Spotted: BMW M6
What was that we were saying yesterday about browsing for old M cars? Harris has been doing just that
The last M6 (E63) was a monster - in some ways even more monstrous than the new car because you had to rev the janglies off that V10 to shake off the suspicion that a 530d was just as fast in normal driving conditions. Which, incidentally, it was.
But it didn't come close if you used that V10. In fact not much did. My favourite M6 anecdote came from a friend whose opinion on fast cars is always worth listening to. He was running an M6 back when they were fairly new, but he was also a member of the P1 club. He used their Ferrari 599 for a weekend and told me he liked it, but was a little disappointed by the straight-line performance. The M6 wasn't much slower - he wasn't wrong.
We will look back on the V10 M cars with a mixture of wonder and shock: a pure racing engine shovelled into a production BMW body, in this case the controversial Bangle 6 Series. Flay me alive and call me a mentalist, but the M6 looks ace to these eyes. Not pretty, but tough and interesting.
There's loads to go wrong, the gearbox is average at best, they aren't much use on a track and the brakes were clearly designed to retard a Mini Metro, but this is one exciting, scary fast machine.
Just don't ask about the fuel bills.
I think they look best in blue, but could only find a nice low-miler in silver.
BMW M6
Engine: 4,999cc V10
Transmission: 7-speed SMG automated manual
Power (hp): 507@7,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 383@6,100rpm
MPG: 19.7mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 342g/km
First registered: March 2006
Recorded mileage: 32,000
Price new: £81,760
Yours for: £23,995
See the original advert here.
Harder and harder to find with un interupted warranty.
Scary stories a-plenty, but as always the internet is full of people with bad experiences.
I personally would have this powertrain in 5-series guise though.
The E60 Shape is proving to still look very good indeed.
Nico
There was a photo that did the rounds when the E63 came out of it in profile with the boot up - gave a very 911esque profile and looked rather good.
General forum advice (ime) is not to buy one (or E60 M5) sans warranty!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Very few cars flat out make passengers stop talking or gasp. In the right gear this did many times.
The noise was intoxicating. Fuel consumption wasnt the problem (mine averaged 22mpg in the time I owned it), but the small tank made the range annoying. Filling twice on a return trip north was annoying.
The biggest letdown was SMG. Mainly maneuvering. Reversing into my garage went something like:
gas. nothing. bit more gas. snail pace. bit more gas /oh you need more?/ WHAM, 40mph into the garage. I managed to crack the bumper just before selling it...
Glad I ticked the box, glad someone else took the first 60k of depreciation - I only lost a couple of grand in a year (plus fuel!!!!).
AUC warranty a must... These are complex cars.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Err, wow!
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