The
BMW M6 makes its sporting intentions
clear from the outset. Its swooping body
sits on 19in wheels that in turn are
shod with massive tyres. At the back are
four aggressive exhaust tailpipes, not
to mention the coveted M badge,
highlighting the fact that it has been
tuned by the company’s sports division.
Despite all of this, most drivers are
still taken aback by the sheer power of
the M6.
The car was introduced to the UK in
November 2005 and was dismissed by some
critics as a cynical marketing ploy. As
it was priced at about £80,000 when new,
they argued the customer wasn’t getting
enough car for the money. And they had a
point: a standard BMW 650i was some
£26,000 cheaper, and surely no amount of
extra power could justify the hike.
Once behind the wheel, though, you
realise what that extra money buys you:
performance, and lots of it. For the
secondhand buyer there’s an added
incentive: depreciation has made the M6
an affordable option for those looking
for a brutally quick sports coupé.
The M6 has a top speed artificially
limited to 155mph. There is little doubt
that, if derestricted, it could join the
200mph club. A little surprising, then,
that the car’s 0-60mph time of 4.6sec is
good rather than spectacular,
particularly when compared with cheaper,
less exotic offerings such as the Subaru
Impreza 2.5WRX STi (£25,000 new and
0-60mph in 4.8sec) or the Lotus Exige S
(£35,500 new and 0-60mph in 4.1sec).
Drive this car, though, and you’ll
realise 0-60 times are not the full
story. On the open road, or better still
on a racetrack, you start to appreciate
its true abilities.
Driven around the famous Nürburgring
circuit in Germany, the M6 regularly
turned in sub-8min laps during testing.
That kind of pace puts it in the company
of some esteemed machinery, including
out-and-out sporting cars such as the
Porsche 911 GT2.
The M6’s power comes from a 5 litre V10
engine producing 507bhp. It’s the same
unit that’s found in the BMW M5, though
in the slightly lighter M6 coupé it
feels even more vigorous. The absence of
turbo or supercharging gives it a
distinct, instant and very satisfying
character. This engine redlines at
8250rpm and produces its maximum power
at a heady 7750rpm. Such elevated revs
produce a wonderfully heady soundtrack
from the quad exhausts. If you can keep
the engine revving you won’t want to
switch on the stereo.
The M6 is not a small car, and making
its 3,935lb handle like a sports car is
no mean feat. And to achieve it, BMW has
used electronic damper control, which
constantly adjusts the suspension
characteristics to match the driver’s
demands.
It comes with three settings: comfort,
normal and sports. In comfort mode the
ride is suitable for motorway cruising,
but slip the setting to normal and the
M6’s cornering sharpens noticeably,
while the firm sport setting makes for a
stiff ride on all but the smoothest of
surfaces. The massive brakes are equally
effective, pinching the car to a halt
from 62mph in a braking distance of just
118ft – more than 60ft less than the
typical distance given in the Highway
Code.
With so much power on tap, BMW has been
careful to manage its delivery to the
rear wheels. The first line of defence
is the default electronics that limit
power to 400bhp, a prod of the M-Drive
button mounted on the steering wheel
being required to access the extra
107bhp.
In this mode (called M-Dynamic), not
only is the car faster, but there is
also a reduction in the electronic
intervention of traction and stability
controls.
In addition to this, the M6 is stuffed
full of luxury features. Electric memory
seats, xenon headlights and satellite
navigation are all supplied as standard,
leaving the choice of exterior and
interior colours as the biggest dilemma
for buyers.
Limited production numbers mean that
used M6 coupés are never going to be a
common sight on UK roads. And with early
cars now changing hands for just over
£50,000, it’s a realistic purchase for
those who otherwise might have shelled
out on a new, but distinctly less
exotic, 6-series coupé.
