BMW tests Cabriolet and coupe for 6 appeal

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

BMW is talking up the launch in Spain in November of its new 645Ci coupe, the first 6-Series two-door since 1989.

But it isn't saying much about the soft-top version of the 6-Series, due later next year. Nor is it willing to confirm the presence of the high-performance variant, the M6.

Both cars, however, have been spied testing (the Cabriolet, left, and the M6, right) at the Nurburgring, Germany's famed race circuit.

The cabriolet and coupe will share the same powertrain, a 4.4-litre V8 producing 248kW (333bhp) and 450Nm of torque and driving the rear wheels via a choice of three six-speed transmissions, manual, auto/manual and sequential manual with steering wheel paddles.

Talk overseas is that the M6 will use the 373kW (500bhp) V10 from the next M5.

A clue that the M6 might appear earlier than first thought came when BMW confirmed that two of the three gearboxes would have Driving Dynamics Control, an electronic go-fast device similar to the sport function on M3 and M5 models.

DCC sharpens throttle reaction for quicker acceleration and shifts gears faster at higher revs.