2012 BMW 650i convertible: Hey, better-lookin'

摘要

THE BIG, TWO-DOOR 6-SERIES returned to the BMW lineup in 2004, and this year the car has gone in for its first redesign. In a reversal of the usual BMW practice, the convertible arrives first, which is good news for U.S. buyers, as it outsells the two-door coupe two to one. (A four-door "coupe" also is planned.) The 650i moves to a new platform, shared with the 5- and 7-series sedans, and sits astride a three-inch-longer wheelbase. The car is also 2.6 inches longer and 1.6 inches wider. Naturally, that means all-new sheetmetal. Ask Dr. Frank Ochmann, 6-series project leader, about the new car and he says, "Most important was the design." We agree. Like all recent new BMWs, the 650i is better-looking than its predecessor, as the brand slowly pulls itself out of the primordial ooze of its Bangle-era styling. Where the old car was soft and melted-looking, the new one has thrust and crispness.