2009 BMW M6

• Overall
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Prices

BMW M6 - What the Auto Press Says

The 2009 BMW M6 offers the best of both worlds -- it's lavish and unassuming, while all the while monstrous and intimidating. Those in the market for a large (and expensive) car that handles well on road and track will be quite pleased with this Bimmer.

Model Overview

The BMW M6 is a performance-tuned variant of the 6-Series. Highly regarded as a wolf in sheep's clothing, the M6 looks the part of a large, luxurious automobile, but is a much more aggressive machine. Edmunds explains: "Underneath the sheet metal and luxurious leather cabin lie heroic powers and abilities that can be summoned at will. For the uninitiated, the M6 appears much like a typical BMW 6 Series, with a long sweeping hood and sculpted bodywork stretched taut from nose to tail. Only the obligatory M badging and quad exhaust pipes hint at the M6's hidden potential."

Still, the M6 is not perfect -- as its seven-speed SMG transmission and lack of communicative steering leave some test drivers disappointed. However, few vehicles have the chops to serve as both a comfortable grand tourer and high-performance track runner, and that's where the M6's appeal comes in.

The BMW M6 is available in both coupe and convertible body styles.

• "If you want a complex sports car that can perform on a racetrack or the highway, has all the creature comforts one could want and looks gorgeous, the...BMW M6 is it." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "The BMW M6 is, essentially, in a class by itself. What other manufacturer makes a car that is, all at once, a rip-snorting, 500-horsepower, V-10-powered coupe/convertible with other-worldly handling, yet demonstrates a gentlemanly degree of civility and sophistication that only the most refined luxury grand touring machines in the market today can offer? It's the automotive equivalent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." -- Road and Track
• "The M6 is a tech-intensive wonder with a high-revving V-10, a sequential manual gearbox, and a carbon-fiber roof. It's an incredibly fast coupe, but the sequential gearbox is dim-witted and the car is not as satisfying to drive as a Porsche 911 or even BMW's own M3." -- Car and Driver
• "Why you would buy it: Because a 500 horsepower V-10-powered 'bahn burner that fits like a custom-tailored suit is your idea of great fun. And, hey, if you're a Wall Street CEO feeling flush with $700 billion in your back pocket, you have to spend that government bailout somewhere!" -- Left Lane News

The Bottom Line

The BMW M6 is an amazing performer that shines on both road and track. However, it costs roughly $16K more than the M5, but features much of the same performance components. If you're buying the M6 based on performance alone, you're better off saving that cash and springing for the M5 instead -- unless, of course, you want the convertible.

Performance Dynamics

The BMW M6 shares most of its performance components with the less-expensive M5. Not surprisingly, test drivers complain of the same performance issues -- namely a jerky seven-speed transmission and a lack of steering feel. Otherwise, critics love the way the M6 blasts and handles.

The BMW M6 features a 5.0-liter V10 engine that produces 500 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 6,100 rpm. While a seven-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) with drivelogic and paddle shifters is standard, a six-speed manual transmission is available at no extra cost. According to BMW, the M6 has a top speed of 155 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds in the coupe and 4.6 seconds in the convertible. The EPA reports that the BMW M6 nets a city/highway fuel economy of 11/17 mpg.

Aiding performance for the rear-wheel-drive M6 is a vehicle-speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering, dubbed M Servotronic. This steering set-up features M Driving Dynamics Control, which allows drivers to choose between two settings -- Throttle and Steering. What's more, the M6 features an independent suspension system. Electronic Damping Control allows drivers to configure the vehicle's suspension settings to Comfort, Normal, or Sport mode. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with M Dynamic Mode (MDM) helps the M6 maintain road composure, while an anti-lock brake system (ABS) and Brake Assist bring it to a halt.

• "The M6 is powered by a 5.0-liter V-10. The engine can rev as high as 8,250 rpm. At start-up, the engine produces a 'comfort-oriented' 400 hp, which is more suitable for urban traffic. A button on the selector-lever cover increases output to the M6's top rating." -- Cars.com
• "But does it go? With a full-tilt-boogie list price of $111,320, it damn well ought to. And truth be told, with five liters of Formula 1-inspired power under the hood, it does." -- Left Lane News
• "Quick steering, strong brakes, powerful engine, but the sequential gearbox is a letdown. Good thing there's a conventional six-speed manual." -- Car and Driver
• "The M6's automated manual can be set to shift like an automatic, or drivers can change gears manually via the floor shifter or steering-wheel paddles. In any mode, the automated manual is harsh and inconsistent. The smooth, alert automatic is the best choice for the 650i, with the 6-speed manual the ideal companion for the M6." -- Consumer Guide
• "This is a seriously fast, high-performance sports coupe with capabilities that will prove to be far beyond the skill levels of almost all its owners and drivers, and it should, therefore, be treated with respect. That said, it is actually easy to drive within reasonable limits, feels grounded and secure, responds with finesse and corners with only minimal body roll." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "[L]ike all superheroes, the M6 has unexpected weaknesses that can be exploited by competitors. These shortcomings include the SMG's tendency for herky-jerky shifting in automatic mode during heavy traffic, the disappointing lack of steering feel for a BMW and the annoyingly complex nature of BMW's iDrive control system found on the early production 2009 M6." ­-- Edmunds