Video: BMW M6 Laguna Seca Hot Lap Test (Motor Trend Driver Car of the Year Shootout)

[Leo88]

How the hell can you compare a Focus, an M6 and a Merc SLS Black Series?! Hahahaha that sound stupid to me.

[URBAN LEGEND]

Originally Posted by Mahlzeit

Since when is a CAMARO the measuring stick for a driver's car.

Pobst in a ZL1 at Lagune. Turns a 1:39.

Drove one of these - and man it feels a lot more nimble than it looks. And in 2014 you can get some recaros. I really NEVER ever thought I'd be x-shopping any BMW w/ a 'maro.

I have the 13 ZL1. It's a pretty cool machine.

[e39>all]

Would be nice if they had used a 2014 with CP. I'm curious to see how much of a difference the slight improvements make on the track and if/how much it changes the reviews. Surely the handling improvements could shave off 1 second on this track.

[Cuz5150]

Originally Posted by krnnerdboy

Looks like too much motor for the chassis....this is what happens when M tries to chase amg. It's apparent that torque is a new concept for the M division, and they're going to need awd to reign in this much power and weight

^^^^The Truths^^^ I agree! However, its sad to see AWD in M cars.

[monkawekrue]

cool vid.

[Mahlzeit]

Originally Posted by URBAN LEGEND

I have the 13 ZL1. It's a pretty cool machine.

I must say I am very impressed with these cars. Started looking into the SS2 with 1LE package. Wow damn impressive for like what $43k sticker. Jeez. Back seats for the kids too. A real driver's utensil. Are you on the big camaro forums? Been lurking their lately.

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by silentassasin

Such a bad ass car yet bad review!

All I could hear in that video is monster in the background roaring through gears and the driver complaining about over steer non stop!

It's fat ass not bad ass.

This review is completely unsurprising.

I am sure owners love their cars but BMW can do so much better for over $100k. For all that money that's the best they can do??? :

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by kmarei

I really fear this is the direction BMW M is heading
but hey, if they are selling well in china...

This is the most concerning M element.

The division continues to go the wrong way.

A topic we should discuss sometime "Is the M Division and its original underlying principals dead?"

[noushy]

Typical bad M6 review comparing a GT to a sports car. The M6 is a great tourer, comfortable, well made, luxurious and safe. If BMW wants to make an all out sports car then wait for the M1. Even the new M4 will be more of a true sports car. I love my M could have bought any car under 200k and chose it. Heck I have an Alpina B7 parked next to it.

Peace

[FogCityM3]

As others have said, not surprising they didn't like it vs the competition but the commentary is among the most brutal I've ever heard for a BMW M car or no M car. Just goes to show you, it's not all about speed (that is a very fast lap time for such a heavy car) but total engagement & reward.

[FogCityM3]

Not same day, but gives a picture of relative rankings (think the m3 time was Randy Pobst even though doesn't say) That year the M3 finished 2nd in the driver's car shootout after the audi R8.

http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/laguna_seca.html

Originally Posted by kardboard

Can anyone please list the lap times for the E9X M3, the 1 series M Coupe, the z4 35 is, 335is, and any other BMW i'm missing.

[URBAN LEGEND]

Originally Posted by Mahlzeit

I must say I am very impressed with these cars. Started looking into the SS2 with 1LE package. Wow damn impressive for like what $43k sticker. Jeez. Back seats for the kids too. A real driver's utensil. Are you on the big camaro forums? Been lurking their lately.

Yes. On C5.

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by noushy

Typical bad M6 review comparing a GT to a sports car. The M6 is a great tourer, comfortable, well made, luxurious and safe. If BMW wants to make an all out sports car then wait for the M1. Even the new M4 will be more of a true sports car. I love my M could have bought any car under 200k and chose it. Heck I have an Alpina B7 parked next to it.

Peace

I disagree with the premise that because its a GT car it can be heavy and fat.

BMW could drop 100's of pounds of weight by making major frame components out of aluminum. Range Rover did it and the vehicles are in the same price range.

BMW is lazy and greedy. Sorry that's the brutal truth.

[URBAN LEGEND]

You know M is in trouble when it's faster than American cars in a STRAIGHT line but won't handle as well.

I love my Ms but for the price of admission I should embarrass ANY car costing less in MOST categories. I should only be outperformed by more expensive machinery.

[ManhattanBMW]

I think the M6 is the car equivalent to the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter -- it has a big engine, goes like a bat out hell, can scare the crap out of occupants, demands respect when driven, can get you in trouble quickly and is tricky to drive, but for an experienced driver, a blast to drive, and a fantastic high speed cruiser like few other cars. BTW -- the nickname of the 104 was the Widowmaker.

[fitmaster]

Why I bought the M6? I bought it to be a "Driver's Car". I'm not a track guy, don't care how heavy the car is and I never experienced over steer or under-steer. I bought the M6 as a "Driver's Car" as the test that MT was trying to perform in this article. The M6 gets up and go when I want it to, it is comfortable, has all the luxury I need and its a pleasure to drive on long trips. The M6 is a GT. If MT is testing these 12 vehicles as "Driver's Cars" why just do track testing. I took my car on the Nurburgring once and that was enough for me. My personal belief is that these cars should have been tested on real life situations. I love my M6 as a "Driver's Car" and have absolutely no regrets.

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by fitmaster

Why I bought the M6? I bought it to be a "Driver's Car". I'm not a track guy, don't care how heavy the car is and I never experienced over steer or under-steer. I bought the M6 as a "Driver's Car" as the test that MT was trying to perform in this article. The M6 gets up and go when I want it to, it is comfortable, has all the luxury I need and its a pleasure to drive on long trips. The M6 is a GT. If MT is testing these 12 vehicles as "Driver's Cars" why just do track testing. I took my car on the Nurburgring once and that was enough for me. My personal belief is that these cars should have been tested on real life situations. I love my M6 as a "Driver's Car" and have absolutely no regrets.

I will agree it is a GT car and it has sacrificed sports car performance for comfort and easy handling and day-day it's a great car.

But in a panic stop wouldn't a lighter car stop faster? Won't a lighter car handle better?

Would a lighter car be more fun to drive?

My question for BMW again is for all that bloody money they charge for that car that's all they could do? It's a souped up existing engine and shares the drivetrain of its fat 4 door brother and that's all they could do?

I drove the old M6 and it had a lethal engine but was hampered by its crap tranny and heavy weight. The E9x M3 slayed it. But I hoped the next M6 would be that special car.

So what do they do, big fancy turbo V8 with a great DTC but just as heavy or heavier car and they want more money, not less or the same but more. At least the M5 got slightly cheaper.

I just don't see the general public supporting BMW with sales when they clearly have lost their vision.

[MCoupeInsanity]

M2 or bust!

[noushy]

Also take into consideration the F chassis the M5 and M6 use was derived from the 7er which has a completely different purpose in life. The added weight and structural rigidity work well in the 7s but we paid a penalty for it in the 5 and 6. Now that the new G11 chassis is going to be 100s of pounds lighter and M realizes this along with the fact that the new M4 shows they can drop weight I think the next M6 is going to be truly formidable. May not be a 911 competitor but it will be a true GT.

Noushy

[tony20009]

So I haven't watched the video and I haven't read the article. I just scrolled through the results to see the results.

I don't care that the M6 didn't win. I don't mind that the M6 came in 10th. If I owned one though, I'd surely be pissed that it lost to a station wagon and only just beat a Ford Focus. But M6 prospective buyers probably aren't cross shopping with either of those cars. What really will hurt BMW is the clear loss to the Jag F-type which is new, sexy and better to drive, or at least so say MT.

[Kung Fu English]

well, i'm glad i read this article!

I was going to buy a Ford Focus ST, but after reading this I think I'll go with the SLS AMG Black instead.






Said no one, ever

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by fitmaster

Why I bought the M6? I bought it to be a "Driver's Car". I'm not a track guy, don't care how heavy the car is and I never experienced over steer or under-steer. I bought the M6 as a "Driver's Car" as the test that MT was trying to perform in this article. The M6 gets up and go when I want it to, it is comfortable, has all the luxury I need and its a pleasure to drive on long trips. The M6 is a GT. If MT is testing these 12 vehicles as "Driver's Cars" why just do track testing. I took my car on the Nurburgring once and that was enough for me. My personal belief is that these cars should have been tested on real life situations. I love my M6 as a "Driver's Car" and have absolutely no regrets.

They didn't just do tracking.

There is road portion of the test, actually makes a large portion of the test.