BMW: Soft top very hard to resist

The BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe (pictured) and the 6-Series convertible will share the same powertrain. Photo / Supplied

The four-door Gran Coupe that BMW unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show earlier this year will be badged a 6-Series and sit alongside the 6-Series convertible when both cars go on sale in New Zealand in 2011/2012.

Speculation was that the Gran Coupe would revive the 8-Series badge, but BMW confirmed at the launch of the convertible in Los Angeles that it will be called the 6-Series Gran Coupe.

It will go up against the second-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS, Audi's all-new A7, and an updated Maserati Quattroporte.

It is expected to be available with the same powertrains as the soft-top, a choice of two Euro 5-compliant twin-turbo, direct-injected petrol powerplants, feeding power to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifters.

The flagship convertible will be the 650i, powered by a 4.4-litre V8 delivering 300kW and 600Nm. The entry-level version is the 640i, running a 3-litre straight-six, tailored specifically for the 6-Series and packing 235kW of power with 450Nm of torque.

Both Gran Coupe and convertible will carry BMW's EfficientDynamics kit, including stop-start, brake energy recuperation and on-demand ancillaries. BMW claims town-and-around fuel consumption for the 3-litre of 7.9 litres/100km and 185gr/km of CO2 emissions.

The new 6-Series soft-top is bigger than its predecessor. It is 74mm longer, 39mm wider but 9mm lower. Wheelbase is also 74mm longer. BMW says the car is more spacious and comes with more headroom.

Rear-seat passengers gain legroom compared to the old model and the angle of the rear backrests has also been improved.

Carried over from the current car is the canvas roof's "flying buttress" design that provides the convertible with a coupe-like silhouette when the soft-top is up.

BMW has reworked the roof to improve noise and temperature insulation.

The roof can be lowered in 19 seconds and raised in 24, with roof operation possible while driving at up to 40km/h. The driver can also operate the roof and windows remotely.

The rear window can be lowered independently to provide ventilation and doubles as a wind deflector to reduce air turbulence for rear passengers with the roof down.

The new car's boot offers a 300-litre capacity, extending to 350 litres when the top is in place.

The new 6-Series is based on the running gear of the latest 5-Series, and its suspension relies extensively on lightweight aluminium.

BMW has packed the new 6-Series with a host of standard and optional technology, including its pioneering ConnectedDrive in-car internet information system.

The ConnectedDrive system enables BlackBerry users to access their emails via Bluetooth and display them on the in-dash screen or, using text-to-speech technology, read them aloud through the car's audio system.

It can also display album artwork while streaming music from MP3 players or mobile phones connected via USB or Bluetooth.

A further option, Active Steering, aids low-speed manoeuvring by altering the steering's gearing. It also includes rear-wheel steering, which enables the rear wheels to turn by up to 2.5 degrees.

At speeds up to 60km/h the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels.

At higher speeds, the rear wheels follow the direction of the front wheels to help the rear stay planted and increase precision.