Test drive BMW 6 Episode E63 since 2007 compartment

Time machines

Night. An empty wide highway near Moscow. Silence. Suddenly, from afar, a thoroughbred growl of the motor comes from afar: the car itself is not yet visible, and after that, it would seem, a moment flies past with the sound of the dissected air. In order to hear and feel it, you should temporarily give way to a colleague, and go outside yourself. But everything is inside: driving the BMW 650i fully know his true essence of the essence of the real Grand Turism
 
As you know, there are few good roads in Russia, and good, and even safe, and even less. But they are still there. However, here's the bad luck: during the day they are most often loaded with numerous cars, so at night and only at night in some proven areas you can imbue the spirit of the Grand Turismo. Especially when under your right foot nearly 5 liters of working volume and 367 first -class horses. It is a pity that you fly the selected 20-km segment of the freeway in 6 7 minutes, and then, as a rule, you have to part with your European illusions and again to be transferred to the harsh Russian reality, the road becomes unsuitable for high speeds. But even these few minutes is enough to understand: at the same speed, you can brush another 50 such segments.
It is precisely for this that there are primarily powerful compartment, similar to 650i, for rapid shots along the high -speed highway at huge distances. In such a car, you can confidently cross at least all of Europe! But, alas, only in the native of Germany for this car there are autobahns without speed limit, and even there are less and less there. One way or another, the BMW 650i, this Concord automobile world is an amazing combination of luxury, comfort, reliability and speed! Refined Grand Turismo!
The ancestor of the GT class, perhaps, can be considered the beauty Alfa Romeo 6c 1750 S/GT, the open racing versions of which allowed the crews of Giuseppe Campari Julio Ramponi and Tazio Jovanni Guidotti to win the legendary Mille Miglia 1929 and 1930. For Bavarians, a two -door closed body initially occupied a special, privileged place in a modeling table about ranks. We can say that, along with unsurpassed engines, these beautiful, fast and selfish engines are inherently cars, and not much more prosaic sedans have always been and remain a true face, a BMW showcase. It is enough to recall the model of the 328 1930s, the 503rd or 507th models and the later CS without characteristic average racks. It was to replace the 3000 CS model in 1975 that cars of the 6th series came.
In the 70s of the last century, BMW actively promoted its products to a huge American market. The safety standards that were tightened there to some extent determined the appearance of the BMW 6th series, released from 1975 to 1989. The Parisian designer Paul Marriage (his project preferred the option from the famous Giugiaro studio) and the leading BMW engineer of that time Bernhard overthrew that the openwork roof, light bumpers and bodies without a central rack would have to be abandoned. And in general, the new compartment, built on the units of the 5th series, has become much more massive and thorough than 100%GT. Some stylistic solutions (for example, the famous negative angle of inclination of the radiator lattice and sloping hood, for which the six received the nickname of the shark) were borrowed from an experimental M1 experimental medium -measured coupe developed by the field. (By the way, read this amazing car about the reincarnation of this amazing car).
The rapid appearance was complemented by double headlights, pronounced wheel arches and a spectacular back. As a result, the E24 compartment has become one of the most beautiful and successful cars in history. For 14 years, a little more than 86 thousand copies were released, half of which, as planned, was sold in the United States. The BMW of the 6th series of that time is rightfully considered a cult car. Considering that some of them have already hit 30 years, it is quite difficult to find a living copy even through clubs of devoted fans of the model that exist in so many countries. In Russia, the ideal six is \u200b\u200beven very rare than good roads. Therefore, quite by accident, getting acquainted with the owner of just such a compartment of 1979 (!) The year of release, we immediately invited him to take part in our test, which, thanks to this, acquired an almost academic, fundamental character.
According to the owner of the antique, in fact, six (who, as a true connoisseur of classics, of course, does not find most modern cars original and interesting), this model was originally 628, but after the engine repair and increasing the working volume, the 633rd became the 633rd . The car arrived in Russia in 1993 and is still in excellent shape. She completely retained the original exterior, salon and even native Borbet discs, and in one of the photos you can see how she drags a concrete block on the asphalt without much tension (just do not ask why we needed it).
Settling in an anti-ergonomic salon on an old armchair of an imperfect shape and holding on to the thin rim of the steering wheel, as if they were transferred at those days when the cars were not just a means of movement, but with some kind of animated, your heartfelt friend. On the move, the six 30 years ago produces the very same, almost forgotten, and many unknown impression of the present An honest living car, in which a lot depends on the skill of the driver, and not on any new -fangled electronic systems. It seems that you feel how to cling to the asphalt the rear wheels with your right foot, and the front of the fingers turn like the front. Inimitable, not muffled by unnecessary sound insulation, the sound of a magnificent in -line six BMW penetrates the soul. At the same time, this machine has the main qualities of Grand Turism with dynamics and comfort, for its time simply magnificent. And, of course, this BMW gives a intoxicating sense of involvement in automotive history, and one of its best manifestations.
Does this feeling new 650i give? Yes and no.
Yes, if only because the new six, of course, has become a significant milestone in the history of BMW. Indeed, before the release of the modern 6th series in the lineup of the Bavarians, there were no big GT coupe for five years! In addition, with the previous compartment of the 8th series, it has nothing to do, since the eight was built on the basis of the sedan of the 7th series. Yes, also because 650i became the quintessence of the engineering thought of Bavarians and the designer impulse of another maestro Chris Banlla. (It is not known, by the way, what inspired Banlal at the moments of his research, but my colleagues and I noticed that without the lid of the trunk, the silhouette 650i suspiciously resembles another legend of the Porsche 911 automobile world!)
But not, because it is not entirely correct to evaluate in a historical context a car that continues to remain on the conveyor, not so long ago surviving a small restyling. Let's talk about that too. As usual, updating the model is barely noticeable. The appearance of the six did not undergo special changes. New bumpers, other lighting equipment and integrated into a slightly altered lid of the trunk, Stop signal, have appeared. Inside the changes are slightly larger, but they do not make revolutions either. The fact that the motor has now become almost 5-liter (4799 cm) is already clear from the index. Active steering and stabilizers are preserved. Auxiliary electronics were added: the car is equipped with a system for monitoring the movement of movement, an active cruise control and an infrared night vision camera, the image from which is broadcast on the central display. This last system is a rather convenient thing: it sees objects much further than xenon light, although it is not very convenient to squint at a display, especially at high speed.
 
And the six now flaunts the door closers. It is only necessary to cover it slightly, and the automatic suction cup with a characteristic sound will tighten it into the opening, and the door of the door without a framework will rise upwards with the next movement. A trifle, but nice. But salt, of course, is not in these electronic chips. And this becomes clear after the first press on the gas. Cool acceleration is juicy, dense, even, until the limiter is triggered. The traction of the 5-l of the motor is always enough in any situations. The machine helps as it can. In sports and manual modes, an excellent reaction to pressing the accelerator and excellent engine braking. But even its smoothness in the usual mode of Drive cannot tame the 8-cylinder beast raging under the hood.
And what a voice that beast has! He can rumble in idle speeds at idle, can gurgle like Harley-Davidson, on medium, can bargain when switching down, or maybe howl with a metallic ringing, reaching a bapto when an arrow the tachometer exceeds 6,000! The magnificent duo of the motor and configured release! All this sound accompaniment is specially made so obvious, because, for example, the seven with the same motor does not have the same vocal data. And that’s right: the owner of 650i has nothing to be shy at the wheel of one of the best Grand Turisms on the planet. The fact that the 6th series is obviously sharpened under the autobahn does not prevent it from managing it perfectly. Of course, on the winding narrow paths and especially in the city, she is cramped, but she is capable of a lot.
Ideal amusing, a verified balance, a configured suspension and a traditional completely disconnected stabilization system for BMW allow, if there are correct skills, it is very clever to control with a far from a small car in a common car. Everything is so natural and right that you find understanding with a powerful compartment quite quickly and soon you already get used to a light and fast counter movement of the steering wheel to catch a broken rear axle at the start, which, by the way, is also easy to adjust, or pass the turns on the verge of a breakdown. It is characterized by the fact that the systems of active stabilizers and steering with a variable transfer of an alternating attitude already mentioned above are almost imperceptible, without violating the feelings of the car.
Perhaps the feedback on the steering wheel at low speeds seems somewhat synthetic, but this is rather from the field of small nit -picking, nothing more. And, of course, with all its severity of the 650i control, he most confidently feels in the free left row of the highway: gas to the floor, and all the other cars seem to stop in place, as if a time machine had earned!
650i sports does not go against comfort. Perhaps, of all the BMW compartment models, only the 7th series is seconded to this indicator, which is natural. Passengers (and there can be four of them with an increase of the average) always feel protected and calm, regardless of the speed of movement: the suspension does not convey their fifth points for extra information. There are almost no rolls, no swing. BMW, like a glider, glides over the surface of the highway. Only the cerebellum and the covered limbs of passengers tell the brain that longitudinal and transverse accelerations go beyond the usual frames. But this is a special buzz, when you are pressed into the seat and you can hardly reach the panel, isn't it?
Bright BMW 650i car. Bright in all respects, starting with the color overflowing in the sun and ending with the most important amazing sensations from the control of them. Rarely what kind of car it can be so fast and comfortable at the same time. Many will say that for them this is the ideal, the standard that you need to strive for. Well, in many ways they will be right. But only a few of them are destined to know another bright side of the compartment of the 6th series possession of it. No wonder Gran means big!
Dmitry Krotov
 
 
 

A source: Motor magazine [June 2008]