Dieselman
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 34,199
- Car
- Peugeot 403 Convertible
It's Quorn and Woodhouse station.
It's Quorn and Woodhouse station.
moff
Active Member
Wow, that M6 is perfect.
I am a huge fan of the new 6 series and think that they have produced a car that is much better all round (for me) than the new SL which I also think is pretty ugly.
The 6 series is the best looking car that BMW have produced in a long time.
I had originally been thinking about a 640 prior to the C63 and park next to one at the train station quite a lot.
Would love to read a review!
I am a huge fan of the new 6 series and think that they have produced a car that is much better all round (for me) than the new SL which I also think is pretty ugly.
The 6 series is the best looking car that BMW have produced in a long time.
I had originally been thinking about a 640 prior to the C63 and park next to one at the train station quite a lot.
Would love to read a review!
OP
OP
Palmball
MB Enthusiast
Well, I am shocked. The new car has had a good reception elsewhere but I didn't expect a BMW to be so well received a Mercedes forum (almost to the point that I seriously thought about whether to post about it or not!).
Thanks for all the positive responses and, following popular demand, I've put my first detailed thoughts on the M6 below (mods may now want to move this thread to the other marques section?)
F-Type Coupe is definitely next....but as thats not out for another year, I have to try and stretch the M6 out for that long. All bets are off though
Renault and Ford...budget brands? Hardly, and when I did own such cars (indeed I did....as well as a few Citroen, Fiats and Alfa's!) I was just as fussy with those cars.
These days, I'm not even sure theres much in it build quality wise between these major brands, although saying this, my new M6 does stand out as a particularly premium product in terms of fit, finish and materials.
Yes it is
And here is the exact location provided by our local spy!
The blue brakes would look better on a non-blue car
M badge is perfectly acceptable given it is says 'M6' (as opposed to just 'M') and that is what it is!
The key....damn
Rattles, buzzing (particularly form the rear shelf area), creaky seat (took months to fix), poor audio system, droning noises (diagnosed to poor alignment and unevenly worn tyres)....like I said, all things that most people may put up with but I just couldn't. I actually got 99% of it to my satisfaction in the end but it's not good enough really on such an expensive car from a brand sold on it's build quality. Our E-Class coupe sounds more solid over bumps than the SLS ever did, the M6 is equally as good.
I hope so Rash, I hope so!
Steering wheel is lovely to use - nice and small in diameter (although you'd not think so looking at the pictures) with a nice chunky rim....it feels special everytime you use it (this is one area where my Jag XKR-S was really poor).
The design is very much like a traditional old-school M-car steering wheel with a small round boss and thin rounded spokes - I really like it!
Ironically, the seats aren't one of the most impressive aspects of it - they look really stylish but are nowhere near as supportive as those in the SLS, my Jag XKR-S or my C63 saloon. But they look great...so work best when you're not sat in them
Erm...probably on here yes! Although apart from this forum (which doesn't surprise me as this is a Mercedes forum after all!), the general consensus I get from people is similar to yours which has surprised me somewhat.
Me too....but they all have to work as my daily drive!
Of my cars, the Granturismo was pretty crap actually. In contrast, the Porsche 911 Turbo was a car that I didn't like much at the time, but in hindsight I don't know what I was thinking - it was insanely good in terms of performance, if a bit one-dimensional in this respect.
Jaguar XKR-S was the most underrated and, in many respects, the most impressive of all my cars. The M6 is looking like it's going to be the best all-rounder and the SLS will remain (for a long time) as the most exotic and special of all my cars, if ultimately not the best in terms of all-round ability.
I've always liked the looks of the new 6 series but in real life, the M6 looks quite dramatic in comparison to the standard car as it has very aggressively flared arches, a very wide track and the 20" wheels look massive - when I first saw one in LA a few weeks ago, I had to double take as I drove past it!
Thanks for all the positive responses and, following popular demand, I've put my first detailed thoughts on the M6 below (mods may now want to move this thread to the other marques section?)
So looking 3-4 months in to the future when you're bored with the M6, what next?
Here's a theory: You buy premium branded cars and expect a lot of them. They invariable let you down. Try a budget brand. Expect less of them and they may exceed your expectations. Clio Cup, Fiesta ST? Back to basics motoring.
F-Type Coupe is definitely next....but as thats not out for another year, I have to try and stretch the M6 out for that long. All bets are off though
Renault and Ford...budget brands? Hardly, and when I did own such cars (indeed I did....as well as a few Citroen, Fiats and Alfa's!) I was just as fussy with those cars.
These days, I'm not even sure theres much in it build quality wise between these major brands, although saying this, my new M6 does stand out as a particularly premium product in terms of fit, finish and materials.
Yes it is
And here is the exact location provided by our local spy!
Sorry to hear that, but the M6 is in a great colour - just those dodgy blue brakes and M badge in the front grille let it down
Hope you didn't give the key back away with the SLS!
S
The blue brakes would look better on a non-blue car
M badge is perfectly acceptable given it is says 'M6' (as opposed to just 'M') and that is what it is!
The key....damn
Rattles, buzzing (particularly form the rear shelf area), creaky seat (took months to fix), poor audio system, droning noises (diagnosed to poor alignment and unevenly worn tyres)....like I said, all things that most people may put up with but I just couldn't. I actually got 99% of it to my satisfaction in the end but it's not good enough really on such an expensive car from a brand sold on it's build quality. Our E-Class coupe sounds more solid over bumps than the SLS ever did, the M6 is equally as good.
Hey Andy
You seem to have thought about things long and hard so I'm sure you've made the right decision.
M6 is lovely. Well done bud.
Lovely looking car. Although not completely won over by the design of the centre console and steering wheel (or the blue calipers as Simon said), the rest of the interior is lovely! Seats look really good, I have to say.
I hope so Rash, I hope so!
Steering wheel is lovely to use - nice and small in diameter (although you'd not think so looking at the pictures) with a nice chunky rim....it feels special everytime you use it (this is one area where my Jag XKR-S was really poor).
The design is very much like a traditional old-school M-car steering wheel with a small round boss and thin rounded spokes - I really like it!
Ironically, the seats aren't one of the most impressive aspects of it - they look really stylish but are nowhere near as supportive as those in the SLS, my Jag XKR-S or my C63 saloon. But they look great...so work best when you're not sat in them
Erm...probably on here yes! Although apart from this forum (which doesn't surprise me as this is a Mercedes forum after all!), the general consensus I get from people is similar to yours which has surprised me somewhat.
I can vaguely remember some of Palmball's previous cars. IMHO the SLS followed by the Granturismo were the most special. I'm sure that the M6 will make a great daily drive, but foresee it being sold sooner rather than later.
I'd love to be on the same motoring buying journeyThough I'd have tried a few classics as well myself.
Me too....but they all have to work as my daily drive!
Of my cars, the Granturismo was pretty crap actually. In contrast, the Porsche 911 Turbo was a car that I didn't like much at the time, but in hindsight I don't know what I was thinking - it was insanely good in terms of performance, if a bit one-dimensional in this respect.
Jaguar XKR-S was the most underrated and, in many respects, the most impressive of all my cars. The M6 is looking like it's going to be the best all-rounder and the SLS will remain (for a long time) as the most exotic and special of all my cars, if ultimately not the best in terms of all-round ability.
I've always liked the looks of the new 6 series but in real life, the M6 looks quite dramatic in comparison to the standard car as it has very aggressively flared arches, a very wide track and the 20" wheels look massive - when I first saw one in LA a few weeks ago, I had to double take as I drove past it!
OP
OP
Palmball
MB Enthusiast
So here it is, by popular demand the first MBClub review of the new BMW M6 (doesn't sound right that....MB Club review of a BMW??), and the only one you'll ever need. If you dislike BMW's, I suggest moving on at this point!
By now, you'll be familiar as to why I've sold my dream SLS and purchased a relatively ordinary BMW. I actually purchased this car blind, and I mean totally blind because, other than a glance of a white M6 when I was in LA a few weeks ago, I've never seen one in real life. However, that fleeting glance smacked me right in the face because I'd been considering what to replace the SLS with for a few weeks and had narrowed the choice to.....erm......well, I didn't really know. A 991 maybe? I really wanted an F-Type but the coupe isn't out for another year or so
I was in a pickle, as trying to replace my dream car wasn't easy (even though it annoyed and occasionally disappointed me, as much as I wanted to really like it). The problem with SLS was that being my dream car, and costing a fair bit too, I expected perfection in every way. It delivered in many respects but I think my expectations of a low-volume and fairly focussed sports car didn't reflect reality or in many respects, the Jaguar XKR-S that I had previously. I know I'm a big, fast GT kinda person because I rate über-refined, tight and rattle free cars, especially ones that give a feeling of proper 'thrust'. So, when I noticed that the M6 looked so good, and significantly more muscular compared to normal 6 series (mainly due to wider tracks, flared arches and massive arch-filling wheels), it brought back memories of how good my previous M6 was in most of the areas that I rate as important. It went straight to the top of my list.
So, whilst on holiday, I researched every M6 for sale in the UK and noticed that pretty much none had sold since I last looked, which was well before I got the SLS. When I got home, it took me all of a couple of days to agree a deal (with my local dealer Sytner being their usual incompetent selves at closing me down on a deal, in total contrast to BMW Oxford and Coopers Croydon who both worked very hard to sell me their respective cars).
I plumped for the car at Oxford as it was nearly as cheap as the cheapest, but in the exact colour combo that I thought I wanted (remembering, I'd not really seen one close-up yet). After seeing the white one in LA, I would've actually liked it in white but, given my priority was to get the whitish/silver 'Silverstone' interior, that would never look right on a white car. I settled for a new colour called San Marino Blue, which pictures really do no justice to - it's very striking!
Collection and First Impressions
So, I'd pulled up at the dealer not really wanting the car that I hadn't seen. A miserable me met the salesman and the poor bloke could feel the sale slipping away, which he acknowledged and was very reasonable about. He took me to the car and just left me to it to work out what I wanted to do.
I've got to say, when I first set eyes on it (rear 3/4 view...it's best angle IMO) I was very pleasantly surprised. Indeed, I thought that in its San Marino Blue it looked sharp....sharper even than the SLS. It was huge too (and still is!) but I don't mind big cars so thats OK.
Beautifully proportioned, sleek and with 'stance'....the XKR-S had good stance at the rear, the SLS was good at the front but the M6 is the first car I've had where both front and rear wheels sit right out and level with the wheelarches, which exaggerates the width and muscularity of the car. It could sit a few mm lower but on the whole, it's probably one of the best looking cars I've had. And this is the general feedback I've had from people, with an overwhelmingly positive response that's surprised me as I still think it's relatively ordinary compared to the SLS
Interior
Lets get this out of the way first - it is simply the best finished car I've had to date. It has the £6.5k full leather option and as you'd expect, it's door to door leather and alcantara. Jeez, even the steering wheel airbag and spokes are covered in smooth nappa leather! Yes, the SLS and XKR's were similarly well finished but the Jag's leather wasn't quite a nice and there was still some plastic on show on the doors (crikey, how fussy is that being!) and I've already mentioned how much the SLS tended to rattle so, all in all, the M6 best them both for a combination of quality and materials.
The design is modern and interesting, with the lovely curved dash cocooning both passengers and swooping in all directions. The telematics screen is huge and very sharp and the modern iDrive is as good as remember it in my last BMW (although I'm sure the screen in that wasn't as high-def) However, apart from the ability to do a split screen which is very useful, I'm not convinced that it's any better overall than the latest Comand in our E-class coupe. My favourite bit is the steering wheel, which is very much like an old-school M-car wheel - a really small round boss with thin round spokes. I don't know how, but they really seem to have fitted an airbag into a boss no bigger than non-airbag steering wheels form the '80's! The rim is really small in diameter, as well as nice and thick and well padded in a typical BMW M way so it's a joy to look at and hold.
The seats are the standard 'sports' seats as opposed to the optional dynamic seats. With the somewhat integrated headrests, the sport seats actually look much more stylish than the upgrade seat; they're also comfortable with nice long supportive squabs but, they're not the most supportive especially laterally in the backrest which has no functionality to adjust the width of the bolsters. To be fair though, I am comparing it to the SLS seats which were about the best you could get in this respect, although they were a little short in the squab in comparison - it seems BMW giveth with one hand, and taketh with the other.
The head-up display is very effective - it's high definition and even shows detailed colour displays for sat nav and revs if you want it to. You never need to look away for directions when you've got a destination programmed!
The rear is bigger than the last M6 and huge compared to the XKR which couldn't fit an adult in the rear. I'm average height and can sit behind myself reasonably comfortably.
The standard stereo is unbranded but in sound and functionality is typical of the Harman Kardon systems (BMW mustn't bet branding them anymore) - it's pretty good if some way short of the Bowers and Wilkins in the Jaguars. At least it doesn't distort and the interior has better acoustics than the SLS which simply had too many speakers for such a tight cabin. Despite my chequered experience of B&O, I would have liked this option but none of the M6's had it spec'd....which is odd because you'd think that BMW would spec their launch demo cars to showcase the latest technology?
Whats not so good, simply because I am comparing it to almost perfection in the SLS, is the driving position. Firstly (and this isn't a bad thing), its the first car that I can't have the seat at it's lowest position - it goes so low that it feels unnatural! However, the pedals do feel a tad too close to the seat, or they're at a slightly too shallow an angle - either way, the base of them tends to push my legs a touch more upwards than I was used to in the SLS but I've largely got used to it in the last week.
On the whole though, it's a bloody nice place to sit and it feels expensive and luxurious. Theres no rattles and it feels extremely tight over all surfaces.
Performance
Its frankly ridiculous, if quite unremarkable at the same time.
Ridiculous because it is so fast, and the acceleration so relentless as it bangs through the gears, that I'd be surprised if anything else I've had would out-run it.....no small feat for a 1900kg car!
The gearchange really does show up the SLS's, even post the upgrade I had done, as in all 3 modes it is instant, no matter how many gear changes you select in one go. They key differences between the modes are very noticeable:
1. Is very smooth, yet still instant, but holds onto gears longer
2. Has a slightly perceptible gear change and kicks down more readily
3. Is very responsive and is programmed to give a kick on every gear change
I like them all, in different circumstances!
All in all, you wouldn't believe how quick this car gets up to speed and how quick the speedo moves round the dial. It revs really well, unbelievably so in comparison to other turbo cars I've driven. Unlike most boosted cars, it pulls hardest above 6k, right up to the 7.2k cut-off which is a great asset when combined with solid and relentless thrust from about 2k rpm upwards. Imagine an e92 M3 at 8k+ rpm, but with twice the feeling of thrust up to that point!
Economy wise, it's doing about 18mpg in the stop-start commute. It actually does have stop start too :lol:, which is so much more satisfying in this than in other cars I've had with it (mainly diesels) - the M6 gives a nice 'whump' when it restarts Unfortunately, that nice whump means it takes a split second longer to catch, so you have to remember that when pulling away! At a constant 80ish, it does as high as 33mpg and on my first tank, I averaged 24mpg. Has to be some kind of miracle from a car of this weight and performance??
So, why is it also unremarkable? Well, it's very refined so hides wind noise especially well and disguises speed as well as I remember my previous M6 (which if memory serves me right, was still the most refined high-speed car I've had to date). You just don't notice the speed pile on.
But, the throttle response also doesn't help - it has three settings ranging from Efficient to Sport Plus. The Efficient setting is designed to do not a lot unless you use a lot of throttle. As it defaults to this on every start-up, I'm sort of getting used to it but it means it doesn't 'feel' that quick initially. In Sport it's much better and in Sport Plus it's very responsive, without being hyper, so it's ability to feel fast is often more about having the throttle map in the right setting than anything else! In all settings, I don't think I've driven a car that gives you such a perceptible extra shove from the final few mm of throttle travel, so it's clearly mapped to utilise all of its pedal travel.
All in all, and following an overtake of 3-4 cars on a short stretch of road, I would describe the performance and very efficient - the thrust just shoots it down the road and the gearchange hammers home the next wave of performance very.....efficiently!
Sound
Deserves it's own section but not for the same reason as the SLS did! It's different, lets put it that way and my first experience of having a car with fake sound pumped through the speakers.
Firstly, as I said before, it is VERY refined so you'd probably hear bugger all without some 'assistance' through the speakers! And the reproduced sound never sounds like it's coming out of the speakers, which makes you think that it's all a lie and the sound isn't fake after all! But, when you open the window you notice two things....
1. that inside it sounds remarkably similar to the real sound you can hear outside and
2. that the sound really is fake as theres the slightest, minutest of delays, between the real and 'fake' noises, which gives away the fact that it has piped sound
Still, the likeness and accuracy of the fake sound to reality is spookily good and when I took one of the guys from work down to London during the week, the fact it the sound he was hearing wasn't all real simply blew his mind!
The actual sound quality isn't bad, but it's totally different to an AMG or my Jag's! It's quite a bassy 'high-tech' (futuristic?) sound rather than old-school muscle car and as such, it has it's own (if less outwardly impressive or obvious) character.
Do I prefer it to the AMG's and Jag's? Probably not, but then it has a kind of novelty at present.
Headlights
My first experience of full LED headlights so deserve their own section.
I used them for the first time last night and WOW - the whiteness of light is quite a step ahead of even xenons, which you can see clearly when you pull up next to a car with xenons.
I was a little concerned given my experience with LED's in the home which tend to look bright, but have poor range so don't light down to the floor very well.
On the contrary, these have a very broad and long range, the main beam is sensational and the dynamic workings noticeable and helpful - the motorway setting in particular (which it morphs into at about 75mph, as long as you don't have the auto-high beam selected) is unbelievable what range it gives without a high beam! Apparently, they can even sense crests (and shorten the range) and dips (where they lengthen the range) to give the best view ahead!
Dynamics
This car has so many settings across gearbox, throttle map, suspension stiffness, steering weight, and DSC that I'm sure it works out to be about 240-odd combinations you can have!
I've already touched on throttle and gearbox but the steering settings are a bit weird and unnecessary. I simply leave it in comfort (the lightest) as even that setting can weight up when you're trying to push this weighty machine through a fast direction change. Sport is OK, with a heavy weight that is bearable but Sport Plus is frankly too heavy. The steering is pretty dead in feel and nowhere near as responsive as the SLS from the straight ahead, but that car was unusually responsive (almost go-kart like) off centre. It is still precise and able to be easily placed though.
The suspension has a helluva job to do though, especially as the car gains momentum so quickly. The three settings aren't as immediately obvious as they are in the M3 but once you lean on the chassis a bit, the stiffness of Sport Plus is welcome when driving fast on smooth roads and the compliance of Comfort needed on more challenging surfaces!
I drive a heavily undulating B-road to get to work everyday and it's a little bit unhinged how well the M6 copes - both the Jag and Merc felt tighter to the road initially but, once above 60mph, their stiffness would generate a lot of vertical body movement and in the case of the Merc, even the feeling of air between tyre and road surface. No such chance in the weighty M6, which remains pinned to the surface and, whilst it can still generate some big up and down body movements (amazingly, less so when left in Comfort setting) I was bamboozled to find it was doing a good 15-20mph more than I felt comfortable in either of the other two cars over the same stretch.
It rides very well too (other than speed bumps - it doesn't much like short sharp bumps) and whilst I would hardly call it dynamic, overall I'd say it's a VERY 'effective' and, I'll use that word again, efficient ground coverer. Some of the press have likened it to a 2WD Nissan GT-R, which with my limited experience of the GT-R I'd concur with (except the M6 rides so much nicer).
So, that's my mini review after my first week and, apart from losing the 'status' of the SLS , I am happy with it. I wouldn't say I prefer it to the SLS or vice versa (or even compared to the XKR-S) as they're all just so different - each unique in their own way and with their own strengths. Discounting that fact that it looks more ordinary/traditional compared to the SLS or even the XKR-S, the overall ethos, ground covering ability and unreal build quality of the M6 means it's probably the ideal car for me and the best all-rounder to date....as you would expect considering it's the most modern and almost the most powerful (conceding just 3bhp to the SLS) car I've had.
As my girlfriend said when I was stood next to it deliberating on whether to do the deal or not (and she didn't want me to sell the SLS on the basis that she knew what it meant to me), for my stage in life, my needs and my expectations, it's the more suitable car for me.
By now, you'll be familiar as to why I've sold my dream SLS and purchased a relatively ordinary BMW. I actually purchased this car blind, and I mean totally blind because, other than a glance of a white M6 when I was in LA a few weeks ago, I've never seen one in real life. However, that fleeting glance smacked me right in the face because I'd been considering what to replace the SLS with for a few weeks and had narrowed the choice to.....erm......well, I didn't really know. A 991 maybe? I really wanted an F-Type but the coupe isn't out for another year or so
I was in a pickle, as trying to replace my dream car wasn't easy (even though it annoyed and occasionally disappointed me, as much as I wanted to really like it). The problem with SLS was that being my dream car, and costing a fair bit too, I expected perfection in every way. It delivered in many respects but I think my expectations of a low-volume and fairly focussed sports car didn't reflect reality or in many respects, the Jaguar XKR-S that I had previously. I know I'm a big, fast GT kinda person because I rate über-refined, tight and rattle free cars, especially ones that give a feeling of proper 'thrust'. So, when I noticed that the M6 looked so good, and significantly more muscular compared to normal 6 series (mainly due to wider tracks, flared arches and massive arch-filling wheels), it brought back memories of how good my previous M6 was in most of the areas that I rate as important. It went straight to the top of my list.
So, whilst on holiday, I researched every M6 for sale in the UK and noticed that pretty much none had sold since I last looked, which was well before I got the SLS. When I got home, it took me all of a couple of days to agree a deal (with my local dealer Sytner being their usual incompetent selves at closing me down on a deal, in total contrast to BMW Oxford and Coopers Croydon who both worked very hard to sell me their respective cars).
I plumped for the car at Oxford as it was nearly as cheap as the cheapest, but in the exact colour combo that I thought I wanted (remembering, I'd not really seen one close-up yet). After seeing the white one in LA, I would've actually liked it in white but, given my priority was to get the whitish/silver 'Silverstone' interior, that would never look right on a white car. I settled for a new colour called San Marino Blue, which pictures really do no justice to - it's very striking!
Collection and First Impressions
So, I'd pulled up at the dealer not really wanting the car that I hadn't seen. A miserable me met the salesman and the poor bloke could feel the sale slipping away, which he acknowledged and was very reasonable about. He took me to the car and just left me to it to work out what I wanted to do.
I've got to say, when I first set eyes on it (rear 3/4 view...it's best angle IMO) I was very pleasantly surprised. Indeed, I thought that in its San Marino Blue it looked sharp....sharper even than the SLS. It was huge too (and still is!) but I don't mind big cars so thats OK.
Beautifully proportioned, sleek and with 'stance'....the XKR-S had good stance at the rear, the SLS was good at the front but the M6 is the first car I've had where both front and rear wheels sit right out and level with the wheelarches, which exaggerates the width and muscularity of the car. It could sit a few mm lower but on the whole, it's probably one of the best looking cars I've had. And this is the general feedback I've had from people, with an overwhelmingly positive response that's surprised me as I still think it's relatively ordinary compared to the SLS
Interior
Lets get this out of the way first - it is simply the best finished car I've had to date. It has the £6.5k full leather option and as you'd expect, it's door to door leather and alcantara. Jeez, even the steering wheel airbag and spokes are covered in smooth nappa leather! Yes, the SLS and XKR's were similarly well finished but the Jag's leather wasn't quite a nice and there was still some plastic on show on the doors (crikey, how fussy is that being!) and I've already mentioned how much the SLS tended to rattle so, all in all, the M6 best them both for a combination of quality and materials.
The design is modern and interesting, with the lovely curved dash cocooning both passengers and swooping in all directions. The telematics screen is huge and very sharp and the modern iDrive is as good as remember it in my last BMW (although I'm sure the screen in that wasn't as high-def) However, apart from the ability to do a split screen which is very useful, I'm not convinced that it's any better overall than the latest Comand in our E-class coupe. My favourite bit is the steering wheel, which is very much like an old-school M-car wheel - a really small round boss with thin round spokes. I don't know how, but they really seem to have fitted an airbag into a boss no bigger than non-airbag steering wheels form the '80's! The rim is really small in diameter, as well as nice and thick and well padded in a typical BMW M way so it's a joy to look at and hold.
The seats are the standard 'sports' seats as opposed to the optional dynamic seats. With the somewhat integrated headrests, the sport seats actually look much more stylish than the upgrade seat; they're also comfortable with nice long supportive squabs but, they're not the most supportive especially laterally in the backrest which has no functionality to adjust the width of the bolsters. To be fair though, I am comparing it to the SLS seats which were about the best you could get in this respect, although they were a little short in the squab in comparison - it seems BMW giveth with one hand, and taketh with the other.
The head-up display is very effective - it's high definition and even shows detailed colour displays for sat nav and revs if you want it to. You never need to look away for directions when you've got a destination programmed!
The rear is bigger than the last M6 and huge compared to the XKR which couldn't fit an adult in the rear. I'm average height and can sit behind myself reasonably comfortably.
The standard stereo is unbranded but in sound and functionality is typical of the Harman Kardon systems (BMW mustn't bet branding them anymore) - it's pretty good if some way short of the Bowers and Wilkins in the Jaguars. At least it doesn't distort and the interior has better acoustics than the SLS which simply had too many speakers for such a tight cabin. Despite my chequered experience of B&O, I would have liked this option but none of the M6's had it spec'd....which is odd because you'd think that BMW would spec their launch demo cars to showcase the latest technology?
Whats not so good, simply because I am comparing it to almost perfection in the SLS, is the driving position. Firstly (and this isn't a bad thing), its the first car that I can't have the seat at it's lowest position - it goes so low that it feels unnatural! However, the pedals do feel a tad too close to the seat, or they're at a slightly too shallow an angle - either way, the base of them tends to push my legs a touch more upwards than I was used to in the SLS but I've largely got used to it in the last week.
On the whole though, it's a bloody nice place to sit and it feels expensive and luxurious. Theres no rattles and it feels extremely tight over all surfaces.
Performance
Its frankly ridiculous, if quite unremarkable at the same time.
Ridiculous because it is so fast, and the acceleration so relentless as it bangs through the gears, that I'd be surprised if anything else I've had would out-run it.....no small feat for a 1900kg car!
The gearchange really does show up the SLS's, even post the upgrade I had done, as in all 3 modes it is instant, no matter how many gear changes you select in one go. They key differences between the modes are very noticeable:
1. Is very smooth, yet still instant, but holds onto gears longer
2. Has a slightly perceptible gear change and kicks down more readily
3. Is very responsive and is programmed to give a kick on every gear change
I like them all, in different circumstances!
All in all, you wouldn't believe how quick this car gets up to speed and how quick the speedo moves round the dial. It revs really well, unbelievably so in comparison to other turbo cars I've driven. Unlike most boosted cars, it pulls hardest above 6k, right up to the 7.2k cut-off which is a great asset when combined with solid and relentless thrust from about 2k rpm upwards. Imagine an e92 M3 at 8k+ rpm, but with twice the feeling of thrust up to that point!
Economy wise, it's doing about 18mpg in the stop-start commute. It actually does have stop start too :lol:, which is so much more satisfying in this than in other cars I've had with it (mainly diesels) - the M6 gives a nice 'whump' when it restarts
Unfortunately, that nice whump means it takes a split second longer to catch, so you have to remember that when pulling away! At a constant 80ish, it does as high as 33mpg and on my first tank, I averaged 24mpg. Has to be some kind of miracle from a car of this weight and performance?? So, why is it also unremarkable? Well, it's very refined so hides wind noise especially well and disguises speed as well as I remember my previous M6 (which if memory serves me right, was still the most refined high-speed car I've had to date). You just don't notice the speed pile on.
But, the throttle response also doesn't help - it has three settings ranging from Efficient to Sport Plus. The Efficient setting is designed to do not a lot unless you use a lot of throttle. As it defaults to this on every start-up, I'm sort of getting used to it but it means it doesn't 'feel' that quick initially. In Sport it's much better and in Sport Plus it's very responsive, without being hyper, so it's ability to feel fast is often more about having the throttle map in the right setting than anything else! In all settings, I don't think I've driven a car that gives you such a perceptible extra shove from the final few mm of throttle travel, so it's clearly mapped to utilise all of its pedal travel.
All in all, and following an overtake of 3-4 cars on a short stretch of road, I would describe the performance and very efficient - the thrust just shoots it down the road and the gearchange hammers home the next wave of performance very.....efficiently!
Sound
Deserves it's own section but not for the same reason as the SLS did! It's different, lets put it that way and my first experience of having a car with fake sound pumped through the speakers.
Firstly, as I said before, it is VERY refined so you'd probably hear bugger all without some 'assistance' through the speakers! And the reproduced sound never sounds like it's coming out of the speakers, which makes you think that it's all a lie and the sound isn't fake after all! But, when you open the window you notice two things....
1. that inside it sounds remarkably similar to the real sound you can hear outside and
2. that the sound really is fake as theres the slightest, minutest of delays, between the real and 'fake' noises, which gives away the fact that it has piped sound
Still, the likeness and accuracy of the fake sound to reality is spookily good and when I took one of the guys from work down to London during the week, the fact it the sound he was hearing wasn't all real simply blew his mind!
The actual sound quality isn't bad, but it's totally different to an AMG or my Jag's! It's quite a bassy 'high-tech' (futuristic?) sound rather than old-school muscle car and as such, it has it's own (if less outwardly impressive or obvious) character.
Do I prefer it to the AMG's and Jag's? Probably not, but then it has a kind of novelty at present.
Headlights
My first experience of full LED headlights so deserve their own section.
I used them for the first time last night and WOW - the whiteness of light is quite a step ahead of even xenons, which you can see clearly when you pull up next to a car with xenons.
I was a little concerned given my experience with LED's in the home which tend to look bright, but have poor range so don't light down to the floor very well.
On the contrary, these have a very broad and long range, the main beam is sensational and the dynamic workings noticeable and helpful - the motorway setting in particular (which it morphs into at about 75mph, as long as you don't have the auto-high beam selected) is unbelievable what range it gives without a high beam! Apparently, they can even sense crests (and shorten the range) and dips (where they lengthen the range) to give the best view ahead!
Dynamics
This car has so many settings across gearbox, throttle map, suspension stiffness, steering weight, and DSC that I'm sure it works out to be about 240-odd combinations you can have!
I've already touched on throttle and gearbox but the steering settings are a bit weird and unnecessary. I simply leave it in comfort (the lightest) as even that setting can weight up when you're trying to push this weighty machine through a fast direction change. Sport is OK, with a heavy weight that is bearable but Sport Plus is frankly too heavy. The steering is pretty dead in feel and nowhere near as responsive as the SLS from the straight ahead, but that car was unusually responsive (almost go-kart like) off centre. It is still precise and able to be easily placed though.
The suspension has a helluva job to do though, especially as the car gains momentum so quickly. The three settings aren't as immediately obvious as they are in the M3 but once you lean on the chassis a bit, the stiffness of Sport Plus is welcome when driving fast on smooth roads and the compliance of Comfort needed on more challenging surfaces!
I drive a heavily undulating B-road to get to work everyday and it's a little bit unhinged how well the M6 copes - both the Jag and Merc felt tighter to the road initially but, once above 60mph, their stiffness would generate a lot of vertical body movement and in the case of the Merc, even the feeling of air between tyre and road surface. No such chance in the weighty M6, which remains pinned to the surface and, whilst it can still generate some big up and down body movements (amazingly, less so when left in Comfort setting) I was bamboozled to find it was doing a good 15-20mph more than I felt comfortable in either of the other two cars over the same stretch.
It rides very well too (other than speed bumps - it doesn't much like short sharp bumps) and whilst I would hardly call it dynamic, overall I'd say it's a VERY 'effective' and, I'll use that word again, efficient ground coverer. Some of the press have likened it to a 2WD Nissan GT-R, which with my limited experience of the GT-R I'd concur with (except the M6 rides so much nicer).
So, that's my mini review after my first week and, apart from losing the 'status' of the SLS , I am happy with it. I wouldn't say I prefer it to the SLS or vice versa (or even compared to the XKR-S) as they're all just so different - each unique in their own way and with their own strengths. Discounting that fact that it looks more ordinary/traditional compared to the SLS or even the XKR-S, the overall ethos, ground covering ability and unreal build quality of the M6 means it's probably the ideal car for me and the best all-rounder to date....as you would expect considering it's the most modern and almost the most powerful (conceding just 3bhp to the SLS) car I've had.
As my girlfriend said when I was stood next to it deliberating on whether to do the deal or not (and she didn't want me to sell the SLS on the basis that she knew what it meant to me), for my stage in life, my needs and my expectations, it's the more suitable car for me.
As always, great write up.....I can remember right back to the Fiat Coupe Turbo days (fccuk..I loved mine..) and then BMW's.... your journey with cars has been well worth following...
As has been said I don't think it will last long but in the time you have it you will love it, the only downside may be that in a few months time it may not have that "special" feeling, and that might make you hanker for something else. Have you mapped out your upgrade options yet ?
Jules
As has been said I don't think it will last long but in the time you have it you will love it, the only downside may be that in a few months time it may not have that "special" feeling, and that might make you hanker for something else. Have you mapped out your upgrade options yet
?Jules
stumpy1
MB Enthusiast
I'm buying an M5 so have read your report with interest. The one box I cannot decide whether to tick or not is for the alloy wheel upgrade from 19s to the 20s you have. My reluctance is partly due to the trade off in ride comfort, that I feel the 20s look too 'open' in their design and therefore I'd worry about bending them on our cruddy roads. I'm going for the B&O option despite your experience with MB.
OP
OP
Palmball
MB Enthusiast
As always, great write up.....I can remember right back to the Fiat Coupe Turbo days (fccuk..I loved mine..) and then BMW's.... your journey with cars has been well worth following...
As has been said I don't think it will last long but in the time you have it you will love it, the only downside may be that in a few months time it may not have that "special" feeling, and that might make you hanker for something else. Have you mapped out your upgrade options yet
Jules
Thanks
You can remember 'me' back in the Fiat Coupe Turbo days or just rememebr back in those days??? Just wondering if you're someone else I know as I had 2 Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo's, the seocnd of which was a last-of-the line Turbo Plus
That car still holds the record as the longest I've owned a car - 14 months if you can believe it! I sold it for an ALfa 147 GTA which at the time was extremely exotic for a hot hatch!
I have no issue whatsoever with the ride on my 20's, and I reckon on such a big heavy car, they'd have developed it with 20's in mind. I think you can buy these wheels with confidence, especially as the 19's will look a bit weedy.
I do know what you mean about the 'open' design - they suit the M6 shape perfectly but, much like the old M6 wheels when fitted on the old M5, they look a bit minimalist on the larger 4-door car.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2007
- Messages
- 8,232
- Car
- Volvo XC90 T8 Polestar c500bhp
There was a white M6 in Lockerbie today.
Very very nice - that interior is something else.
Very very nice - that interior is something else
.
moff
Active Member
Great review Palmball, what car is next?
Thanks
You can remember 'me' back in the Fiat Coupe Turbo days or just rememebr back in those days??? Just wondering if you're someone else I know as I had 2 Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo's, the seocnd of which was a last-of-the line Turbo Plus
That car still holds the record as the longest I've owned a car - 14 months if you can believe it! I sold it for an ALfa 147 GTA which at the time was extremely exotic for a hot hatch!
I used to be on fccuk forum quite a lot around 10-11 years ago when I first had a 20VT and stayed on there for a while after selling. A few cars later on I had an infamous 335d, so was on E90Post quite a lot which is where I think you were too and you mentioned Coupes there. I was Jude1 on E90Post in the DXB days
, and Julesm / Cyclone on fccuk and most others....kamalpatel12448
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2010
- Messages
- 971
- Location
- London
- Car
- C63 (W204) and C240 (W202) - just not at the same time!
Andy, a shame you had to sell the SLS, but the BMW is very nice. i know you will enjoy it.
Kamal
Kamal
Peter DLM
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2007
- Messages
- 2,285
- Location
- Milton Keynes
- Car
- 19 reg CLS 350d, 67 reg AMG GT R Caterham Levante
I'm a big BMW fan and I think the M6 is awesome, so I'm a bit jealous
NISFAN
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2010
- Messages
- 903
- Car
- F13 M6.....for now
Nice purchase Palmball, loving the colour.
Probably done this already, but set favourite settings on M1 then hooligan mode on M2, saves faffing about with re-setting from COMFORT mode all the time :bannana:
Probably done this already, but set favourite settings on M1 then hooligan mode on M2, saves faffing about with re-setting from COMFORT mode all the time :bannana:
eyeofthetiger
Member
Great review( as always) andrew.
I am probably the 2nd person who wasnt a fan of the sls looks(excluding performance of course)
I think the bmw looks lovely and the interior looks amazing. I believe that just like the previous model, the car will look even better in the flesh then on photos.
I am probably the 2nd person who wasnt a fan of the sls looks(excluding performance of course)
I think the bmw looks lovely and the interior looks amazing. I believe that just like the previous model, the car will look even better in the flesh then on photos.
BEJ
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2011
- Messages
- 1,156
- Location
- Surrey
- Car
- 2019 VW Passat GT estate. SLK- now gone 2010 Hyundai I 10.
I would like to be in the same situation as on the LOMP when you came past me on the run from Keswick to Troutbridge, but with you in the Beemer. I could then compare the sound of a poweful V8 SLS to the new set of wheels.
Good luck with the new car, looks a treat!!
Good luck with the new car, looks a treat!!
OP
OP
Palmball
MB Enthusiast
Great review Palmball, what car is next?
One laughs....but I probably know this already!
Only kidding, but as I've said before, an F-Type will definitely be on the list when the coupe is released in about a year/
I used to be on fccuk forum quite a lot around 10-11 years ago when I first had a 20VT and stayed on there for a while after selling. A few cars later on I had an infamous 335d, so was on E90Post quite a lot which is where I think you were too and you mentioned Coupes there. I was Jude1 on E90Post in the DXB days
Ah yes, Jude1 rings a bell. I still post in the O/T section on there - a few of still about from the old days (inc. DXB!) but not many left now...the e90 is attracting a different clientele these days (that isn't meant to be as snobbish as it sounds....but you know what I mean - you relate to some people more than others!)
I was a relative later-comer to car forums (2009 onwards) so back in the early 2000's when I had my Coupe I don't think I knew how to use the internet
In fact, would FCCUK even have existed back then (i.e. when the car was still in production)?I'm a big BMW fan and I think the M6 is awesome, so I'm a bit jealous
Thanks....but can you say things like that on here?
Nice purchase Palmball, loving the colour.
Probably done this already, but set favourite settings on M1 then hooligan mode on M2, saves faffing about with re-setting from COMFORT mode all the time :bannana:
Cheers....I've done it the other way round but keep pushing the wrong one so will have to swap them round! Theres so many variations it actually needs the two 'M' buttons!
These comments about the SLS are adding up (less so on here admittedly)....I am quite shocked at the general lack of love for that car! And the widespread acceptance of the M6 which I would have thought would be seen as a lot more ordinary.
In reality it's anything but, however, to the uninitiated it's just a 6-sries and to car enthusiasts, it's never been a car that I thought was well received. I'd class it as one of those underrated cars, much like its predecessor.
If acceptable to attend in a BMW, I will be delighted to still attend events
The biggest issue with the M6 is the exhaust is too damn quiet. Even with the valve open it is silent.........so SLS would win every time in the engine acoustics dept.
I would definitely agree that from the inside it is quiet (although nicely helped along by the speakers
) but on the outside, whilst still no SLS, I'd hardly call it quiet!
Dieselman
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 34,199
- Car
- Peugeot 403 Convertible
Perhaps Mercedes tried too hard with the looks of SLS. Everyone is meant to be in awe of it being a retro hark-back to the original, but time moves on, a car has to be good in it's own right.
Your experience doesn't reflect that and maybe it doesn't fit the UK roads very well, so can't be used to it's designed potential of going fast on straight, smooth tarmac.
