Vehicle: 2006 BMW 650i with Executive Pkg and 6-speed Steptronic
Price as tested: CDN$107900

Performance: Just like 5-Series which 6-Series it based on, its 4.5L V8 has been upgraded to 4.8Lfor 2006. This engine is everything a BMW. As its refinement and smoothness are simply superb. It got entertaining engine note which is very Teutonic. Not to mention this 360hp engine is wonderful at high rpm. Its very willing to rev once passed through 5000 rpm without any hints of sluggishness. Even at such high rpm, it doesn’t sacifice any refinement in this luxury touring coupe. On the other hand, 360 lb/ft of torque certainly won’t leave anyone disappointed in the bottom end. When a vehicle got such an exceptional engine, it means nothing without a proper gearbox. Our tester comes with an optional 6-speed Steptronic which scores excellent gear ratios for cruising. On the other hand, it also allows enthuisastic drivers to rev it through redline before upshifting.

Handling: 6-Series’s handling is really a mixbag. On the one hand, it got a world-class chassis that is totally free of rattles and cracks. However, there is just too much electronics and weight going on 650i’s body. The Active Steering is simply too artificial for a sports coupe. The chassis feels floaty as one pushed the 6-Series through left-to-right sweepers, when Active Steering is learning which ratio is best for this situation. This system feels like a remote control on top of steering wheel. When the ratio changed suddently, driver’s hand could feel isolated during the transition. It just lacks the tactical feedback that defined the BMW brand. Its 3814 lb curb weight doesn’t help its handling neither. This kind of weight feels cumbersome when pushing through sweepers. The suspension feels a bit too soft for a BMW. In a 650i, one won’t have the light-on-its-feet driving feel as smaller 3-Series coupe. The DSC-3 also kicked-in more abruptly for BMW dynamic stability control. When one can get the tail out, like other BMWs, its initial 3814 lb and articial Active Steering started to ham those driving fun beyond the limit. An enthuisastic driver has to get used to its huge amount of body rolls. For a BMW, 650i just has too much compromise for a driver’s car. Combining fundamental overweight issue with soft suspension, the whole dynamic package feels more like a Lexus than a BMW. That leaves me a bit cold for a company which is famous for top-class handling dynamics.

Brakes: You really have to give mod to BMW’s braking performance. Even for a touring coupe as heavy as a 650i, its braking feel and distance are nothing short of astouishing.

Interior: The use of materials inside 650i is about average for a luxury sports coupe in this caliber. There are as much hard plastic as in the 550i I test drove not too long ago. On the other hand, the instrumentation gauges are typical BMW analog. The sports seats are superb with excellent back and thigh supports. Speaking for ergonomics, I don’t even want to start with that dreadful i-Drive which is a total distraction for driving.

Conclusion: The 6-Series is a BMW with lots of compromise. Its heavy, soft and an ergonomic disaster. If you really want a luxury sports coupe with fast engine and a BMW roundal, 650i is the way to go. However, I can easily name 2 sports cars selling at 6-Series’s price range which are dynamically superior to this overweight BMW!

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2006 BMW 650i
=============================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergomonics/user-friendliness: 2/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2.25/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2.25/5