The New BMW M6 – Big Bruiser or Big Cruiser?

I would imagine BMW’s M division became slightly nervous when they were given the task of turning the new 6 series into a proper M car. The problem is the old M6 was so good, it’s howling 500hp 5.0L V10 engine and well sorted chassis dynamics made it a proper drivers car. Its only real downsides were it was far too complicated to operate, although the M button on the steering wheel soon fixed that, and the styling didn’t please everyone. 

So to start off with, BMW seems to have eradicated these problems, as the new 6 series in my opinion is one of the best looking cars BMW currently makes, and instead of seven different settings for everything from gear change ferocity to suspension stiffness, there is now a more sensible three.

BMW claims they have been hard at work using light weight materials in order to keep this cars weight down as much as possible. However I can’t find any evidence to support this, even though this car doesn’t have the big heavy V10 from the old car and it has a carbon fibre roof (like its predecessor). This new car weighs a whopping 1850kg that’s 140kg heavier than the car it replaces. This is a very heavy car.

So then, has the addition of extra weight and the loss of the V10 engine tarnished the M6’s performance? Not a chance, the new car has a 4.4l twin turbo V8 with BMW’s twin scroll turbo technology, producing 560hp at 7000rpm and a massive 680nm of torque from as low as 1500rpm. The engine is mated to a 7 speed M-DCT double clutch transmission which sends power to the rear wheels in true M car fashion. Stamp on the noise pedal and you’ll hit 100km/h in 4.2 seconds, that is an incredible achievement given this cars weight. It’s good then that stopping power comes from enormous carbon ceramic brakes, which provide excellent stopping power, although the top of the pedal feels a little numb and could do with a little more feel.

Thanks to all the driver aids in this car, you can carve up a mountain road like the car is glued to the road thanks to the enormous grip the 295 section rear tyres provide, or press the M button and pull massive drifts thanks to the clever M differential and more than generous amount of torque that V8 has to offer. While this car is more than capable of some serious speed through the corners there’s no escaping that this is a heavy car, and it feels it, it never feels light on its feet and as a result it never feels agile or sporty even when the drivetrain is in its most aggressive of settings. And the steering even though it’s still hydraulic, it has a strange feeling, it’s not progressive. On centre it’s light and indirect, and only after a few turns does it becomes more direct. And this is quite daunting when you’re barrelling up a mountain road at high speed; you never quite know where the front wheels are and what they are doing. This then is not a proper sports car. It’s never exciting, sure it will pull big slides and go fast in a straight line, but that’s all irrelevant if it never excites the driver and puts a big grin on their face.

So if the new M6 is not a sports car, what is it? Well I can see how this car would make a great grand tourer, its big, very comfortable thanks to adjustable dampers, very luxurious and covers motorway miles with ease. And if that’s what you want in a car, I’m sure you will be very pleased with the new M6, the sheer amount of leather and quality of all the controls give this car real class.

This car then is trying to be something its not. The new M6 may look angry and like it might want to tear your head off, but make no mistake, beneath the aggressive exterior beats the heart of a big softy.

Its quad exhaust tips, carbon fibre roof and shouty V8 might scream sports car, but there’s no denying that like those who were given the job of creating this car; it feels too nervous through the bends to be a proper sports car.

But this car while it may not be the best at being a sports car, it looks great, is ridiculously fast, but comfortable as well, and it has the best interior of any BMW product in my opinion, and for most that’s enough.