2010 BMW M6
Hot Car Hampered By Clunky Gearbox
A lot of cars look dated after they’ve been around for six years, but not a 6-Series BMW. It still turns heads out on the road. As Autoweek magazine once observed, “Even sitting still, the car looks fast.” My test car this time was an M6 coupe, which has even more pizzazz than the standard 650Ci. It features ground-hugging bodywork, 19-inch wheels and a distinctive carbon fiber roof.
The interior is also a visual delight. My test car came with elegant red Merino leather and carbon fiber trim. However, there is still inadequate storage space in the cabin—the owner’s manual won’t even fit in the glove box. But on the plus side, the iDrive controller gets a new interface. It now has easier to use menus and extra buttons for the most commonly used features.
Getting ready to drive, I noted that my M6 had the Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) with Drive logic. This is a clutchless manual that can be shifted with paddles on the steering wheel. Alternately, you can select the automatic mode, so the transmission shifts for itself. Drivelogic enables the driver to choose from five settings to adjust shifts in the automatic mode, going from Relaxed to Sporty, and six similar settings for the manual mode.
The SMG takes some time to get used to. This latest version is smoother in operation than an earlier type that I drove, but it is still not very fluid. The manual mode isn’t bad—it mimics a conventional stick shift. (Ironically, a real stick shift is a no-charge option.) However, the automatic mode is a different story. I am so accustomed to seamless automatics, that the SMG seemed clunky, as it paused between shifts. I prefer Audi’s DSG gearbox, which is not only very quick, but smooth as well.
Whatever drawbacks the SMG might have, the other half of the power train is awesome. BMW propels the M6 with its five-liter V-10 engine that cranks out 500 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. This is not only a strong power plant, but a very quick revving one as well. When I stomped on the accelerator, the V-10 would rush up to the 8250-rpm redline in what seemed like a blink of an eye. Sixty miles per hour was do-able in less than five seconds. And the frosting on the cake here is the Ferrari-like sounds that emanate from the four tailpipes—positively intoxicating for a motorhead.
In the handling department, the M6 delivers what you would expect from a high priced BMW. The first thing that impressed me was the taut, but quick steering. It’s quicker than that of the standard 650iC, and turn-in happens promptly when you twist the steering wheel. The suspension is also impressive. The driver can choose three settings of firmness, Comfort, Normal and Sport. Even in the Comfort mode, the suspension is firm, and the M6 displays very little body-roll. Complementing the suspension are 19-inch wheels and tires that provide a cat-like grip on the road. Finally, there are the brakes, huge crossed-drilled discs, which will haul you down from speed, pronto.
The M6 is an expensive machine. The coupe model that I drove had a base price of $105,925, including the $3000 gas-guzzler tax. (The convertible is $5,800 more.) As much as I liked the V-10 engine, if it were my money, I’d opt for the 650iC, on which this car is based. The 650iC is not quite as potent a vehicle, but more refined, and it costs $33,000 less.
Snapshot Review:
Sexy Styling
Supercar Engine
Clunky Transmission (SMG)
World Class Handling
