2012 BMW 650i Convertible Review

2012 BMW 650i Convertible

The newly redesigned BMW 650i offers a near-perfect balance of luxury, performance, and safety. It’s blander-looking than the previous-generation 650i, with its controversial Chris Bangle styling, but for many people that will be a plus. In every other respect, from roominess to fuel economy to quickness and handling, the new 650i is a major improvement over the outgoing model. However, the new Mercedes (DAI) E550 Cabriolet has a hot new V8 engine and lower sticker price that make it a formidable rival to the Bimmer.

One of the big improvements in the 650i is a powerful new engine: a twin-turbo, 4.4-liter, 400-horsepower (40 hp more than before) V8 that generates an incredible 450 lb.-ft. of torque. The V8 in the Jaguar (TTM) XK can’t match that power, but the 2012 E550 Cabriolet comes close: Its new V8 is rated at 402 hp and generates 443 lb.-ft. of torque.

As a result, the Mercedes is now about as quick as the Bimmer. The 2012 650i Convertible does zero to 60 in 4.9 seconds, compared with 5.0 seconds flat for the 2012 Mercedes E550. Top speed in both cars is electronically limited to 130 miles per hour (rising to 150 mph in the 650i if you opt for the sport package).

Another improvement in the 650i is its automatic transmission, a lightning-quick eight-speed that’s more efficient than the seven-speed in the Mercedes and the six-speed in the Jaguar XK. The BMW transmission’s advantage is an extra-tall top gear that boosts fuel economy at cruising speed. Equipped with the automatic, the 650i is rated at 16 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway, slightly better than the 2012 Mercedes E550 (15/22) and Jaguar XK (16/22) convertibles.

Driving enthusiasts will be happy that the new 650i drop-top is also offered with a six-speed manual transmission, something not available on the 2012 Mercedes E550 and Jaguar XK. However, the automatic is quicker and more efficient than the manual transmission, which is why the 650i’s mileage falls to 15/22 with the stick shift.

BMW’s new drop-top starts at $92,375, including a $1,000 gas-guzzler tax—well above the 2012 Mercedes E550 convertible (starting price: $65,675), about comparable to the 2012 Jaguar XK ($91,375), and well below the $104,525 Mercedes SL550 Cabriolet.

The 650i Convertible doesn’t yet have government crash-test ratings, but safety is a selling point. Greater use of high-strength steel has made the car’s body 29 percent stronger than before, and standard safety gear includes stability and traction control, active head restraints, pop-up roll bars, and front, side, and knee-protecting air bags. Options include night vision ($2,600) and lane-departure and blind-spot warning systems (part of a $3,900 Driver Assistance Package).

The BMW 6 Series hasn’t been selling well in recent months, but that’s largely because BMW introduced the 650i Convertible in May, before the redesigned 650i Coupe, which is due out this fall. Compared with the same period in 2010, total U.S. 6 Series sales fell 43.3 percent in July, to just 560 units, and fell 15.7 percent, to 1,672, in the first seven months of the year. Convertibles have accounted for about 75 percent of 6 Series sales so far this year, BMW says, so total sales should pick up once the coupe arrives.

2012 BMW 650i Convertible

2012 BMW 650i Convertible

Source : businessweek