BMW: 6-Series News
10-14-2003, 08:30 PM
#161
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Chassis and Suspension:
Even Greater Agility thanks to Active Steering
BMWs are famous for their superior driving characteristics. This superiority quite literally rests on the all-aluminium chassis also forming part of the new BMW 645Ci boasting axle load of almost 50:50 and rear-wheel drive as features typical of BMW. Further fortes are the low centre of gravity, wide track, and wheelbase of 2,780 millimetres or 109.4´´. Hence, agility, dynamic performance and, as a result, supreme driving pleasure are virtually built into the new 6 Series right from the start.
Precise steering with Servotronic fitted as standard.
The supreme standard of BMW cars in terms of driving pleasure, motoring comfort and driving safety is largely attributable to the precise steering system with equally precise feedback to the driver. Hydraulic rack-and-pinion Servotronic steering featured as standard on the 645Ci gives the driver the benefit of very sophisticated and modern technology, with power assistance being varied according to a specific control curve as a function of road speed. To the customer this means very comfortable and smooth steering, for example when parking, and hardly any risk of inadvertently tearing at the steering wheel at high speeds, since under these conditions Servotronic reduces power assistance on the steering.
Every conventional steering always remains a compromise.
On a conventional steering the driver’s steering commands are always transmitted from the steering wheel to the front wheels of the car according a specific, predetermined transmission ratio, regardless of the driving situation (even though the transmission ratio becomes increasingly more progressive with increasing lock of the wheels). Direct steering ideal up to medium speeds therefore remains direct even when a far more indirect transmission ratio would be appropriate at high speeds in order to set off the physically induced increase in steering response with growing road speed of the car. Conversely, this also applies to a more indirect steering transmission which makes the process of steering the car a genuine chore when manoeuvring at low speeds. In other words, conventional steering is always a compromise between these two extremes.
Active Steering enhances the dynamic character of the new 6 Series.
This conflict of interests – the fundamental choice between agility, stability and comfort – can only be solved by an active steering system such as BMW’s unique Active Steering available as an option on the 6 Series. This is an electronically controlled steering system with variable steering transmission and power assistance.
With the driver maintaining a sporting style of motoring and travelling at medium speeds of up to approximately 120 km/h or 75 mph, a car with a more direct steering transmission is far more agile and precise in its response. This is particularly beneficial on fast and winding country roads, where the driver is hardly required in this case to cross over his hands on the steering wheel. Under these conditions, the much better handling and steering precision significantly improves the dynamic character of the new 6 Series.
In town, on the other hand, Active Steering facilitates above all the process of parking: Turning round the steering wheel less than twice, you move the front wheels from the extreme left to the extreme right, the steering effort required of the driver decreasing in the process to a comfortable minimum.
As road speed increases, the system successively reduces the steering angle and steering power assistance to provide even better and smoother directional stability in the interest of enhanced control and handling. This the driver will feel directly as a significant improvement of motoring comfort, handling his 6 Series in relaxed, superior style even at high speeds.
How Active Steering works: adding an additional factor to the steering angle.
Active Steering is based on the principle of superimposing an additional factor on to the steering angle: An electromechanical adjuster between the steering wheel and the steering mechanism adds an additional positive or negative steering angle to the angle chosen by the driver. The key feature, therefore, is the superimposed steering unit, a planetary gearing integrated in the split steering column with two input and one output shaft(s). One input shaft is connected to the steering, the second is driven by an electric motor via a self-inhibiting pulley transmission serving to provide a reduced gear ratio. The overall steering angle thus applied to the output shaft is made up of the original steering angle and the angle generated by the electric motor as an additional factor.
At low speeds the step motor acts in the same direction as the driver turning the steering wheel, supporting him in the process and turning the wheels to a greater lock requiring less steering effort. Up to medium road speeds this provides a much more direct steering transmission than in a conventional car. At high speeds, on the other hand, the step motor acts against the steering angle, reducing steering lock on the front wheels and making the steering transmission ratio more indirect. At the same time Servotronic increases steering forces for extra comfort and convenience at the wheel.
Active Steering thus combines the advantages of all-electronic steer-by-wire with authentic feedback provided by its mechanical transmission of forces. In practice, this means a new standard of agility, comfort and safety on the road. And since the steering wheel and steering mechanism are connected mechanically to one another, the driver can still steer the car as required even if his electronic assistant might one day break down.
Active Steering and DSC – an ideal match.
Additional components featured with Active Steering are the integrated control unit and various sensors determining both driving conditions and the driver’s commands. A further important feature is the direct and close communication link between Active Steering and the DSC control unit, allowing the steering to intervene through the front wheel steering angle in order to slightly modify the yaw angle. This intervention in the steering transmission is faster and less noticeable to the driver in the lower DSC range than intervention by DSC on the wheel brakes.
Superior suspension plus DSC: a perfect team.
The dynamic performance and motoring safety ensured by the standard chassis and suspension can be optimised by suspension control systems able to cope with specific situations. The purpose of these systems is to permanently monitor driving conditions and to intervene whenever necessary, providing an additional stabilising effect.
Summed up under the term Dynamic Stability Control or DSC for short, these suspension control systems are featured as standard in the 6 Series, DSC serving, whenever required, to reduce drive forces or activate the brake system.
The main components of DSC are the ABS anti-lock brake system comprising CBC Cornering Brake Control applying brake forces slightly on the inner rear wheel in a bend at medium to high speeds in order to enhance vehicle stability as well as ASC Automatic Stability Control intervening in the brakes and electronically adjusting engine torque, thus allowing the driver to set off smoothly on slippery uphill gradients without the drive wheels spinning (which means an effect similar to a limited-slip differential).
Another feature is DTC Dynamic Traction Control comprised within the ASC traction mode and serving to enhance traction on the drive wheels especially on snowbound and slippery roads in winter. Since this DTC mode activated manually by the driver slightly increases the response thresholds of stabilising DSC brake intervention in the interest of enhanced traction and drive power, DTC serves to promote a sporting style of motoring without in any way impairing the fundamental safety function of DSC.
Dynamic Drive eliminating body roll.
The Dynamic Drive chassis and suspension control system is available as an option on the new BMW 6 Series Coupé, combining sporting driving dynamics with superior driving comfort: With the driver and his – or her – passengers remaining largely unaffected by bumps on a straight section of the road, Dynamic Drive suppresses body sway in bends, ensuring greater agility and stability in all driving situations. The extra driving safety, agility and precision in steering manoeuvres provided in this way sets standards in suspension technology.
In city traffic, for example, Dynamic Drive compensates body sway almost completely. And in long, stretched-out bends, the BMW 6 Series Coupé remains smoothly on course, without rolling to the side or building up any kind of swinging motion. Even on winding country roads you take quickly and dynamically, the system reduces body roll by 80 per cent and more.
In dynamic driving situations of this kind also including a rapid lane change or sudden manoeuvres to avoid an obstacle, Dynamic Drive also acts directly on the car’s steering behaviour, improving directional accuracy and load change response, which is tantamount to more active safety on the road.
Dynamic Drive largely eliminates the conflict of interest between handling and vibrational comfort, since the springs and dampers are set primarily to a high standard of comfort on the road.
The key components of Dynamic Drive are two active anti-roll bars integrated in the front and rear axles instead of conventional mechanical bars. These active anti-roll bars are made up of a hydraulically operated swivel motor with a separate shaft and motor housing connected in each case to one half of the car. Their job is to convert hydraulic pressure into torsional momentum, on the one hand, and a stabilisation force exerted through the body of the car, on the other. When driving straight ahead the two halves of the anti-roll bars are disconnected from one another in order to avoid any unpleasant roll vibration on asymmetric bumps.
Aluminium – the cornerstone for incomparable driving dynamics.
The spring strut/tiebar front axle of the new BMW 6 Series is made completely of aluminium, with the exception of just a few components subject to particular loads, such as the thrust rods, wheel bearings or pivot journals. The front axle subframe accommodates the steering mechanism, anti-roll bar, wishbones and tiebars. Shaped like a big letter U, the subframe is reinforced by a thrust plate enhancing transverse stiffness and thus ensuring an even more precise response.
The integral IV rear axle offers absolute outstanding qualities in providing superior directional stability and motoring comfort. The four arms holding the wheels on the integral rear axle are not connected directly to the body of the car, but are rather mounted elastically in the axle subframe which, in turn, also incorporates the differential resting in rubber mounts.
The subframe itself is connected elastically to the body of the car by four extra-large rubber mounts absorbing any fine movements conveyed from the road to the tyres before they are able to reach the interior of the new 6 Series.
The excellent roll comfort offered by BMW’s new large coupé is also attributable to another factor, the front swinging arm mount on the rear axle subframe providing the important longitudinal suspension effect. The mounts on the rear axle subframe therefore ensure additional longitudinal spring action on the entire rear axle, again making a significant contribution to the car’s roll comfort and noise insulation.
Lightweight brakes with aluminium swing callipers at the front.
Extra-large swing-calliper brakes with inner-vented brake discs on all four wheels of the BMW 645Ci provide superior deceleration and fading-free reliability. With the discs made of a highly carbonated grey-cast-iron friction ring and the support elements as well as the swing callipers themselves being made of aluminium, unsprung masses are reduced accordingly and any deformation of the brake discs caused by heat-induced expansion is lowered by 20 per cent in the interest of a longer service life.
Featuring this kind of technology, the brake system ultimately maximises the agility, motoring comfort and driving safety offered by the new BMW 6 Series. And the innovative lightweight brake design principle is patented worldwide for BMW.
Aluminium wheels in 18 and 19 inches.
The BMW 645Ci comes on 18-inch cast aluminium rims running as standard on 245/45 R 18 tyres. Various other 18- and 19-inch rims are available as optional extras, including 19-inch forged wheels with 245 tyres at the front and 275 tyres at the rear.
Runflat tyres for carefree motoring.
The new BMW 6 Series coupé comes exclusively with runflat tyres, without a spare tyre or emergency wheel being required. Incorporating reinforced side-walls with additional inserts and consisting of a particularly temperature-resistant rubber compound, these runflat tyres allow the driver to continue for at least 150 kilometres or 90 miles at a maximum speed of 80 km/h or 50 mph after a complete puncture and the tyre absolutely flat, even with the vehicle fully laden. When carrying a lighter load, in turn, or with the tyre not completely flat, the distance you can still cover is much longer. And in all cases, ABS, ASC and DSC remain fully functional.
Incorporating specially contoured double rim humps (“extended humps”), runflat tyres cannot jump off the rim even under a sudden loss of pressure. This, clearly, means far greater safety particularly at high speeds and on winding roads. And if necessary, conventional tyres may also be fitted on these special humps.
Tyre Defect Indicator providing a clear puncture warning.
The new BMW 6 Series comes as standard with a Tyre Defect Indicator monitoring tyre pressure by consistently comparing wheel rotation speed with the help of the ABS signals. The system immediately detects any major loss of pressure by the change in roll circumference and the resulting difference in the speed of rotation, informing the driver accordingly by means of a warning light and a sound signal. This system is triggered immediately as of a road speed of 15 km/h and with a loss in pressure of more than 30 percent.
Even Greater Agility thanks to Active Steering
BMWs are famous for their superior driving characteristics. This superiority quite literally rests on the all-aluminium chassis also forming part of the new BMW 645Ci boasting axle load of almost 50:50 and rear-wheel drive as features typical of BMW. Further fortes are the low centre of gravity, wide track, and wheelbase of 2,780 millimetres or 109.4´´. Hence, agility, dynamic performance and, as a result, supreme driving pleasure are virtually built into the new 6 Series right from the start.
Precise steering with Servotronic fitted as standard.
The supreme standard of BMW cars in terms of driving pleasure, motoring comfort and driving safety is largely attributable to the precise steering system with equally precise feedback to the driver. Hydraulic rack-and-pinion Servotronic steering featured as standard on the 645Ci gives the driver the benefit of very sophisticated and modern technology, with power assistance being varied according to a specific control curve as a function of road speed. To the customer this means very comfortable and smooth steering, for example when parking, and hardly any risk of inadvertently tearing at the steering wheel at high speeds, since under these conditions Servotronic reduces power assistance on the steering.
Every conventional steering always remains a compromise.
On a conventional steering the driver’s steering commands are always transmitted from the steering wheel to the front wheels of the car according a specific, predetermined transmission ratio, regardless of the driving situation (even though the transmission ratio becomes increasingly more progressive with increasing lock of the wheels). Direct steering ideal up to medium speeds therefore remains direct even when a far more indirect transmission ratio would be appropriate at high speeds in order to set off the physically induced increase in steering response with growing road speed of the car. Conversely, this also applies to a more indirect steering transmission which makes the process of steering the car a genuine chore when manoeuvring at low speeds. In other words, conventional steering is always a compromise between these two extremes.
Active Steering enhances the dynamic character of the new 6 Series.
This conflict of interests – the fundamental choice between agility, stability and comfort – can only be solved by an active steering system such as BMW’s unique Active Steering available as an option on the 6 Series. This is an electronically controlled steering system with variable steering transmission and power assistance.
With the driver maintaining a sporting style of motoring and travelling at medium speeds of up to approximately 120 km/h or 75 mph, a car with a more direct steering transmission is far more agile and precise in its response. This is particularly beneficial on fast and winding country roads, where the driver is hardly required in this case to cross over his hands on the steering wheel. Under these conditions, the much better handling and steering precision significantly improves the dynamic character of the new 6 Series.
In town, on the other hand, Active Steering facilitates above all the process of parking: Turning round the steering wheel less than twice, you move the front wheels from the extreme left to the extreme right, the steering effort required of the driver decreasing in the process to a comfortable minimum.
As road speed increases, the system successively reduces the steering angle and steering power assistance to provide even better and smoother directional stability in the interest of enhanced control and handling. This the driver will feel directly as a significant improvement of motoring comfort, handling his 6 Series in relaxed, superior style even at high speeds.
How Active Steering works: adding an additional factor to the steering angle.
Active Steering is based on the principle of superimposing an additional factor on to the steering angle: An electromechanical adjuster between the steering wheel and the steering mechanism adds an additional positive or negative steering angle to the angle chosen by the driver. The key feature, therefore, is the superimposed steering unit, a planetary gearing integrated in the split steering column with two input and one output shaft(s). One input shaft is connected to the steering, the second is driven by an electric motor via a self-inhibiting pulley transmission serving to provide a reduced gear ratio. The overall steering angle thus applied to the output shaft is made up of the original steering angle and the angle generated by the electric motor as an additional factor.
At low speeds the step motor acts in the same direction as the driver turning the steering wheel, supporting him in the process and turning the wheels to a greater lock requiring less steering effort. Up to medium road speeds this provides a much more direct steering transmission than in a conventional car. At high speeds, on the other hand, the step motor acts against the steering angle, reducing steering lock on the front wheels and making the steering transmission ratio more indirect. At the same time Servotronic increases steering forces for extra comfort and convenience at the wheel.
Active Steering thus combines the advantages of all-electronic steer-by-wire with authentic feedback provided by its mechanical transmission of forces. In practice, this means a new standard of agility, comfort and safety on the road. And since the steering wheel and steering mechanism are connected mechanically to one another, the driver can still steer the car as required even if his electronic assistant might one day break down.
Active Steering and DSC – an ideal match.
Additional components featured with Active Steering are the integrated control unit and various sensors determining both driving conditions and the driver’s commands. A further important feature is the direct and close communication link between Active Steering and the DSC control unit, allowing the steering to intervene through the front wheel steering angle in order to slightly modify the yaw angle. This intervention in the steering transmission is faster and less noticeable to the driver in the lower DSC range than intervention by DSC on the wheel brakes.
Superior suspension plus DSC: a perfect team.
The dynamic performance and motoring safety ensured by the standard chassis and suspension can be optimised by suspension control systems able to cope with specific situations. The purpose of these systems is to permanently monitor driving conditions and to intervene whenever necessary, providing an additional stabilising effect.
Summed up under the term Dynamic Stability Control or DSC for short, these suspension control systems are featured as standard in the 6 Series, DSC serving, whenever required, to reduce drive forces or activate the brake system.
The main components of DSC are the ABS anti-lock brake system comprising CBC Cornering Brake Control applying brake forces slightly on the inner rear wheel in a bend at medium to high speeds in order to enhance vehicle stability as well as ASC Automatic Stability Control intervening in the brakes and electronically adjusting engine torque, thus allowing the driver to set off smoothly on slippery uphill gradients without the drive wheels spinning (which means an effect similar to a limited-slip differential).
Another feature is DTC Dynamic Traction Control comprised within the ASC traction mode and serving to enhance traction on the drive wheels especially on snowbound and slippery roads in winter. Since this DTC mode activated manually by the driver slightly increases the response thresholds of stabilising DSC brake intervention in the interest of enhanced traction and drive power, DTC serves to promote a sporting style of motoring without in any way impairing the fundamental safety function of DSC.
Dynamic Drive eliminating body roll.
The Dynamic Drive chassis and suspension control system is available as an option on the new BMW 6 Series Coupé, combining sporting driving dynamics with superior driving comfort: With the driver and his – or her – passengers remaining largely unaffected by bumps on a straight section of the road, Dynamic Drive suppresses body sway in bends, ensuring greater agility and stability in all driving situations. The extra driving safety, agility and precision in steering manoeuvres provided in this way sets standards in suspension technology.
In city traffic, for example, Dynamic Drive compensates body sway almost completely. And in long, stretched-out bends, the BMW 6 Series Coupé remains smoothly on course, without rolling to the side or building up any kind of swinging motion. Even on winding country roads you take quickly and dynamically, the system reduces body roll by 80 per cent and more.
In dynamic driving situations of this kind also including a rapid lane change or sudden manoeuvres to avoid an obstacle, Dynamic Drive also acts directly on the car’s steering behaviour, improving directional accuracy and load change response, which is tantamount to more active safety on the road.
Dynamic Drive largely eliminates the conflict of interest between handling and vibrational comfort, since the springs and dampers are set primarily to a high standard of comfort on the road.
The key components of Dynamic Drive are two active anti-roll bars integrated in the front and rear axles instead of conventional mechanical bars. These active anti-roll bars are made up of a hydraulically operated swivel motor with a separate shaft and motor housing connected in each case to one half of the car. Their job is to convert hydraulic pressure into torsional momentum, on the one hand, and a stabilisation force exerted through the body of the car, on the other. When driving straight ahead the two halves of the anti-roll bars are disconnected from one another in order to avoid any unpleasant roll vibration on asymmetric bumps.
Aluminium – the cornerstone for incomparable driving dynamics.
The spring strut/tiebar front axle of the new BMW 6 Series is made completely of aluminium, with the exception of just a few components subject to particular loads, such as the thrust rods, wheel bearings or pivot journals. The front axle subframe accommodates the steering mechanism, anti-roll bar, wishbones and tiebars. Shaped like a big letter U, the subframe is reinforced by a thrust plate enhancing transverse stiffness and thus ensuring an even more precise response.
The integral IV rear axle offers absolute outstanding qualities in providing superior directional stability and motoring comfort. The four arms holding the wheels on the integral rear axle are not connected directly to the body of the car, but are rather mounted elastically in the axle subframe which, in turn, also incorporates the differential resting in rubber mounts.
The subframe itself is connected elastically to the body of the car by four extra-large rubber mounts absorbing any fine movements conveyed from the road to the tyres before they are able to reach the interior of the new 6 Series.
The excellent roll comfort offered by BMW’s new large coupé is also attributable to another factor, the front swinging arm mount on the rear axle subframe providing the important longitudinal suspension effect. The mounts on the rear axle subframe therefore ensure additional longitudinal spring action on the entire rear axle, again making a significant contribution to the car’s roll comfort and noise insulation.
Lightweight brakes with aluminium swing callipers at the front.
Extra-large swing-calliper brakes with inner-vented brake discs on all four wheels of the BMW 645Ci provide superior deceleration and fading-free reliability. With the discs made of a highly carbonated grey-cast-iron friction ring and the support elements as well as the swing callipers themselves being made of aluminium, unsprung masses are reduced accordingly and any deformation of the brake discs caused by heat-induced expansion is lowered by 20 per cent in the interest of a longer service life.
Featuring this kind of technology, the brake system ultimately maximises the agility, motoring comfort and driving safety offered by the new BMW 6 Series. And the innovative lightweight brake design principle is patented worldwide for BMW.
Aluminium wheels in 18 and 19 inches.
The BMW 645Ci comes on 18-inch cast aluminium rims running as standard on 245/45 R 18 tyres. Various other 18- and 19-inch rims are available as optional extras, including 19-inch forged wheels with 245 tyres at the front and 275 tyres at the rear.
Runflat tyres for carefree motoring.
The new BMW 6 Series coupé comes exclusively with runflat tyres, without a spare tyre or emergency wheel being required. Incorporating reinforced side-walls with additional inserts and consisting of a particularly temperature-resistant rubber compound, these runflat tyres allow the driver to continue for at least 150 kilometres or 90 miles at a maximum speed of 80 km/h or 50 mph after a complete puncture and the tyre absolutely flat, even with the vehicle fully laden. When carrying a lighter load, in turn, or with the tyre not completely flat, the distance you can still cover is much longer. And in all cases, ABS, ASC and DSC remain fully functional.
Incorporating specially contoured double rim humps (“extended humps”), runflat tyres cannot jump off the rim even under a sudden loss of pressure. This, clearly, means far greater safety particularly at high speeds and on winding roads. And if necessary, conventional tyres may also be fitted on these special humps.
Tyre Defect Indicator providing a clear puncture warning.
The new BMW 6 Series comes as standard with a Tyre Defect Indicator monitoring tyre pressure by consistently comparing wheel rotation speed with the help of the ABS signals. The system immediately detects any major loss of pressure by the change in roll circumference and the resulting difference in the speed of rotation, informing the driver accordingly by means of a warning light and a sound signal. This system is triggered immediately as of a road speed of 15 km/h and with a loss in pressure of more than 30 percent.
10-14-2003, 08:30 PM
#162
Moderator Alumnus
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Bodyshell:
Intelligent Lightweight Construction for a New Dimension of Dynamic Motoring
To be really dynamic, a modern car requires not only a powerful engine and an excellent chassis, but also lightweight components reducing weight to a minimum. The name of the game, therefore, is intelligent lightweight technology also on the body of the car, “intelligent” meaning that lightweight components serve not only to reduce weight, but also to enhance the various functions of the vehicle.
An intelligent mix of materials saving weight and enhancing crash safety.
The key concept on the body of the car is to use the right mix or combination of materials. Precisely this is why the bodyshell is a combination of steel, aluminium and plastic components offering huge advantages in terms of weight reduction. And at the same time the body of the car is stiffer and firmer than ever before, serving to enhance crash safety and providing even more precise dynamic driving characteristics.
The Weight-Reduced Aluminium Front (WRAF) is a good example of intelligent lightweight construction. Weighing approximately 45 kilos or 99 lb, this entire module is about 20 per cent lighter than a conventional steel structure of the same kind.
Building the new 6 Series, BMW is also entering new terrain in the use of aluminium: The spring supports housing the front axle springs and dampers are made of a pressure-cast aluminium alloy composed mainly of aluminium and small amounts of magnesium, silicon and manganese. This alloy combines superior strength and stiffness with strong resistance to any change in shape. The two doors are also made of aluminium, saving approximately 10 kilos on the car but nevertheless outperforming all of BMW’s internal stiffness and safety requirements.
Front lid in new bonding technology.
The front lid is also made of aluminium and at the same time incorporates a world-first achievement currently only available from BMW: The inner and outer panels forming the lid are joined not by a single-component glue, but rather by a two-component glue bond allowing the use of thinner aluminium panels reducing the overall weight of the front lid by 9 per cent. A further advantage is that this two-component bond makes the front lid extremely stiff, which minimises wind noise in the process.
The two front side panels made of thermoplastic save approximately 4 kilos in contributing to the excellent driving dynamics of the new 6 Series. And an equally important point is that the use of such a sophisticated synthetic material enables the designers to consistently continue the line of BMW’s large coupé throughout the side panel area, since it would not have been possible with a conventional steel structure to integrate the side trim into the side panels in the same way. A further advantage is that thermoplastic, being a regenerating synthetic material, is less sensitive than steel to minor bumps. And last but not least, this special material provides a better potential in meeting pedestrian safety requirements to be expected in future, yet a further point being that it is absolutely rustproof in the interest of a long service life.
SMC plastics saving weight and providing new design options.
SMC, a special synthetic material used on the rear lid of the BMW 6 Series Coupé, also offers a wide range of benefits. This duroplastic material referred to in technical terms as a sheet moulding compound is approximately 25 per cent lighter than steel and offers far greater freedom in design, allowing the outer skin of the rear lid to be made of one single piece even integrating the rear spoiler and aerials.
Tailored rolled blanks to keep body panels as slim as possible.
Last but certainly not least, a new process used on the rolled components also saves a lot of weight on the 6 Series: Tailored rolled blanks, that is panels rolled in a dynamic process, come in exactly the right thickness at all crucial points. This means that they do not require any additional reinforcements at highly exposed points, but are rather tailored to specific requirements and are made thicker only where really necessary.
This process is now being used in a BMW model series for the first time on the transverse and longitudinal seat supports and on the heel crossbars, not only saving weight, but also enhancing the car’s safety above all on the crossbar elements.
Innovative production methods allowing an intelligent mix of metals.
Innovative production methods are required to provide the right combination of materials on the body of the car. A special insulating glue, for example, had to be developed for bonding steel and aluminium and is applied over a distance of approximately 60 metres or almost 200 feet on the 6 Series. Then there are approximately 4,000 welding points and almost 70 bolted connections. Depending on load conditions and the material involved, other joining technologies applied on the new 6 Series Coupé are MAG welding (MAG = a reactabale protective gas), MIG soldering (MIG = an inert protective gas), laser-soldering and welding, beading, riveting, sublining, sealing, clinching, and clipping. Overall, the body of the 6 Series is made up of almost 500 steel and aluminium components and weighs less than 350 kg or 770 lb together with all attachments and add-on parts.
Intelligent Lightweight Construction for a New Dimension of Dynamic Motoring
To be really dynamic, a modern car requires not only a powerful engine and an excellent chassis, but also lightweight components reducing weight to a minimum. The name of the game, therefore, is intelligent lightweight technology also on the body of the car, “intelligent” meaning that lightweight components serve not only to reduce weight, but also to enhance the various functions of the vehicle.
An intelligent mix of materials saving weight and enhancing crash safety.
The key concept on the body of the car is to use the right mix or combination of materials. Precisely this is why the bodyshell is a combination of steel, aluminium and plastic components offering huge advantages in terms of weight reduction. And at the same time the body of the car is stiffer and firmer than ever before, serving to enhance crash safety and providing even more precise dynamic driving characteristics.
The Weight-Reduced Aluminium Front (WRAF) is a good example of intelligent lightweight construction. Weighing approximately 45 kilos or 99 lb, this entire module is about 20 per cent lighter than a conventional steel structure of the same kind.
Building the new 6 Series, BMW is also entering new terrain in the use of aluminium: The spring supports housing the front axle springs and dampers are made of a pressure-cast aluminium alloy composed mainly of aluminium and small amounts of magnesium, silicon and manganese. This alloy combines superior strength and stiffness with strong resistance to any change in shape. The two doors are also made of aluminium, saving approximately 10 kilos on the car but nevertheless outperforming all of BMW’s internal stiffness and safety requirements.
Front lid in new bonding technology.
The front lid is also made of aluminium and at the same time incorporates a world-first achievement currently only available from BMW: The inner and outer panels forming the lid are joined not by a single-component glue, but rather by a two-component glue bond allowing the use of thinner aluminium panels reducing the overall weight of the front lid by 9 per cent. A further advantage is that this two-component bond makes the front lid extremely stiff, which minimises wind noise in the process.
The two front side panels made of thermoplastic save approximately 4 kilos in contributing to the excellent driving dynamics of the new 6 Series. And an equally important point is that the use of such a sophisticated synthetic material enables the designers to consistently continue the line of BMW’s large coupé throughout the side panel area, since it would not have been possible with a conventional steel structure to integrate the side trim into the side panels in the same way. A further advantage is that thermoplastic, being a regenerating synthetic material, is less sensitive than steel to minor bumps. And last but not least, this special material provides a better potential in meeting pedestrian safety requirements to be expected in future, yet a further point being that it is absolutely rustproof in the interest of a long service life.
SMC plastics saving weight and providing new design options.
SMC, a special synthetic material used on the rear lid of the BMW 6 Series Coupé, also offers a wide range of benefits. This duroplastic material referred to in technical terms as a sheet moulding compound is approximately 25 per cent lighter than steel and offers far greater freedom in design, allowing the outer skin of the rear lid to be made of one single piece even integrating the rear spoiler and aerials.
Tailored rolled blanks to keep body panels as slim as possible.
Last but certainly not least, a new process used on the rolled components also saves a lot of weight on the 6 Series: Tailored rolled blanks, that is panels rolled in a dynamic process, come in exactly the right thickness at all crucial points. This means that they do not require any additional reinforcements at highly exposed points, but are rather tailored to specific requirements and are made thicker only where really necessary.
This process is now being used in a BMW model series for the first time on the transverse and longitudinal seat supports and on the heel crossbars, not only saving weight, but also enhancing the car’s safety above all on the crossbar elements.
Innovative production methods allowing an intelligent mix of metals.
Innovative production methods are required to provide the right combination of materials on the body of the car. A special insulating glue, for example, had to be developed for bonding steel and aluminium and is applied over a distance of approximately 60 metres or almost 200 feet on the 6 Series. Then there are approximately 4,000 welding points and almost 70 bolted connections. Depending on load conditions and the material involved, other joining technologies applied on the new 6 Series Coupé are MAG welding (MAG = a reactabale protective gas), MIG soldering (MIG = an inert protective gas), laser-soldering and welding, beading, riveting, sublining, sealing, clinching, and clipping. Overall, the body of the 6 Series is made up of almost 500 steel and aluminium components and weighs less than 350 kg or 770 lb together with all attachments and add-on parts.
10-14-2003, 08:30 PM
#163
Moderator Alumnus
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Market Position
Looking back in time, we see that BMW has built a number of large coupés over the years. These were always the leading cars in their era, role models in elegance and design – and particularly outstanding driving machines on the road. The new BMW 6 Series is therefore a distinguished successor to a long series of predecessors, paving the way in design and advanced technology.
The market.
The new BMW 6 Series is entering the luxury performance segment, that is the same part of the market as its four-door counterpart, the new BMW 7 Series. And precisely this market segment is growing significantly the world over, with the volume of luxury performance coupés and convertibles increasing by no less than 48 per cent from 1999 to 2001. Further growth is quite conceivable.
This positive development is to be observed above all in the US market very important to BMW, where coupés and convertibles have always played a very important role. Now the new 6 Series will become an equally significant player in the US market, also taking on a leading position, as we anticipate today, in other major coupé countries such as Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland and Japan.
The new 6 Series’ direct competitors are the large luxury and sports coupés already to be found in the world market, particularly renowned brands from Germany, Britain and Italy. And in the USA the higher-priced competitors from Japan also play a certain role.
Marketing objective.
It goes without saying that BMW wishes to take on an active role again in this segment with the new 6 Series Coupé, securing a significant share in the market. In terms of volume, the sales target is naturally far more ambitious than with the first 6 Series built in a production run of approximately 86,000 units from 1976–1989 and with the 8 Series, accounting for approximately 31,000 units between 1990 and 1999.
In terms of quality the new BMW 6 Series is the epitome of exclusivity, aesthetic design and sporting performance. Particularly the clear pledge to sportiness distinguishes this new high-performance coupé significantly from its direct competitors, placing it close to other competition models which focus exclusively on sports motoring. Precisely this gives BMW a very significant potential for conquest sales to owners of other makes, just as the new 6 Series occupies a very important position as the ambassador of the BMW brand.
Target group.
The “classic” purchasers of the new BMW 6 Series Coupé are mainly men in the 40–55-year age group. Most of these outstanding individuals are successful, independent businesspeople who drive a lot and wish to “pamper” themselves with a car of this class. Outstanding design and supreme performance as well as the status of the brand, together with unrestricted reliability and everyday driving qualities, are very important purchasing motives within this target group.
Looking back in time, we see that BMW has built a number of large coupés over the years. These were always the leading cars in their era, role models in elegance and design – and particularly outstanding driving machines on the road. The new BMW 6 Series is therefore a distinguished successor to a long series of predecessors, paving the way in design and advanced technology.
The market.
The new BMW 6 Series is entering the luxury performance segment, that is the same part of the market as its four-door counterpart, the new BMW 7 Series. And precisely this market segment is growing significantly the world over, with the volume of luxury performance coupés and convertibles increasing by no less than 48 per cent from 1999 to 2001. Further growth is quite conceivable.
This positive development is to be observed above all in the US market very important to BMW, where coupés and convertibles have always played a very important role. Now the new 6 Series will become an equally significant player in the US market, also taking on a leading position, as we anticipate today, in other major coupé countries such as Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland and Japan.
The new 6 Series’ direct competitors are the large luxury and sports coupés already to be found in the world market, particularly renowned brands from Germany, Britain and Italy. And in the USA the higher-priced competitors from Japan also play a certain role.
Marketing objective.
It goes without saying that BMW wishes to take on an active role again in this segment with the new 6 Series Coupé, securing a significant share in the market. In terms of volume, the sales target is naturally far more ambitious than with the first 6 Series built in a production run of approximately 86,000 units from 1976–1989 and with the 8 Series, accounting for approximately 31,000 units between 1990 and 1999.
In terms of quality the new BMW 6 Series is the epitome of exclusivity, aesthetic design and sporting performance. Particularly the clear pledge to sportiness distinguishes this new high-performance coupé significantly from its direct competitors, placing it close to other competition models which focus exclusively on sports motoring. Precisely this gives BMW a very significant potential for conquest sales to owners of other makes, just as the new 6 Series occupies a very important position as the ambassador of the BMW brand.
Target group.
The “classic” purchasers of the new BMW 6 Series Coupé are mainly men in the 40–55-year age group. Most of these outstanding individuals are successful, independent businesspeople who drive a lot and wish to “pamper” themselves with a car of this class. Outstanding design and supreme performance as well as the status of the brand, together with unrestricted reliability and everyday driving qualities, are very important purchasing motives within this target group.
10-14-2003, 10:24 PM
#167
Senior Moderator
very cool post. very cool car. 
the auto is only 2/10 slower to 100km.
the auto is only 2/10 slower to 100km.
10-15-2003, 03:01 AM
#169
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I freaking LOVE that car and I want one BAD but I just don’t think I can swing it.
If it were in the 50-55K range I think I would already have one on order, but initial pricing estimates show it to be 68K BASE !!!
Option that baby up and you’re easily at 75K or more !!!
I just can’t justify that at this point of my life.
Maybe I’ll pick up a used 2005 in 3-4 years.
Shawn S
PS….. Anything official on the price yet ???
If it were in the 50-55K range I think I would already have one on order, but initial pricing estimates show it to be 68K BASE !!!
Option that baby up and you’re easily at 75K or more !!!
I just can’t justify that at this point of my life.
Maybe I’ll pick up a used 2005 in 3-4 years.
Shawn S
PS….. Anything official on the price yet ???
That car is freaking sweet! 
10-15-2003, 08:57 PM
#175
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Originally posted by Chaptorial
BTW my cable modem just imploded.
BTW my cable modem just imploded.
I dont even know how to reply to this besides the fact that it was the most random/ridiculous thing that i have ever seen on this site LOL.
11-04-2003, 12:03 AM
#180
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It looks all right. Too much repetition in BMW for me, these days. They're remaking all the cars... great. But it's like they're running them through the same formula.
I usually don't like cars without roofs, but it might look good as a roadster.
The feline headlights are getting a little too ridiculous. I dug the 7 when it came out, the 5 was like eh it's too much like the 7, and this 6 is just a coupe version, and it looks like a stretched Porsche with some styling hints from the Aston Martins.
I usually don't like cars without roofs, but it might look good as a roadster.
The feline headlights are getting a little too ridiculous. I dug the 7 when it came out, the 5 was like eh it's too much like the 7, and this 6 is just a coupe version, and it looks like a stretched Porsche with some styling hints from the Aston Martins.
11-04-2003, 08:41 AM
#181
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Originally posted by gavriil
Nice video of the 645Ci:
Nice video of the 645Ci:
11-24-2003, 07:32 AM
#183
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(00:01 Nov. 24, 2003)
Coupe De Grâce: BMW gets back into the coupe business in a big way
By ROGER HART
WHEN BMW UNVEILED its new 6 Series coupe at the Frankfurt show in September, those seeing the car for the first time nearly all said the same thing.
“Well, it doesn’t look as bad as the 7 Series.”Faint praise, to be sure.
But not a surprising comment considering the torrent of criticism the company’s flagship sedan received following its introduction last year. The biggest complaint was the 7’s bulbous rear end.
On the 6 Series, the rear end is pronounced, but less so than on the 7 Series, and in reality, the 6 has an overall pleasing coupe shape that drew attention from onlookers just about every place we went during our first drive in southern Spain.
2004 BMW 645Ci
ON SALE: March
BASE PRICE: $70,000 (est.)
POWERTRAIN: 4.4-liter, 325-hp, 330-lb-ft V8; rwd, six-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 3781 pounds
0-60 MPH: 5.5 seconds (mfr.)
In fact, two Spaniards went out of their way to turn their dilapidated Toyota delivery van around on a tight two-lane when they spotted our 645Ci parked for a photo at a mountain road overlook. Piling out of the van, they slowly walked around the car and then after a few minutes of inspection, one said, “Muy rapido.” A statement, not a question. Even sitting still, the car looks fast, conversing in a universal language.
“Si,” we said. “Muy rapido.” We all smiled knowingly.
“You must remember, at the end of the day BMW is a performance engineering company,” said BMW design director Chris Bangle, giving several American journalists a walk-around of the car. “The rear end of this car looks this way because it has to look this way. When this car was in the wind tunnel, when we were doing the final dimensions, we’re talking mere millimeters difference,” he said, running his hands along the top of the raised lip of the decklid. “This is a question of geometry. You can’t take the rear end down any lower without losing performance.
“And with this shape, you can fit two standard-size golf bags and a large suitcase, enough for two people for a long weekend,” Bangle added. “Form follows function.”
Like the 7, the new 6 Series debuts as a showcase for BMW technology (some of which is already on the 5). It features adaptive headlights that turn when you do, a fully variable engine intake system, active steering and a more user-friendly i-Drive.
For the record, the new 6 exterior was penned by Adrian Van Hooydonk, who now heads up BMW’s Designworks USA in California. “I think Adrian did a great job on this,” Bangle said.
The new 6 is based on the Z9GT concept that debuted at the Tokyo show four years ago, and it joins a long list of big, fast BMW coupes, dating back to the 1930s. The last 6 Series coupe was built in 1989, giving way to the more luxury-oriented 8 Series in the 1990s.
BMW’s move to once again build a sportier luxury coupe should come as no surprise, as new models from Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Ferrari and Lexus are already on the market. While BMW would not give any specific sales goals, it did admit it expects to sell more cars than the last 6 Series (86,000 units sold between 1976 and 1989) and many more than the 8 Series (31,000 units between 1990 and 1999). Both the coupe and a convertible (to be unveiled at Detroit in January) will hit the U.S. market simultaneously some time around March.
While the skin of the 6 is all-new, almost everything else is from the BMW parts bin, which, as we know, is pretty good stuff.
Beneath the bulging aluminum hood—BMW officials like calling it a “powerdome”—lies the same 4.4-liter V8 found in the 745i and the 545i. The engine produces 325 hp at 6100 rpm and 330 lb-ft at 3600 rpm, and features variable adjustment of valve timing, valve lift and the length of the intake manifold to aid performance.
Customers will have three transmission choices: a six-speed automatic with Steptronic, a six-speed manual or a six-speed sequential manual gearbox. BMW officials expect about 75 percent of 6 Series ordered for the United States will be fitted with the automatic.
We were able to sample all three choices on our drive in Spain and while our first pick would be the manual, we liked all three. The SMG-equipped car was the best example from BMW we’ve tried, benefiting from all the development work done for the unit on the 3 Series and 5 Series. For pure sportiness, the SMG car, using steering wheel-mounted paddles, is hard to beat, but it’s still not as smooth in around-town driving as is the standard manual gearbox. And if you want to drive it mostly in automatic mode, you’re much better off with the automatic.
You’ll suffer only a slight performance loss with the automatic; BMW says the 0-to-60-mph run with both manual gearbox-equipped cars is 5.5 seconds while the automatic needs two-tenths more. All three cars are electronically limited to a top speed of 155 mph. Fuel mileage is slightly better with the automatic: It is rated at 18/26 mpg city/highway while the manual gets 17/25 and the SMG 17/24.
BMW went to great lengths to keep the weight of the 6 in line with a sports coupe, using aluminum components in as many places as possible. The chassis is aluminum, as is much of the suspension system, hood and door panels. The front fenders and trunk lid are sheet molding compound thermoplastic. The use of all this weight-saving stuff paid off: The manual-transmission model weighs 3781 pounds, with the SMG and automatic adding just 11 pounds. Weight distribution is the typical BMW 50/50.
In its effort to keep the car’s weight in check, BMW opted to build the 6 Series coupe with a B-pillar, saying a pillar-less design would have required a beefier chassis, adding weight. “We’ll save that look for the convertible,” Bangle said.
The design direction BMW has taken with the 7, 5 and now the 6 may be subjective, but the driving dynamics of these cars are above reproach.
While the 645Ci is nearly the same overall length as the 5 Series (190.2 inches to the 5’s 190.6), the 6’s wheelbase of 108.4 inches is less than the 5’s 113.7 inches, giving the car a bit more nimble feel. The 6 is equipped with BMW’s Active Roll Stabilization first introduced on the 7 Series, and it has an active steering system that debuted on the 5. The car was a delight to whip through tight, twisty corners. We were tempted to turn a series of construction barrels along a Spanish highway into an auto-cross course, just for fun.
At slow speed, active steering makes it easier to park, as little inputs into the steering wheel make big inputs into turning the wheels. At higher speeds, the system’s gear ratio gets numerically lower for a better feel. Plus, the system can correct for too much steering input to keep the car from spinning out in a panic situation where you’ve countersteered too much. We found the system a bit heavily weighted at slow speeds, and when pushing the car through some tight turns, you can feel the steering weight change as the electronics do their thing. It doesn’t feel bad, just different. At speed, the wheel does have a good on-center feel.
The ARS chassis and suspension control system keep the car nearly flat through the corners, with just enough roll left dialed in to let you know the car is cornering.
ARS allows for the springs and dampers to be set for a comfortable ride, with the system’s hydraulically operated antiroll bars front and rear stabilizing things when needed.
Standard tires are 245/45R-18 V-rated run-flat all-seasons mounted on cast-alloy wheels. A sport package option adds W-rated run-flat performance tires, 245/40R-19s in front with 275/35R-19s in the back, along with special alloy wheels. Ventilated disc brakes all around with 13.7-inch rotors in front, 13.6 in back, plus ABS and dynamic brake control are standard. So is the eighth-generation dynamic stability control.
Adaptive headlights, swiveling in concert with the car’s steering angle, yaw rate and speed, are options, as is a head-up display for speed, navigation instructions and information about the car’s system controls. A standard eight-speaker audio system uses the car’s sills to improve the bass resonance; a 13-speaker system is optional.
The 2+2 seating allows ample legroom for the front-seat passengers while the rear-seat legroom is not quite so generous.
Behind the standard BMW three-spoke steering wheel is the instrument cluster with large round gauges—white-on-black—for the tach and speedometer, with smaller insets for fuel and oil pressure gauges. Between the round dials is a digital readout for the active cruise control, gear selection and odometers.
The center stack is topped with the infamous iDrive screen, in full living color. The iDrive selector is on the center console between the front seats, and if you, like many others, think iDrive should go away, well, forget it.
“Yes, iDrive is here to stay,” said BMW chairman Helmut Panke. “People need to get used to this technology. And when they’re instructed on its use, they learn to like it. Actually, I don’t think we’ve done a very good job in instructing our customers how to use this,” he added. “Not from the company and not from the dealerships.”
This second-generation iDrive features an escape button of sorts. If you get too deep into the layers of the system and can’t figure your way back out, there is a menu button next to the iDrive control. Pushing it gets you back to the beginning.
“People told us they wanted this,” Panke said. “Then they can start over.” We found the menu button to be a nice addition, but still find iDrive too cumbersome. Maybe once you own the vehicle and use the system daily you will get comfortable with it, but we didn’t have any teenagers along to help sort it all out, so we mainly just left it alone.
But we would still want this car in our garage, iDrive or not. The 6 looks good in a subtle, yet aggressive way, and it drives even better than it looks. The cabin is comfortable and quiet (we noticed only a hint of wind noise creeping into the cabin as we approached triple-digit speeds), and features like ARS and active steering make the car exceedingly easy to drive at speed.
The 6 Series will be priced close to a base 7, with the convertible costing a bit more. And we can start dreaming about the M version, which shouldn’t be too far down the road.
Muy rapido indeed.
Source: Autoweek
Coupe De Grâce: BMW gets back into the coupe business in a big way
By ROGER HART
WHEN BMW UNVEILED its new 6 Series coupe at the Frankfurt show in September, those seeing the car for the first time nearly all said the same thing.
“Well, it doesn’t look as bad as the 7 Series.”Faint praise, to be sure.
But not a surprising comment considering the torrent of criticism the company’s flagship sedan received following its introduction last year. The biggest complaint was the 7’s bulbous rear end.
On the 6 Series, the rear end is pronounced, but less so than on the 7 Series, and in reality, the 6 has an overall pleasing coupe shape that drew attention from onlookers just about every place we went during our first drive in southern Spain.
2004 BMW 645Ci
ON SALE: March
BASE PRICE: $70,000 (est.)
POWERTRAIN: 4.4-liter, 325-hp, 330-lb-ft V8; rwd, six-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 3781 pounds
0-60 MPH: 5.5 seconds (mfr.)
In fact, two Spaniards went out of their way to turn their dilapidated Toyota delivery van around on a tight two-lane when they spotted our 645Ci parked for a photo at a mountain road overlook. Piling out of the van, they slowly walked around the car and then after a few minutes of inspection, one said, “Muy rapido.” A statement, not a question. Even sitting still, the car looks fast, conversing in a universal language.
“Si,” we said. “Muy rapido.” We all smiled knowingly.
“You must remember, at the end of the day BMW is a performance engineering company,” said BMW design director Chris Bangle, giving several American journalists a walk-around of the car. “The rear end of this car looks this way because it has to look this way. When this car was in the wind tunnel, when we were doing the final dimensions, we’re talking mere millimeters difference,” he said, running his hands along the top of the raised lip of the decklid. “This is a question of geometry. You can’t take the rear end down any lower without losing performance.
“And with this shape, you can fit two standard-size golf bags and a large suitcase, enough for two people for a long weekend,” Bangle added. “Form follows function.”
Like the 7, the new 6 Series debuts as a showcase for BMW technology (some of which is already on the 5). It features adaptive headlights that turn when you do, a fully variable engine intake system, active steering and a more user-friendly i-Drive.
For the record, the new 6 exterior was penned by Adrian Van Hooydonk, who now heads up BMW’s Designworks USA in California. “I think Adrian did a great job on this,” Bangle said.
The new 6 is based on the Z9GT concept that debuted at the Tokyo show four years ago, and it joins a long list of big, fast BMW coupes, dating back to the 1930s. The last 6 Series coupe was built in 1989, giving way to the more luxury-oriented 8 Series in the 1990s.
BMW’s move to once again build a sportier luxury coupe should come as no surprise, as new models from Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Ferrari and Lexus are already on the market. While BMW would not give any specific sales goals, it did admit it expects to sell more cars than the last 6 Series (86,000 units sold between 1976 and 1989) and many more than the 8 Series (31,000 units between 1990 and 1999). Both the coupe and a convertible (to be unveiled at Detroit in January) will hit the U.S. market simultaneously some time around March.
While the skin of the 6 is all-new, almost everything else is from the BMW parts bin, which, as we know, is pretty good stuff.
Beneath the bulging aluminum hood—BMW officials like calling it a “powerdome”—lies the same 4.4-liter V8 found in the 745i and the 545i. The engine produces 325 hp at 6100 rpm and 330 lb-ft at 3600 rpm, and features variable adjustment of valve timing, valve lift and the length of the intake manifold to aid performance.
Customers will have three transmission choices: a six-speed automatic with Steptronic, a six-speed manual or a six-speed sequential manual gearbox. BMW officials expect about 75 percent of 6 Series ordered for the United States will be fitted with the automatic.
We were able to sample all three choices on our drive in Spain and while our first pick would be the manual, we liked all three. The SMG-equipped car was the best example from BMW we’ve tried, benefiting from all the development work done for the unit on the 3 Series and 5 Series. For pure sportiness, the SMG car, using steering wheel-mounted paddles, is hard to beat, but it’s still not as smooth in around-town driving as is the standard manual gearbox. And if you want to drive it mostly in automatic mode, you’re much better off with the automatic.
You’ll suffer only a slight performance loss with the automatic; BMW says the 0-to-60-mph run with both manual gearbox-equipped cars is 5.5 seconds while the automatic needs two-tenths more. All three cars are electronically limited to a top speed of 155 mph. Fuel mileage is slightly better with the automatic: It is rated at 18/26 mpg city/highway while the manual gets 17/25 and the SMG 17/24.
BMW went to great lengths to keep the weight of the 6 in line with a sports coupe, using aluminum components in as many places as possible. The chassis is aluminum, as is much of the suspension system, hood and door panels. The front fenders and trunk lid are sheet molding compound thermoplastic. The use of all this weight-saving stuff paid off: The manual-transmission model weighs 3781 pounds, with the SMG and automatic adding just 11 pounds. Weight distribution is the typical BMW 50/50.
In its effort to keep the car’s weight in check, BMW opted to build the 6 Series coupe with a B-pillar, saying a pillar-less design would have required a beefier chassis, adding weight. “We’ll save that look for the convertible,” Bangle said.
The design direction BMW has taken with the 7, 5 and now the 6 may be subjective, but the driving dynamics of these cars are above reproach.
While the 645Ci is nearly the same overall length as the 5 Series (190.2 inches to the 5’s 190.6), the 6’s wheelbase of 108.4 inches is less than the 5’s 113.7 inches, giving the car a bit more nimble feel. The 6 is equipped with BMW’s Active Roll Stabilization first introduced on the 7 Series, and it has an active steering system that debuted on the 5. The car was a delight to whip through tight, twisty corners. We were tempted to turn a series of construction barrels along a Spanish highway into an auto-cross course, just for fun.
At slow speed, active steering makes it easier to park, as little inputs into the steering wheel make big inputs into turning the wheels. At higher speeds, the system’s gear ratio gets numerically lower for a better feel. Plus, the system can correct for too much steering input to keep the car from spinning out in a panic situation where you’ve countersteered too much. We found the system a bit heavily weighted at slow speeds, and when pushing the car through some tight turns, you can feel the steering weight change as the electronics do their thing. It doesn’t feel bad, just different. At speed, the wheel does have a good on-center feel.
The ARS chassis and suspension control system keep the car nearly flat through the corners, with just enough roll left dialed in to let you know the car is cornering.
ARS allows for the springs and dampers to be set for a comfortable ride, with the system’s hydraulically operated antiroll bars front and rear stabilizing things when needed.
Standard tires are 245/45R-18 V-rated run-flat all-seasons mounted on cast-alloy wheels. A sport package option adds W-rated run-flat performance tires, 245/40R-19s in front with 275/35R-19s in the back, along with special alloy wheels. Ventilated disc brakes all around with 13.7-inch rotors in front, 13.6 in back, plus ABS and dynamic brake control are standard. So is the eighth-generation dynamic stability control.
Adaptive headlights, swiveling in concert with the car’s steering angle, yaw rate and speed, are options, as is a head-up display for speed, navigation instructions and information about the car’s system controls. A standard eight-speaker audio system uses the car’s sills to improve the bass resonance; a 13-speaker system is optional.
The 2+2 seating allows ample legroom for the front-seat passengers while the rear-seat legroom is not quite so generous.
Behind the standard BMW three-spoke steering wheel is the instrument cluster with large round gauges—white-on-black—for the tach and speedometer, with smaller insets for fuel and oil pressure gauges. Between the round dials is a digital readout for the active cruise control, gear selection and odometers.
The center stack is topped with the infamous iDrive screen, in full living color. The iDrive selector is on the center console between the front seats, and if you, like many others, think iDrive should go away, well, forget it.
“Yes, iDrive is here to stay,” said BMW chairman Helmut Panke. “People need to get used to this technology. And when they’re instructed on its use, they learn to like it. Actually, I don’t think we’ve done a very good job in instructing our customers how to use this,” he added. “Not from the company and not from the dealerships.”
This second-generation iDrive features an escape button of sorts. If you get too deep into the layers of the system and can’t figure your way back out, there is a menu button next to the iDrive control. Pushing it gets you back to the beginning.
“People told us they wanted this,” Panke said. “Then they can start over.” We found the menu button to be a nice addition, but still find iDrive too cumbersome. Maybe once you own the vehicle and use the system daily you will get comfortable with it, but we didn’t have any teenagers along to help sort it all out, so we mainly just left it alone.
But we would still want this car in our garage, iDrive or not. The 6 looks good in a subtle, yet aggressive way, and it drives even better than it looks. The cabin is comfortable and quiet (we noticed only a hint of wind noise creeping into the cabin as we approached triple-digit speeds), and features like ARS and active steering make the car exceedingly easy to drive at speed.
The 6 Series will be priced close to a base 7, with the convertible costing a bit more. And we can start dreaming about the M version, which shouldn’t be too far down the road.
Muy rapido indeed.
Source: Autoweek
11-24-2003, 09:55 AM
#186
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70k is nuts and overpriced. And it's ugly to me. The current Benz CL and previous CLK 430 look better. Interior is hot though, I like it a lot.
70k????R they serious?
70k????R they serious?
11-24-2003, 10:42 AM
#188
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Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
70k is nuts and overpriced. And it's ugly to me. The current Benz CL and previous CLK 430 look better. Interior is hot though, I like it a lot.
70k????R they serious?
70k is nuts and overpriced. And it's ugly to me. The current Benz CL and previous CLK 430 look better. Interior is hot though, I like it a lot.
70k????R they serious?
11-24-2003, 11:13 AM
#189
The hair says it all
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Originally posted by gavriil
And you know, I bet fully equipped we are at high $80Ks
And you know, I bet fully equipped we are at high $80Ks
did anyone else catch that bangle didn't design this?
11-24-2003, 11:43 AM
#190
Duck Fuke!
Originally posted by charliemike
$70k for a 645Ci and they want to build a more expensive coupe? WTF?
$70k for a 645Ci and they want to build a more expensive coupe? WTF?
$70k is about the base cost of the 7 series right? The 6 is basically a coupe version of the 7, I dont see the big deal about the price
11-24-2003, 12:07 PM
#191
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Well, everyone keep in mind that this is the highst up model, the 630 and 625 (are they making a 625) will be less, but you will get less horsepower then in our CL's, and im sure they will start at at least 45k. The thing is ugly anyway, and like all bmw's is ridculously over priced in any itteration.
Also, even though bangle didnt actualy design it, he did design the 7 z4 and 5 which is what this design is based off of.
Also, even though bangle didnt actualy design it, he did design the 7 z4 and 5 which is what this design is based off of.
11-25-2003, 10:20 PM
#192
hail to the victors
THIS GOTTA BE THE BEST LOOKING BMW EVER!! people pay 100k for MB so why not? even cadillac XLR IS 80K. and what about lexus SC430? i don't think it is overpriced. i would definitely pay 70k for this!
11-25-2003, 10:28 PM
#193
hail to the victors
THIS GOTTA BE THE BEST LOOKING BMW EVER!! people pay 100k for MB so why not? even cadillac XLR IS 80K. and what about lexus SC430? i don't think it is overpriced. i would definitely pay 70k for this!
11-25-2003, 11:33 PM
#194
Safety Car
The 6 series looks nice, but it's not all that. I'll prefer this one over any other BMW, any day!!!!
By the way, anyone know what the new 3-series is going to look like?
By the way, anyone know what the new 3-series is going to look like?
11-26-2003, 05:17 AM
#195
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally posted by chungkopi
THIS GOTTA BE THE BEST LOOKING BMW EVER!! people pay 100k for MB so why not? even cadillac XLR IS 80K. and what about lexus SC430? i don't think it is overpriced. i would definitely pay 70k for this!
THIS GOTTA BE THE BEST LOOKING BMW EVER!! people pay 100k for MB so why not? even cadillac XLR IS 80K. and what about lexus SC430? i don't think it is overpriced. i would definitely pay 70k for this!
11-26-2003, 09:16 AM
#196
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Originally posted by Collective27
Well, everyone keep in mind that this is the highst up model, the 630 and 625 (are they making a 625) will be less, but you will get less horsepower then in our CL's, and im sure they will start at at least 45k. The thing is ugly anyway, and like all bmw's is ridculously over priced in any itteration.
Also, even though bangle didnt actualy design it, he did design the 7 z4 and 5 which is what this design is based off of.
Well, everyone keep in mind that this is the highst up model, the 630 and 625 (are they making a 625) will be less, but you will get less horsepower then in our CL's, and im sure they will start at at least 45k. The thing is ugly anyway, and like all bmw's is ridculously over priced in any itteration.
Also, even though bangle didnt actualy design it, he did design the 7 z4 and 5 which is what this design is based off of.
11-26-2003, 09:56 AM
#198
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The MB CLS Vision is the concept for a competing car to the 6. the 6 is not a CL and its not a CLK.
6 > CLK
CL > 6
6 = CLS
its the new thing i guess, the more expensive coupe would be a CL or SL competitor.
thats just what i think....
btw, i would not rather have the 911 because of how freakin common and played out that style is. the only 911's worth getting are the rarer ones, turbo, gt3, etc. your standard 911 isnt that great in comparison to the BMW.
the new BMW suspensions are supposed to be the best thing since the wheel. the 5, no matter how it looks, apparently is one of the best drivers cars out there. the 6 series also has 2 more seats than the 911 and more trunk space i would imagine.
heres my thing tho. i love this car, i think it will not let anyone down when it hits the streets and i think the price is justified as far as BMW's go (they over price everything but this isnt any worse overpricing than porsche or other BMWs). HOWEVER, for 80k I'm looking toward an E55, i just cant get over that car.
E55 > all others under 90k
6 > CLK
CL > 6
6 = CLS
its the new thing i guess, the more expensive coupe would be a CL or SL competitor.
thats just what i think....
btw, i would not rather have the 911 because of how freakin common and played out that style is. the only 911's worth getting are the rarer ones, turbo, gt3, etc. your standard 911 isnt that great in comparison to the BMW.
the new BMW suspensions are supposed to be the best thing since the wheel. the 5, no matter how it looks, apparently is one of the best drivers cars out there. the 6 series also has 2 more seats than the 911 and more trunk space i would imagine.
heres my thing tho. i love this car, i think it will not let anyone down when it hits the streets and i think the price is justified as far as BMW's go (they over price everything but this isnt any worse overpricing than porsche or other BMWs). HOWEVER, for 80k I'm looking toward an E55, i just cant get over that car.
E55 > all others under 90k
