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By Ben Barry
31 December 2008 14:11
It might be hard to imagine, but back when the BMW M6 was launched in 2005, CAR Online wasn’t actually around. Hence the BMW M6 not being previously reviewed on this site. But in the name of being comprehensive – and for the sake of driving what’s sure to be an epic car – we thought we’d right that wrong.
Yes and no. ‘Yes’ because the M6 employs the same brilliant 5.0-litre V10 engine and still delivers 500bhp and 383lb ft to the rear wheels via a sequential manual seven-speeder. ‘No’ because there are some important changes. The M6, for instance, boasts a costly carbonfibre roof, all-new dash architecture and is 80kg lighter than its saloon-based stablemate, 1785kg playing the M5’s 1855kg. There’s also a sizeable price hike – at £82,685, it’s over £18k more expensive than the M5. It'd better be good...
No. The on-paper stats tell you it is (M6 beats M5 to 62mph by just 0.1sec at 4.6sec), but in reality you’ll be hard pushed to feel the benefit of lugging 80 fewer kilos around.
What do you notice? Well, the steering wheel offers the same three-spoke chunkiness as the M5, but it feels lighter, twirling with less of the M5’s manly resistance. The suspension – still three-way driver adjustable – is slightly firmer too, while the seven-speed semi-auto’s shift programme has been noticeably recalibrated. As ever you can pick from five shift settings, ranging from ultra-docile to massive attack – the majority being unnecessary. The M6’s fifth mode is far more aggressive than the equivalent M5 setting, sending a whacking great, Lambo-esque thump through the transmission.
>> Click 'Next' below to read more of our BMW M6 first drive
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a t o m i c says
RE: BMW M6 (2008) CAR review
The 6er is probably aimed at SoCal female lawyers or some other impossible to-identify-with demographic.
15 January 2009 13:38
JohnnyBimmer says
Yes the M5 over-shadows the M6 a tad but that's nothing compared to the M3 which makes the M6 look expensive, ugly AND a pointless spend of £30k extra! Unlike others I've no soft spots for the 6-Series and I'd much prefer BMW did something very different in this sector. Namely markedly more performance orientated than its nemisis, the Merc SL, or something to answer the 911 and Audi R8
06 January 2009 23:54
carcare says
Have you seen how cheap a used one is? the car does this brilliant double chnage down that makes a fab rumble and when you press the go pedal it scared the be jesus out of me. I borrowed one for the weekend and so enjoyed it, particularly as you don't feel like a family man in it. happy new Year
02 January 2009 17:52
joedodgy says
Its not ugly at all, its just the wrong colour, same with the M coupe. In dark blue this M6 can look great, I saw one a while ago in the long grass at Donnington Park. It looked great. Its not ugly, at least its interesting. Ill keep my Audi comments to myself. But in their latest ad for the Q7 they admit the last one was a box and that read between the lines was pretty ugly and the wrong proprtions. They now have taken out the lower grilles which ages ago, I pointed out that they were why it looked rubbish and proportioally wrong. Just if they didn't gibw us pics of it int he wrong colour.
02 January 2009 16:13
manicm says
Dunno, looks-wise this is a massive improvement over any 5, M5 or not.
02 January 2009 07:55
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