2007 BMW 6 Series Convertible

An Open and Shut Case

The BMW 6 Series Convertible blends sporty dynamics, decadent luxury and a soft-top.

The BMW 6 Series Convertible has a few new bells and whistles, after receiving a larger and more powerful engine last year. Recent improvements include a new Real Time Traffic Information feature that’s added to the standard navigation system. It’s able to warn of imminent backups down the road and suggest alternate routes. A four-year subscription to the service that provides this information is included.

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A new Pearl Leather option offers a more supple feel than before, with additional leather trim included throughout the cabin. An updated, high-performance Harman Kardon Logic 7 audio system is a stand-alone option. Also, the free one-year subscription to the BMW Assist communications/safety system has been extended to four years.

The heart of the BMW 6 Series Convertible is an aluminum, 4.8-liter V8 engine in the 650i model that’s also shared with the 750i and the 550i sedans. This V8 generates 360 hp. The BMW 6 Series Convertible is quicker than the sedans with the same engine because it’s lighter.

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A six-speed manual transmission is standard. A six-speed “Steptronic” automatic with manual-shift capability is optional at no extra cost, as is a six-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox with paddles behind the steering wheel to change gears (the clutch is automatically engaged during gear shifts, so there is no clutch pedal).

The standard dynamic stability control system, which automatically adjusts the brakes and throttle when sensors detect a skid, includes a number of cutting-edge braking functions. Brake Standby reacts when the driver suddenly lifts off the accelerator, anticipating hard braking, and snugs the brake pads against the rotors. Start-Off Assistant automatically engages the brakes on an incline to prevent the car from rolling back when the driver lifts off the brake pedal to depress the accelerator.

The optional Active Steering system allows for lightning-quick turns in city driving, but it lends an artificial feel to the steering system that purists might not like.

BMW 6 Series Convertible Vehicle Summary

The BMW 6 Series Convertible has taut steering and suspension systems that endow it with sportier handling than the BMW 5 Series midsize sedan on which the convertible is based. A Dynamic Driving Control system allows drivers to engage a sport mode for quicker throttle response and reduced steering boost, as well as more aggressive shifts with the automatic or sequential-shift transmissions. The standard Active Roll Stabilization keeps the car from leaning through fast turns.

The interior is comfortable up front, though not as spacious as the large exterior dimensions might suggest. The backseat should not be taken seriously as a backseat.

The BMW 6 Series Convertible features a stiffened structure and a fully automatic, multilayer soft-top that makes for a quiet interior when raised. It retracts completely out of view under a rear body panel for a clean look, although it takes up trunk space when retracted. An innovative, powered rear glass window raises and lowers independently of the top and can be kept up when the top is down to reduce wind turbulence in the cabin.

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Options are pricey and include radar-based adaptive cruise control and a head-up display, which projects the vehicle’s speed and other information onto the windshield. The BMW 6 Series Convertible comes with the controversial BMW iDrive control system, which (confusingly, we might add) combines various systems like the climate control, navigation and audio functions into a single array that’s operated via a center-console knob.

The BMW 6 Series Convertible is also offered as a closed coupe as well as in higher-performance M6 versions that boast 500-hp V10 engines.