BMW F12 650i Dominates Jaguar XK and Maserati Gran Cabrio

[southlight]

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BMW F12 650i Dominates Jaguar XK and Maserati Gran Cabrio

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BMW's new 6-series convertible (F12) just hit the streets which means review comparison time. In their latest issue AMS pits the BMW 650i Convertible against two of its natural enemies - the Jaguar XK Convertible and the Maserati Gran Cabrio.

We're happy to share that the F12 650i was able to finish this comparison on 1st place with 498 Points in total. Per AMS, "anything but a victory would have been a suprise. The new 6er Cabrio wins almost every category and shines both in comfort and driving dynamics. It doesn't evoke strong emotions, but nevertheless does everything extremely well.

Second place and 454 points for the Jaguar XK Convertible. The AMS verdict: "Comparatively low costs, ride comfort, and the excellent V8 are the strongest points of the Jaguar. A not-so-spacy interior and the ambiguous ESP and steering setup frustrate a better result. .

Somewhat surprising, the Maserati Gran Cabrio finished third and last, getting only 418 points. Appears that the Maser won the heart of the testers, but the price to pay was to high - figuratively: "The Maserati won our hearts. The Gran Cabrio and its infamous V8 engine sound and the stunning design trump the others in terms of emotions. However, Maserati lacks meticulousness. They strongly need to work on torsional rigidity, fit and finish and the choice of materials.

According to AMS, the biggest downside to the new 6-series convertible is its weight. As they put it, "the seek for comfort somewhat made BMW lose sight of weight." No suprise considering the hefty 4442 lbs of the test car (Maserati: 4365lbs - Jaguar: 3739lbs). Despite its weight, the 650i Convertible was the quickest, yet also the most fuel efficient car (0-62mph in 5 seconds flat - average consumption of 10.7 l or 22mpg). In terms of agility, the Gran Cabrio was the top performer of the lot.

Visit Auto Motor Sport for the full review in German, all performance specs, and more photos.

[ddigangi]

thats very impressive, i expected the maserati to stack up better but i guess not

[Muffnbluff]

4,442lbs?!? Was BMW benchmarking Bentley for weight?

In defense of the Maserati, there's not many sexier sounding cars out there.

[ArabianSensation]

Damn the new 6 is fat.

It should be about 1000lbs lighter, it's not a Bentley.

[TheBingoBalls]

That is one FAT car!.

Surprised that it was the quickest. Despite the weight and the target demographic, I don't really mind because comfort was the main focus. I just hope that the M6 reduces the weight. I just don't see the M6 being weighted the same and pulling off numbers that the car enthusiasts would like.

[M5007]

That Maserati sure is nice to have

[hks786]

Oh shit that is over 2 tonnes! I think it has gained at least 100kg since the previous 650i if I'm correct.

[hks786]

Originally Posted by ACSE90

That Maserati sure is nice to have

Sounds the best too. I prefer the coupe though.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by ACSE90

That Maserati sure is nice to have

i think all 3 are nice to have

[Diver]

Everyone needs to stop bitching about BMW going all turbo on petrol motors. The turbo engines put out more power and use less fuel. Look how the heaviest car of the three has the best pick up and efficiency.

[3XTR3M3]

The most amazing thing is this article is that Jaguar was able to build a convertible GT and keep the weight at 3700lbs.

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Originally Posted by Diver

Everyone needs to stop bitching about BMW going all turbo on petrol motors. The turbo engines put out more power and use less fuel. Look how the heaviest car of the three has the best pick up and efficiency.

Make the car lighter and it will naturally save fuel, and you won't need to turbo the motor.

BMW just doesn't seem to get that. They keep preaching about efficient dynamics but their cars are everything but efficient or dynamic with the way they are gaining weight. BMW has preached that they are make cars "lighter", but yet, they have been becoming porkier and porkier by the generation. The new 6 series is amazing to look at though and the technology in that car is absolutely amazing.

[crackberry]

Originally Posted by Diver

Everyone needs to stop bitching about BMW going all turbo on petrol motors. The turbo engines put out more power and use less fuel. Look how the heaviest car of the three has the best pick up and efficiency.

i dont mind turbos in regular production series, but i say HE'LL NO to turbos in ///m. its a part of bmws heritage and i think ppl have a right to express their disappointment in the new direction.

[BMWinNorthdakota]

I pick the Maserati.

Brand+sound=win for me.

[Memphis1]

Originally Posted by Muffnbluff

4,442lbs?!? Was BMW benchmarking Bentley for weight?

In defense of the Maserati, there's not many sexier sounding cars out there.

The bentley is 5400...

[iPhil]

What's a Jaguar JK?

[Year's_End]

That's so stupidly heavy that it's to the point of being embarrassing.

[DDS2015]

Originally Posted by philip

What's a Jaguar JK?

I have been wondering the same thing...

Also, who cares that this weighs so much more than its competition than the XK, it weighs only slightly more than the Maserati, which is a much newer car than the Jag.

With all of those safety features though the car will end up by weighing a lot. I mean, it has something like 10 or 12 airbags? that alone will add a stupid amount of weight. Don't forget about the 20-way adjustable seats that weigh several hundred pounds each I'm sure (I don't know the exact value). Also theres probably 5 cows worth of leather in each car, which is by no means light.

IMO though, I'd rather have the car weigh a little more. Yes, you sacrifice handling to a certain extent, but the car feels more solid, and if you get into an accident, having that extra weight sure is nice. Also, I am willing to bet that the M6 will weigh in at under 4000 pounds though. It doesn't seem unreasonable to think that they could shave 400-500 pounds off of this.

[southlight]

Originally Posted by philip

What's a Jaguar JK?

Oops, thanks for the heads-up.


Best regards,
south

[vladberca]

* Please southlight, change the name of the article: It is a Maserati Gran Cabrio, not a Coupe

The accent on the 6 was put also on confort and luxury.. With M6 we' ll have much sportier versions for sure

[vladberca]

The only interesting sport Maserati is the MC Stradale version, but the price is too high compared with an M3

[Dan Halen]

Cat back only or x-pipe as well?