Two-door luxury is very nearly dead. Decades ago, big coupes such as the Cadillac Eldorado, Oldsmobile Toronado, Buick Riviera, and Lincoln Mark-series ruled as symbols of the successful man—the longer the door, the more important the man.
Decades later, those names have all disappeared. A rare survivor, BMW’s 6-series coupe, somehow persists against all odds and has been redesigned for 2012.
The latest 6-series is a return to the days when new meant longer, lower, and wider. Overall length is up by 2.6 inches, width increases 1.6 inches, and the roof is 0.2 inch lower. From the trick LED headlamps ($2900) to the taillights, this is a more graceful and cohesive 6-series. That we’re comparing it with the lumpy and semi-demented-looking, last-gen 6-series no doubt helps this new car’s case. The proportions are classic coupe—long hood, arcing roofline, short trunk. The body sits on an exceptionally long wheelbase (112.4 inches), which is closer to that of the yacht-sized Mercedes CL-class than the bowrider-like E-class coupe’s. And that lengthy wheelbase results in big swinging doors. Real men swing things.
Spend an additional $1500 (on top of the nearly $84,000 cost of the base car), and BMW will cover nearly every interior surface in leather. Considering what some of the other options cost, the leather seems like a bargain. Opt for Premium Sound ($1800), and you’ll have the choice of spending an additional $3700 for the Bang & Olufsen upgrade. The B&O system is crisp and loud, but don’t most of these buyers listen to AM news radio? At least the wide, 10.2-inch screen that displays navigation and audio information is standard. The seat bottoms are a bit closer to the floor than we prefer, but the seats themselves are comfortable and wouldn’t look out of place in a Bentley coupe. Adults can fit in the back but not without the front passengers moving their seats up against the dashboard.
Mechanical machismo is provided by BMW’s 400-hp, twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8. An eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual are available at no extra cost. BMW claims a 0-to-60 time of 4.9 seconds for either transmission, which seems a bit conservative for the 4250-pound machine. The 4569-pound convertible 650i did the deed in 4.7 seconds. Manual shifts are short and exact; this is one of the best BMW sticks we’ve sampled. But the quick-shifting eight-speed auto seems more in keeping with the coupe’s effortless confidence. It offers manual control via paddles or the shifter, should the driver feel like engaging in mischief.
The 650i takes misbehavior in stride. Hit the Driving Dynamic Control button to switch out of comfort mode and into the sport setting, and the automatic transmission, throttle, steering, and suspension turn naughty. Dampers stiffen, the engine becomes more responsive to the gas pedal, and the transmission is quick to downshift and holds gears longer. Opting for sport mode also increases the electric power-steering system’s effort. But do not mistake steering effort for tactile feedback. This BMW has the former without the latter. Want good steering feel? Buy a Porsche 911. If we defined good handling as the combination of big grip and an almost eerie lack of body roll, then the 650i would be an excellent handler. But we do not. Enormously capable, the 650i has high limits, but even with a manual transmission, it lacks the feedback and clear communication that make driving interesting and involving. The 650i does all the work; the driver barely participates.
Partaking in the 650i experience requires a very involving $83,875. Our nearly loaded example came in just above $100K, a price ensuring that only the successful need apply. Despite being one of the last of its kind, the 650i’s design and performance keep it from feeling anachronistic.
Big coupes in general—and the BMW 650i in particular—remain a theatrical fashion statement in an automobile landscape overrun with gray-suit sedans. It’s just one that fewer are willing to wear. The irony here is that, despite BMW making some truly lovely two-doors over the years, no other carmaker has done more to undermine the cause of big, stylish coupes by making four-door sedans appeal to younger and more sport-oriented buyers.
