Drove the new M6

[JonnyM3]

Not really a great review as I drove it at most a mile, but I will give you my quick observations on it.

First and foremost what a disappointment in terms of an M car, but I'll return to this in a few. On all other standards the car is beautiful inside and out, very comfortable and the interior differences between my E90 M3 are substantial....in a good way. The DCT functions were the same with two fewer settings. I took traction off for a second, but didn't look for an S4, just saw drive logic 3. Car shifted flawlessly, and I wouldn't really consider there to be much lag, but it's there. Torque is insane, and I hit 70mph before I thought I was at 40.

Pros
-Interior
-Comfort
-Idrive improvements over my 11 (screen looked bigger, apps, etc)
-Looks
-Heads up display, tach area SICK

This is where this review gets grey. This car is QUIET. The car had 80 miles on it so I wasn't looking to rev much past 4k, but this thing made 0 noise in the cabin from the engine or exhaust. They hid the cars weight well with the numb steering, and it does move, but it doesn't have soul. The turbos spool, you go, fast, but there isn't any excitement to it. I turned traction off and decided to kick the car out to see where its threshold was and it slid out before I even knew it, but the problem was I had no idea. I will contribute some of this to the brand new, and most likely slick Michellins, but the steering, lack of noise were definitely the main factors. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't feel anything and before I knew it I was sliding from the immense torque which could have been fun....if the thin steering wheel feedback wasn't so numb.

Hopping back into the M3 the car felt raw. My stock engine/exhaust set up was loud in comparison, the steering gave me feedback and I knew where the car was going and where it would go with each throttle input. Steering wheel was thicker, and the car felt much more nimble and urgent. It felt, to me, like an M car. Remove the M badge off the M6 and you'd fool me telling me it's a new model- 655i M Sport Performance Competition Package ///M.....

Would I want it? I've never driven the old M6, but my friend had one for a year or so. The V10 was to die for. I remembered owning my STi and even in stock form that car would have me salivating. I realize this car is a big GT car meant to compete with the likes of the CLS/CL AMG, but it also sports an M badge on the back, an unjustified one at that.

I feel like I'm hating and ranting at this point, but the car was great if you're looking for a big, fast, comfortable cruiser. Just don't hop in this thing expecting the same excitement as our M3's, cause it won't be there. Despite it all I do think it's beautiful, and maybe the coupe will solve some of the weight/feedback issues. Pair it with an exhaust I'd think it'd be a killer GT.

Come to think of it I doubt anyone shopping for this class of car is looking for a racey feeling car. Hope you enjoyed the read as much as I enjoyed the experience, be well all and let's hope this doesn't foreshadow where BMW is going with the new M3/M4.

(Didn't proof read, sorry for any errors and blabbing....it's late )

[saeedg48]

agree with your review. this car is for a different crowd.

[Keik E92 M3]

well the coupe is suppose to be lighter than the vert. 300lbs

[PaneristiDriver]

Not a fan of the new M5/6. I hope the new M3 isnt as isolated, numb and lackluster like these cars are.

[graider]

remember m5/m6 are luxor gt first. if it drives like an m3, no one in this specific target demo would buy it.

[IFX]

Good review..

Just as i would have imagined though, I'd rather the v10.

[///M Ryder]

Originally Posted by graider

remember m5/m6 are luxor gt first. if it drives like an m3, no one in this specific target demo would buy it.

[mdosu]

thanks for the review. I have to say you dampened my thirst for this car. If they took the driving excitement out of the car, then why even buy a M6? I think most ppl would be better off with the 650i. Anyways, perhaps the outgoing V10 M6 is the best combo of power and driving experience.


Just a quick edit, M6 competes with the SL AMG, not the CLS AMG yet, unless they release the M verision of the gran coupe.

[h46pilot]

Interesting feedback, kind of premature to write off the car after having driven it for such a short distance though. I don't think anyone should form themselves an opinion so quickly based on your review, this is a car that I think should be granted an extended testing period to get to be known and better understood in its purpose (like most of you said it's a car that is obviously aimed at a different market). Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[Crimson92]

Between this and the test drive of the F30 I had, I am not looking forward to the F80.

[M3Denver]

the green movement is BS especially for those driving M cars. Therefore, turbos to minimize carbon footprint is absolute garbage. BMW dropped the ball by listening to all this "global warming, carbon footprint BS". I feel sorry for turbo M drivers so far... maybe the new M3 will change my opinion... maybe.

[JonnyM3]

The car reminded me a lot of my old S5. With that said, as I mentioned in the original post this car is definitely aimed at a different target group. Having a M badge one would assume some sense of excitement, noise, feedback etc and I didn't get that. Perhaps my drive was too short in the car, and my opinions might be premature, but getting into my car from the M6 felt like a totally different animal and this is coming from someone who thinks the M3 is too comfortable. Different strokes for different folks, beautiful car regardless.

[MDyDinanM]

I have to agree.

It seems to be a trend that BMW is getting away from the raw and visceral feel of M cars to more subdued and tamed versions.

Having driven both an e46 and e92 M3 (both in stock form), in my opinion, the e46 had more feedback, was more raw, and visceral. Don't get me wrong, I think the e92 is great and shares that wild feeling, but to a lesser degree than the e46. Others have said the same when the e9x M3 came out. Same for my experience with an e39 and e60.

Cosmetically, I think the new M6 looks great. However, this review and some others lends credence to my suspicions on its true character.

[ssabripo]

...as i engaged first gear in the DCT transmission, i could immediately feel the rawness this car lacked. it became more evident as i approached speeds of 5mph and took the first corner. the steering had a numb feel to it and it was hard to read what the chassis was doing. as i pulled between the white lines and put the transmission in park, i knew this was not the car for me...

[IFX]

Originally Posted by mdyaman

I have to agree.

It seems to be a trend that BMW is getting away from the raw and visceral feel of M cars to more subdued ans.d tamed version

Having driven both an e46 and e92 M3 (both in stock form), in my opinion, the e46 had more feedback, was more raw, and visceral. Don't get me wrong, I think the e92 is great and shares that wild feeling, but to a lesser degree than the e46. Others have said the same when the e9x M3 came out. Same for my experience with an e39 and e60.

Cosmetically, I think the new M6 looks great. However, this review and some others lends credence to my suspicions on its true character.

We all knew this day would come though, there's no denying that.

[bimmerj]

This reply has nothing to do with the M6. Observing the responses to the price, I have to say, if you guys, and what you deem affordable, lived outside the USA you will be driving a sh-t b-x. lol. No wonder M3 drivers got such a bad rep!

[JonnyM3]

Originally Posted by bimmerj

This reply has nothing to do with the M6. Observing the responses to the price, I have to say, if you guys, and what you deem affordable, lived outside the USA you will be driving a sh-t b-x. lol. No wonder M3 drivers got such a bad rep!

I'm not understanding how this correlates with anything discussed in this thread. Maybe I missed something.

[h46pilot]

Originally Posted by mdyaman

I have to agree.

It seems to be a trend that BMW is getting away from the raw and visceral feel of M cars to more subdued and tamed versions.

Having driven both an e46 and e92 M3 (both in stock form), in my opinion, the e46 had more feedback, was more raw, and visceral. Don't get me wrong, I think the e92 is great and shares that wild feeling, but to a lesser degree than the e46. Others have said the same when the e9x M3 came out. Same for my experience with an e39 and e60.

Cosmetically, I think the new M6 looks great. However, this review and some others lends credence to my suspicions on its true character.

This trend isn't exclusive to BMW, you can observe it in pretty much all performance cars that have existed for multiple generations. It's the same story every time a new gen 911 comes out, hell even ferrari purists express their discontentment with the newer cars. Comments about the car being less raw and other complaints of that nature always resurface. Some people adopt the change right away, others take some time to adjust themselves and eventually get won over by new gizmos or improved characteristics from the predecessor, and then you have the ones who stick to the good old formula (ie air-cooled 911s, e46 & older gen m3s & m5s etc.). That's just the way the car industry is today, and everything tends to indicate that it will only keep going this way with increasingly stricter emissions regulations and safety standards and what not, things are evolving as they naturally have to to survive in their environment. Luckily there is a good used market out there to satisfy a wide bracket of tastes.

[paradocs98]

Looks identical to the car I saw at Habberstad. Same one?

[HotIce]

The M6 is as boring as boring gets. For the first time in my life, I felt that a CLS 63 gave more feedback then the M6. It does move like stink though. Love the exhaust burble at WOT and when it downshifts.

[CrusherM3]

Originally Posted by AudiS5

I'm not understanding how this is correlates with anything discussed in this thread. Maybe I missed something.

Agree...never saw a price mentioned once...Don't know where that guy is comin from. That said I would guess that a new M6 vert would roll at about 120K give or take 5K.

[DiscoZ]

... yes. Did it not have the sound of the motor blasting through the stereo so you could get a plastic visceral raucous feel of a "M"?