Review: 2012 650i Convertible Impresses Caradvice

[Jason]

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Review: 2012 650i Convertible Impresses Caradvice

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Caradvice.com.au had a chance to review the 2012 650i convertible and came away very impressed, especially with its new styling, engine, automatic transmission, quality, handling/ride balance, and markedly improved electric steering.

Here are some of the more notable quotes from their review:

Under the bonnet is a 4.4-litre, twin-turbocharged petrol V8, and like all big capacity BMW engines, it’s a peach. Smooth, powerful and efficient, BMW is still at the top of its game when it comes to drivetrains. Producing 300kW and a meaty 600Nm from a staggeringly low 1750rpm, there’s grunt available virtually across the rev range.


We loaded the engine by picking a deliberately high gear while climbing a very steep hill and slowing to under 40km/h. Once you flatten your right foot there is a hint of turbo lag, but then a wall of torque launches you forward and it doesn’t let up, all the way to the redline, all the while making a glorious bellowing rumble that is unlike any garden-variety V8 you’ve heard. In fact, with the top down, it’s not unlike the X5M and X6M twins with its deep note and that brilliant “whump” as it changes gear under load. Five seconds flat is all it takes to go from 0-100km/h, and don’t forget this is a heavy car – at 1940kg, with a driver it’s over two tonnes. The 650i Convertible is powerful and quick, no matter which way you cut it.







The steering, despite being electric rather than hydraulic, is better than you think.

The eight-speed automatic is superbly smooth in Comfort mode and sharpens up noticably in Sport+ mode, plus you can shift manually with paddles attached to the steering wheel.



Braking is very good, with excellent pedal feel and feedback and very little fade, despite repeated punishment over hours of driving.

The other area the 650i excels in is its ride. It may use run-flat tyres, but in Comfort mode, you’d never know, with a lot of that jittery feeling dialled out of the car. At the same time, putting it into Sport or Sport+ increases the handling ability and firms up the ride, but it maintains a level of compliance that surprises. Its larger footprint helps here – it has a 70mm longer wheelbase than the outgoing 6 Series, as well as a 70mm wider rear track.

The comfort seats fitted to the 650i are brilliant, with both heating and cooling, and there’s little need to adjust them to find a comfortable position.

Fit and finish, as you’d expect from a $250K (Australian) car, is superb. Even across harsh, gnarly bitumen, there wasn’t a rattle to be heard, and scuttle shake is completely non-existent. Seriously. This car is commendably stiff, and one that is evident in the 650i’s handling.

For such a big drop top, the BMW has immense reserves of grip and resists understeer even in the wet. At no point during the launch drive did we feel like the car’s weight was getting away from us, with good turn-in and an extremely planted back end, despite that 600Nm being put through the rear wheels.

Check out their full review.

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[BGM]

*sigh*

do want

[E60orBust]

Originally Posted by BGM

*sigh*

do want

If you're going to do it, do it right (image below)

[xraymd]

Woo hoo!

Mine should be leaving the boat in Baltimore by Thursday. I haven't heard anything about an official launch date, so I'm not sure when it will leave the VPC.

[InTheNightKitchen]

[quote=Jason;9445610] We loaded the engine by picking a deliberately high gear while climbing a very steep hill and slowing to under 40km/h. Once you flatten your right foot there is a hint of turbo lag [quote=Jason;9445610]

Thats roughly 25 mph, wouldn't most cars Turbo or NA show the same thing at such low speeds and under load?

I really would like to know what other cars wouldn't at this price point or below it?

[uhn2000]

This car is on my radar, nice review.

[hks786]

Nice. I still think I'll prefer the coupe just because I always like coupes better. I seen a black 650i convertible last night. Looked really sleek and the rear lights look good at night.

[GreyCoupe]

Did anyone else notice the price charged for the Australian convertible?

Even with exchange rate flux, that car costs 2X what is charged in the US. I know we get attractive pricing in the States, but good grief, AU $250K is a helluvalotamoney!!

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by FEnzo

It's more than attractive. The new 650 convertible costs more than 310000 dollars in china.....
Isn't living in America awesome??

This country is great for many reasons. Cheap automobiles is just one of them.

You know what they say, "If you can't beat em, join em"

[hks786]

Originally Posted by antzcrashing

This country is great for many reasons. Cheap automobiles is just one of them.

You know what they say, "If you can't beat em, join em"

Cheap fuel prices too lol.

[BGM]

Originally Posted by hks786

Cheap fuel prices too lol.

shit fuel too

[GreyCoupe]

To Shane's point about steering, I drove the new convertible at the Amelia Island Concours. I remarked to the BMW guy that I had read about vague steering and I didn't think it was vague at all, rather precise and centered.

His remark was interesting, he said, "The remarks in the early reviews about steering really got BMW's attention and they have tweaked it a couple of times already."

Being and old school guy and thinking about the ratios of rack and pinion or even recirculating ball steering set ups, that struck me as baloney at first, and then I remembered this car has "electric" steering, and that reshaping the amount of steering assist and where it kicks in could absolutely permit the manufacturer to dramatically alter steering feel with software.

[silentassasin]

LOL

Originally Posted by E60orBust

If you're going to do it, do it right (image below)