63 plate M6 Gran Coupe - a short drive report.
Discussion
I had the pleasure of driving a 63 plate, low miles M6 Gran Coupe the other day so I thought I'd share my thought with you - hope you don't mind.
Unlike so many modern cars it doesn't look that big from the outside, doesn't look bloated if you know what I mean. The inside is big enough for four (not over weight) adults, the boot is a decent size.
Starting the engine - where does the key go? Oh, it's 'keyless' so just press the 'stop/start button'.
The noise is perfect, hard to describe in words, a lovely low growl is the beat I can think to say.
So I go to reverse out, move the gear lever into the R position and, very gently, press the throttle pedal.
Nothing happens! I try again and just by chance see something in the windscreen but still no movement.
I try again this time looking at the windscreen instead of behind me as I had been doing. Oh, a 'heads up' display, nice!
I need to release the parking brake - so unlike all the other cars I've driven with electronic hand brake this doesn't release automatically - I release the hand brake and we have movement.
Move the gear lever into D and drive 500 yards to where I have to stop to sort out some paperwork. Put into N and press stop.
'Warning you have not put the car into P it might roll away' - OK, move gear lever every way but still no P, start, stop a few times still no P. Give up and put handbrake on.
'You have not switched the ignition off, you will not be able to lock the car' Oh, FFS give me a break! I tried several things until the ignition was off - I think it was two presses on the stop/start button but can't be sure!
Get out and look at the key fob for the lock button, there isn't one only unlock and boot open, for some reason I tried the BMW logo and, yes, that is the lock button!
On the road I take very easy, wet roads and someones elses very expensive car! It a very easy car to drive the feel from the steering, throttle and brakes are all very nice.
The heads up display is surprising easy to get used to. On a side note about it - the cruise control display is like an old fashioned fuel dial - left is empty, right is full - at 60mph it read reserve! Also the satnav is very well displayed and very easy to follow.
The road dried out and I get more used to the car, open the window as I pull away from junctions - it's quick, so easy to nip into gaps and the noise is addictive!
One the A road I come up behind a truck at a roundabout, exit the roundabout onto a short dual carriageway, well as anyone would do, I pushed the throttle, not a lot but I shot passed the truck and had to braked for the next roundabout - very nice brakes, great feel and very powerful.
I come up behind tractor, I wait for a bit of open road and give it a bit more throttle to pass.
A few second later I was passed and doing a lot over the limit, what would have happened if I'd given it full throttle?
I tried the S mode but to be honest unless you have had the car for a time/want to use it on track it will be just as quick in the normal auto mode.
I found out how to put it in P - leave it in D and press the stop/start, sorry but that just seems wrong/not intuitive to me. I never did find out just how I switched the ignition off!
I mentioned the brakes earlier, I have found out they were the carbon ceramic brakes. Not sure of the extra cost but they were very good.
A very nice car but in my opinion completely wasted on a UK roads, you have to work hard to keep under the speed limits. On some A road it would be easy to get 12 points in a few miles!
But I think it is a very safe car because it can overtake/pull out/get out of trouble very easily, it
can also stop/lose speed just as fast as it gains it.
Looking on the BMW website (which doesn't work very well for me) it looks like the car I drove was OTR c£110k.
As I said, hope you don't mind me posting my experience with an M car.
Unlike so many modern cars it doesn't look that big from the outside, doesn't look bloated if you know what I mean. The inside is big enough for four (not over weight) adults, the boot is a decent size.
Starting the engine - where does the key go? Oh, it's 'keyless' so just press the 'stop/start button'.
The noise is perfect, hard to describe in words, a lovely low growl is the beat I can think to say.
So I go to reverse out, move the gear lever into the R position and, very gently, press the throttle pedal.
Nothing happens! I try again and just by chance see something in the windscreen but still no movement.
I try again this time looking at the windscreen instead of behind me as I had been doing. Oh, a 'heads up' display, nice!
I need to release the parking brake - so unlike all the other cars I've driven with electronic hand brake this doesn't release automatically - I release the hand brake and we have movement.
Move the gear lever into D and drive 500 yards to where I have to stop to sort out some paperwork. Put into N and press stop.
'Warning you have not put the car into P it might roll away' - OK, move gear lever every way but still no P, start, stop a few times still no P. Give up and put handbrake on.
'You have not switched the ignition off, you will not be able to lock the car' Oh, FFS give me a break! I tried several things until the ignition was off - I think it was two presses on the stop/start button but can't be sure!
Get out and look at the key fob for the lock button, there isn't one only unlock and boot open, for some reason I tried the BMW logo and, yes, that is the lock button!
On the road I take very easy, wet roads and someones elses very expensive car! It a very easy car to drive the feel from the steering, throttle and brakes are all very nice.
The heads up display is surprising easy to get used to. On a side note about it - the cruise control display is like an old fashioned fuel dial - left is empty, right is full - at 60mph it read reserve! Also the satnav is very well displayed and very easy to follow.
The road dried out and I get more used to the car, open the window as I pull away from junctions - it's quick, so easy to nip into gaps and the noise is addictive!
One the A road I come up behind a truck at a roundabout, exit the roundabout onto a short dual carriageway, well as anyone would do, I pushed the throttle, not a lot but I shot passed the truck and had to braked for the next roundabout - very nice brakes, great feel and very powerful.
I come up behind tractor, I wait for a bit of open road and give it a bit more throttle to pass.
A few second later I was passed and doing a lot over the limit, what would have happened if I'd given it full throttle?
I tried the S mode but to be honest unless you have had the car for a time/want to use it on track it will be just as quick in the normal auto mode.
I found out how to put it in P - leave it in D and press the stop/start, sorry but that just seems wrong/not intuitive to me. I never did find out just how I switched the ignition off!
I mentioned the brakes earlier, I have found out they were the carbon ceramic brakes. Not sure of the extra cost but they were very good.
A very nice car but in my opinion completely wasted on a UK roads, you have to work hard to keep under the speed limits. On some A road it would be easy to get 12 points in a few miles!
But I think it is a very safe car because it can overtake/pull out/get out of trouble very easily, it
can also stop/lose speed just as fast as it gains it.
Looking on the BMW website (which doesn't work very well for me) it looks like the car I drove was OTR c£110k.
As I said, hope you don't mind me posting my experience with an M car.
My F10 M5 is much the same and you get used to moving the gear lever to park etc. pretty quickly.
The V8 TT is such a powerful power plant (560bhp 100% of the time) it's very, very easy to accelerate to serious speeds without knowing because it's so refined. The HUD is brilliant and shows so much info I'm amazed it isn't standard on all cars.
Again, once you get used to the power it's very controllable, however there is a big difference between comfort and M2! I still however have a bum twitch when I slide a bit going from either 3rd to 4th or even 5th to 6th when putting the peddle to the metal when it's slightly damp - if you accelerate hard from a standing start when the road is dry the traction light will be flickering through the first three gears with ease
I assume on the whole you enjoyed the ride?
The V8 TT is such a powerful power plant (560bhp 100% of the time) it's very, very easy to accelerate to serious speeds without knowing because it's so refined. The HUD is brilliant and shows so much info I'm amazed it isn't standard on all cars.
Again, once you get used to the power it's very controllable, however there is a big difference between comfort and M2! I still however have a bum twitch when I slide a bit going from either 3rd to 4th or even 5th to 6th when putting the peddle to the metal when it's slightly damp - if you accelerate hard from a standing start when the road is dry the traction light will be flickering through the first three gears with ease
I assume on the whole you enjoyed the ride?
JRB - out of my budget as well!
HoHo - I'm sure anyone would get used to the gearbox it just didn't seem right to stop the cat in D. Maybe I'm just old fashioned/old!
Agree a very refined power plant/car which make it seem like you aren't not actually going 'that' quick'.....but in a blink of the eye you are!
It was my first experience of HUD and like you I think it should be on all cars.
As I said I didn't push it but I can completely understand you when you say about the 'bum twitch' moments!
You asked if I enjoyed the ride - if you meant the ride quality then yes, it was very good, if you meant the driving experience then very much, I'd love to have the opportunity to have more time in the car.
HoHo - I'm sure anyone would get used to the gearbox it just didn't seem right to stop the cat in D. Maybe I'm just old fashioned/old!
Agree a very refined power plant/car which make it seem like you aren't not actually going 'that' quick'.....but in a blink of the eye you are!
It was my first experience of HUD and like you I think it should be on all cars.
As I said I didn't push it but I can completely understand you when you say about the 'bum twitch' moments!
You asked if I enjoyed the ride - if you meant the ride quality then yes, it was very good, if you meant the driving experience then very much, I'd love to have the opportunity to have more time in the car.
skeggysteve said:
You asked if I enjoyed the ride - if you meant the ride quality then yes, it was very good, if you meant the driving experience then very much, I'd love to have the opportunity to have more time in the car.
I guess I was referring to the 'experience' and it seems you did.There are a few who criticize BMW for piping in the engine note and also the TT power plant (being a Turbo, not NA), but it really is a work of art and is a brilliant package.
Personally I can't think of a better all round package of a car (either the F10 M5 or M6 GC) that will accelerate to 60 in somewhere around 4 seconds (or better depending on which magazines figures you read) be so easy to drive when you want to, be such a beast when you want it to be, doesn't stop until its near 200mph, average just under 20mpg even if you're being a bit heavy with your foot, (better on a run) and carry a family around to boot when you want it to.
The gearbox/start stop stuff get a bit of getting used to, but when you do it's simple!
To turn the ignition on, press Start/Stop without your foot on the brake.
To start the engine, press Start/Stop with your foot on the brake.
To turn the engine off, leave in D or R, foot on the brake and press Start/Stop. P will engage automatically.
To turn ignition off, press Start/Stop with you foot off the brake, or just get out of the car and lock it.
They are monster cars, sounds like you just tippy toed round the edges of the performance!
To turn the ignition on, press Start/Stop without your foot on the brake.
To start the engine, press Start/Stop with your foot on the brake.
To turn the engine off, leave in D or R, foot on the brake and press Start/Stop. P will engage automatically.
To turn ignition off, press Start/Stop with you foot off the brake, or just get out of the car and lock it.
They are monster cars, sounds like you just tippy toed round the edges of the performance!
HoHo - not sure what you mean when you say "piping in the engine note". When I wanted to listen to the sound I opened both front windows!
Completely agree about the engine, I had to check what size etc. I was surprised that it had a turbo such was the throttle response. Mind you I did have a very early Audi Quattro, LHD, plastic panels etc. and the turbo lag was measured in minutes!
I also agree with you on the all round nature of the car, 4 door, 4 seats, decent boot space and when you want very quick - a complete family car
Richard - yes, I was very much tippy toeing, this was someone elses expensive car!
Thanks for the instructions on how to put in P and turn if off but just what is wrong with a lever that puts it in P and a key to start and stop it?
Completely agree about the engine, I had to check what size etc. I was surprised that it had a turbo such was the throttle response. Mind you I did have a very early Audi Quattro, LHD, plastic panels etc. and the turbo lag was measured in minutes!
I also agree with you on the all round nature of the car, 4 door, 4 seats, decent boot space and when you want very quick - a complete family car
Richard - yes, I was very much tippy toeing, this was someone elses expensive car!
Thanks for the instructions on how to put in P and turn if off but just what is wrong with a lever that puts it in P and a key to start and stop it?
I agree, theres absolutely nothing wrong with having a proper 'P' function that you can select on the gear lever (either by a traditional position or even a button as on the latest automatic BMW's). As Richard says, you do get used to it but I'd still prefer to be able to put my M6 into P 'manually'.
What HoHoHo is referring to is that some of the engine noise you can hear (in the car) is actually coming through the speakers. It's so quiet that BMW have resorted to amplifying the sound through the speakers (actually, it has next to no engine noise without it). The M5/6 typically gets a lot of stick for this but generally only by people who've never heard it - the reality is (as you have found out), the car sounds just fine as it is. I recently pulled the speaker fuse in mine just to see what it sounded like without the 'piped' sound - it was identical, just considerably quieter.
What HoHoHo is referring to is that some of the engine noise you can hear (in the car) is actually coming through the speakers. It's so quiet that BMW have resorted to amplifying the sound through the speakers (actually, it has next to no engine noise without it). The M5/6 typically gets a lot of stick for this but generally only by people who've never heard it - the reality is (as you have found out), the car sounds just fine as it is. I recently pulled the speaker fuse in mine just to see what it sounded like without the 'piped' sound - it was identical, just considerably quieter.
I have one arriving tomorrow. Borrowed one for a few days a few months ago from a dealer and then ordered one afterwards. Just enjoyed it immensely. My memory was of it having all the power you'd ever need, yet feeling more checkable than, in theory, it should given its size. I was looking for a 4 door fairly stealth car and this just ticked the box over a Panamera Turbo. Hoping time won't have changed my view....will soon see.
DeltaOne said:
RichardM5 said:
What colour did you go for? There are only 130 of these in the UK/Ireland right now.
Black with black. Tempted by one of the greys, forgotten which one, but have never been disappointed with black on anything else so figured it was no risk...
How long are BMW quoting for delivery?
DeltaOne said:
Took about 3 months I think from ordering. Not really driven more than a few miles since it arrived, but think I'm going to enjoy it - does so many things well, and is hyper as hell when I want it to be.... need to get the various settings right and then I'm away
It's surprising how quickly you get used to 560bhp!I've got M2 set to sport everything (with traction control still active or MDM or whatever it's called) and either use comfort or M2 only.
RichardM5 said:
The gearbox/start stop stuff get a bit of getting used to, but when you do it's simple!
To turn the ignition on, press Start/Stop without your foot on the brake.
To start the engine, press Start/Stop with your foot on the brake.
To turn the engine off, leave in D or R, foot on the brake and press Start/Stop. P will engage automatically.
To turn ignition off, press Start/Stop with you foot off the brake, or just get out of the car and lock it.
They are monster cars, sounds like you just tippy toed round the edges of the performance!
I'm a newby to the F10 M5 ( and on here too) - just got it a couple of weeks ago and enjoying it so much - still finding out about driving it though- it can be wee bit scary when unwaryTo turn the ignition on, press Start/Stop without your foot on the brake.
To start the engine, press Start/Stop with your foot on the brake.
To turn the engine off, leave in D or R, foot on the brake and press Start/Stop. P will engage automatically.
To turn ignition off, press Start/Stop with you foot off the brake, or just get out of the car and lock it.
They are monster cars, sounds like you just tippy toed round the edges of the performance!
The acceleration is phenomenal and ultra-smooth that you're well over the speed limit without realising it, on the motorway
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