Topic: Test Drive: 2013 BMW M6 Coup

[Autos_Editor]

The M6 scores for delivering high levels of performance while it shines as a daily driver. It could even be considered a bargain despite its hefty price tag.


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[tpl]

Chickens live in coups M6s are Coupés   alt 0233 in windows.

[bluelines]

How is the styling of the Aston Martin Vantage "polarizing"? I don't know anyone who thinks it's anything other than drop-dead gorgeous. Lots of other issues with the Aston, but they nailed the exterior styling.

I just can't wrap my head around these coupes that weigh nearly 2,000 KG. And I have this nagging feeling that this is a car designed most of all for bragging rights at the golf club. Despite the power deficit, I'd go for the 911 C4S.

[Ex-airbalancer]

This car could be bargain for a daily drive maybe for Snowman and his 1% crew 

[Snowman]

This car could be bargain for a daily drive maybe for Snowman and his 1% crew 

  well above what I am willing to spend on a car at current pay scale.

[OliverD]

Chickens live in coups M6s are Coupés   alt 0233 in windows.

Pfft, Windows. Option-E E on the Mac.

Looks nice but I think I'd take the upcoming Gran Coupé version...or better still, and M5 with a manual.

[carcrazed]

Beautiful car.  I, for one, would certainly do a double or triple-take if I see a M6 Coupé on the road.

[Northernridge]

A great GT car...we should hear from the bloated bmw haters soon.

BTW it's silly to think of the ZR1 and CLS63 as competitors of the M6...those seem like random guesses. I'd wager the M6 has never been cross shopped with either car. If anything in the Mercedes camp is comparable its the SL63...would be a direct competitor if the roof didn't come off.

[redman]

"Sure, go ahead and compare it to an Audi R8. Or a Porsche 911 Turbo. Or even an Aston Martin V8 Vantage if you want"

Audi R8 - Much better looking and up to date vehicle. Makes the M6 look like an 80's relic.
Porsche 911 Turbo - Screams ultimate sports car/luxury bordering on the exotic. Although classic in shape it's revised tweaks also make the M6 also appear old
Aston Martin V8 Vantage - This version dressed up looks more nouveau and stands out next to a bland M6.

For me the M6 is last on the list here given a choice. The interior (minus seats) also seems like a facsimile of a high end car, just not hitting the mark at this price point and caliber.

[Fobroader]

A great GT car...we should hear from the bloated bmw haters soon.

BTW it's silly to think of the ZR1 and CLS63 as competitors of the M6...those seem like random guesses. I'd wager the M6 has never been cross shopped with either car. If anything in the Mercedes camp is comparable its the SL63...would be a direct competitor if the roof didn't come off.

Fine, can I call it a german thunderbird?? 4300Lbs in ridiculous, unless its on a full frame with solid axles and an iron block V8 there is no excuse.....its about the same weight as our JK, BMW, you can do a lot better.

[evil_twin]

Audi R8 - Much better looking and up to date vehicle. Makes the M6 look like an 80's relic.
Porsche 911 Turbo - Screams ultimate sports car/luxury bordering on the exotic. Although classic in shape it's revised tweaks also make the M6 also appear old
Aston Martin V8 Vantage - This version dressed up looks more nouveau and stands out next to a bland M6.

For me the M6 is last on the list here given a choice. The interior also seems like a facsimile of a high end car, just not hitting the mark.

What's not "up to date" about the M6?? I assume you're referring to styling only (which is mostly subjective)?

Your comment about the interior also seems a little ridiculous as it's hard to see anything wrong in those pictures.  I can say from the experience that the quality of the previous-gen M6's interior was sublime.  I'd expect the same here.

No way is the 911 Turbo, R8 or ZR-1 a competitor for this vehicle.  Those are clearly sportscars, while this would be cross-shopped with the RS5 and CLS/CL63.

Regarding weight:  I'd prefer all cars to be lighter, but I don't mind using the GT excuse in this case.  Just as I wouldn't mind using the Muscle Car excuse in the Camaro's case.  For the GT, it's about providing all of the comfort, luxury, and even some capacity that a GT has over a more dedicated sportscar.  That's the main reason I doubt anyone cross shops this with a 911T, R8, ZR-1, etc...  In the Muscle Car case, it's about saving $$$ compared to engineering something like ZR-1.   Vman is right though, people need to adjust their perceptions of what 'heavy' is and judge all these cars equally.

As for the M cars, I'd take the M6 Grand Coupe over this or the M5.

[opg210]

A great GT car...we should hear from the bloated bmw haters soon.

BTW it's silly to think of the ZR1 and CLS63 as competitors of the M6...those seem like random guesses. I'd wager the M6 has never been cross shopped with either car. If anything in the Mercedes camp is comparable its the SL63...would be a direct competitor if the roof didn't come off.

Sure, I'll bite. I think it's time to rethink BMW's image, since the references seem to link BMW and bloated so much...let's just call them modern Buicks with boring interiors and leave it that, ok?

And I think the only thing a 6 series is cross shopped with is a facelift.

[Northernridge]

A great GT car...we should hear from the bloated bmw haters soon.

BTW it's silly to think of the ZR1 and CLS63 as competitors of the M6...those seem like random guesses. I'd wager the M6 has never been cross shopped with either car. If anything in the Mercedes camp is comparable its the SL63...would be a direct competitor if the roof didn't come off.

People on this forum are willing to call all sorts of vehicles "boated" and I hear it every day...lately on the 3500 pound Verano Turbo.  BMW should not escape this criticism because it's a "Grand Tourer." It's still a 4300 pound two-door vehicle.  These criticisms aren't avoided with other cars like the Camaro.....it's heavy because it's a "Muscle Car" doesn't fly....it's heavy because it's a "Grand Tourer" should not fly either.

You're calling a ZR1 a competitor for this? A ZR1 is 1000 pounds lighter than this.

I am not calling the ZR1 a competitor, I'm pointing out the silliness of doing so. The ZR1 competes at the extreme of performance capability and has nothing in common the the M6 except that it has 2 doors.

As for weight, we have consumers to thank. All the innovations that have caused cars to pork up are a direct result of things that paying consumers want. Very few people who actually buy big sedans and coupes complain about vehicle weight. Forum members often point out that FGC buyers don't know which wheels drive the car – if that's true I guarantee you that none of them know how much their car weighs. And, if you told them they wouldn't know if that was heavy or light or good or bad.

Manufacturers will not lighten up non-performance cars until it saves/makes them money, there is no incentive to do so. I bet it's cheaper for car makers to make an average consumer car 'fast' than to make it light.

[Northernridge]

Here's how I see the weight thing...I could see myself buying a car like this (big GT) or a performance-oriented sedan – M or AMG. And, to be honest I'd accept the weight penalty to get to noise reduction, solid feel etc.

I also think FGC manufacturers (and others) need to distinguish their real performance cars by compromising creature comforts in favour of actual performance. For BMW this has to be the 3 Series because the performance car has to be small. I think BMW has completely transformed the 3 Series into the essence of the 5 Series – there is no 3 left in any 3 Series car...the 3 is dead...the 3 is only a cheaper 5...full stop...even the M3. Most don't care, including me.

I could see BMW making a new series derived from the 3 (or 1) that is a minimalist road car that starts with driving dynamics and then adds power. I bet that car needs to emphasize mechanical engineering over electronics to ensure road feel. Light weight and simplicity would play big in such a project.

[Northernridge]

For further evidence of the death of the 3 Series visit the 3 Series GT thread. A vehicle can not be a sublime road car and a CUV at the same time.

Another perspective might be to say that no one wants a noisy old 3 Series anymore...or BMW would still make them. The new 3 Series is the perfect evolution and reflects the preferences of the modern consumer.

[huota]

Manufacturers will not lighten up non-performance cars until it saves/makes them money, there is no incentive to do so. I bet it's cheaper for car makers to make an average consumer car 'fast' than to make it light.

You'd be right. This is a very pragmatic reason for manufacturers to ignore the whole issue. Ironically, CAFE regulations may become a driver for weight reduction some day.

When was the last time anyone saw weight mentioned in a car ad? That's right, never. It's always bout horsepower and suddenly becoming macho or attractive to women or some such thing, but never ever about weight or power-to-weight ratio. No one (=99.99%) cares about weight, except that most people equate more weight with safety.

[redman]

Manufacturers will not lighten up non-performance cars until it saves/makes them money, there is no incentive to do so. I bet it's cheaper for car makers to make an average consumer car 'fast' than to make it light.

You'd be right. This is a very pragmatic reason for manufacturers to ignore the whole issue. Ironically, CAFE regulations may become a driver for weight reduction some day.

When was the last time anyone saw weight mentioned in a car ad? That's right, never. It's always bout horsepower and suddenly becoming macho or attractive to women or some such thing, but never ever about weight or power-to-weight ratio. No one (=99.99%) cares about weight, except that most people equate more weight with safety.

Seems that BMW is thinking about efficiencies including weight savings.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2012/09/13/bmw-group-innovation-day-2012-efficient-dynamics/

http://altairenlighten.com/2012/06/johnson-controls-introduces-innovative-production-process-for-lightweight-door-panels/

http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/04/18/innovation-days-%E2%80%93-light-weight-construction/

[HeliDriver]

Chickens live in coups M6s are Coupés   alt 0233 in windows.

Chickens live in coops. Maybe one day they'll plot a coup against Mr. Jones and take up residence in his M6 coupé instead.

[tinnemeneer]

A great GT car...we should hear from the bloated bmw haters soon.

BTW it's silly to think of the ZR1 and CLS63 as competitors of the M6...those seem like random guesses. I'd wager the M6 has never been cross shopped with either car. If anything in the Mercedes camp is comparable its the SL63...would be a direct competitor if the roof didn't come off.

Sure, I'll bite. I think it's time to rethink BMW's image, since the references seem to link BMW and bloated so much...let's just call them modern Buicks with boring interiors and leave it that, ok?

And I think the only thing a 6 series is cross shopped with is a facelift.

modern Buicks ? I didn't know envy was such a hard mistress.
I'm sure you can do better.

I did consider a Corvette (normal one) before buying a BMW 645. Both Corvettes as 6 series are performance cars with decent trunks. 
For a while I considered a CLS as well, but that didn't make it the shortlist.

It seems a lot of people on forums have huge problems with thinking outside of boxes. Every BMW needs to be exactly like the M3 which was on sale when they grew up, if a car doesn't corner as good as a 911 and of course the GT-R RuLeZz!!!

I really don't understand this. Personally I prefer GT cars. A friend of mine owns a Honda S2000 and it is wonderful. It's a different car with a different purpose.
I'm glad not all cars are the same, that would be boring and very inconvenient.
This websites is called 'Autos' not 'Auto' for a reason.

My 2 cents.