BMW 6 Series Convertible

Comfortable in its own skin now, so comfortable for you. Sadly not that exciting, however

• Comfort

  Adaptive chassis settings and all, this is a big car with light steering, a buttery smooth auto 'box, elastic damping and an emphasis on quiet, roof up or down. Rear legroom is surprisingly lacking, though.

  

• Performance

  You're looking at either the 320bhp 640i (a 3.0-litre straight-six turbo), the 4.4-litre twin-turbo, 407bhp 650i (0-62mph in five seconds), and the 313bhp 640d. That latter engine returns 49.6mpg and is a tenth of a second quicker to 62mph than the 640i petrol (5.6 seconds). That's progress.

  

• Cool

  Cooler than the outgoing one, but still less so than the Coupe. Don't argue, we all know that these things are written into the immutable laws of the universe.

  

• Quality

  Very solid creation from BMW, and the roof is lovely. BMW seems to get it’s interiors right and the materials usage is second to none. 

  

• Handling

  When given sufficient cause, it understeers just enough to let you know you've reached the end of playtime. A dynamic statement immediately contradicted by a swing of oversteer if you binge on the throttle halfway round a corner having previously sedated some of the myriad stability and traction control options.

  The body is well-controlled and the active damping is firm but usable. And yet the new 6-Series seems to be a lightning rod for joy. You may be aware that it's well-made and expensive, but everything has been so very obsessively aimed down the middle of the road that it registers exactly nil for surprise and delight.

   

  

• Practicality

  The rear seats are best left to people who like a touch of S&M, because the loss of bloodflow to their lower legs can cause discomfort to some people. The boot also loses some space when the roof gets folded, so pack light if you want to go topless. Actually that makes quite a lot of sense. Otherwise there’s plenty of room up front and there’s no reason to fear the lack of a Coupe Convertible top when fabric lids are this good. 

  

• Running costs

  The 640d returns nearly 50mpg and is quicker to 62mph than the 640i petrol, but otherwise you're looking at high petrol bills for the 640i and 640i, and big road tax bills. But, it does come with a shedload of standard equipment.