BMW has redesigned the steering wheel, making it chunkier.
The wheel still features finger-tip controls for the entertainment system, but in addition it now has buttons that can be used to activate personal settings for the air conditioning and pre-set radio stations.
Standard features include automatic headlamps and wipers, airbag protection front and rear, tyre puncture warning and BMW's now simplified iDrive information system that operates most of the onboard functions via a rotary control button and colour display screen in the centre of the dash.
High tech options see the availability of active steering at £675, auto dim mirrors, £245, satellite navigation, £1,840 and adaptive headlights, £405, among other extras.
Active steering, which was introduced on the new BMW 5 Series a couple of months ago, reduces the input required to make a turn and feels more at home on the coupe than the saloon, while the adaptive headlamps work from the steering to illuminate the line of the car through bends - and on winding, unlit roads they are of great benefit.
This car is as smart in terms of features as it is in styling and even there the 6 Series is out of the ordinary.
As coupes go it is a big car - 16 ft long and more than 6ft wide - but weight has been kept down by using composite materials for the boot lid and front wings. The bonnet and doors are aluminium, as is parts of the chassis and suspension, and while there is a hint of the 5 Series in the design, the coupe is built on its own platform.
LED stop lights at the rear increase in intensity according to the amount of pressure applied to the brake pedal, while inside the large kidney shaped front grille are flaps which close at high speed to improve the car's aerodynamics.
With 18 inch alloy wheels it has an aggressive poise, but despite its slithery lines it is a true four seater - unlike BMW's previous big coupe the 8 Series - and also possesses plenty of luggage space with a 16 cu ft boot.
Fuel consumption, at a claimed 25.9 mpg on average, and a 15.5 gallon tank give it a range close on 700 miles, and although exhaust emissions of 283 g/km put it in the highest tax bracket, the 645 is the most attractive grand tourer imaginable.
It is now 14 years since BMW wooed us with the original 6 Series, the classy 633Csi, and that car - rare though it is - still looks superb. This latest offering has all those qualities and more - so much so that it is set to be one of the greats.
Words: Chris Russon
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