BMW 6 Series E64

The BMW Six is a GT Gran Turismo class car and for most car enthusiasts, it’s not a much understood class of car. Everyone is used to seeing BMW as different. Yes, it is unusual and attracts attention. But was it worth it? The restyling of the first generation turned out to be quite controversial and once again pushed the fans of the old and new school of BMW fans head-on. Bavaria Motors started producing the first body in 1976, and finished in 1990.  Then, after 4 years of thinking, the Germans remembered about feelings of car enthusiasts. In fact, in those times, the model was suitable for buyers. In 2003, a restyled model saw the light. It is hard to believe that the Six has existed for 28 years.

The BMW 6 Series in the e63 e64 body has caused cognitive dissonance for quite a few BMW fans. Because it appeared at the same time as the E60 five, and they both look quite controversial. Especially if you take the previous BMW model design. Most people resented it, but eventually got used to it.

The Six is a premium segment car. The Germans produced it in Coupe and Cabriolet bodies. Adrian van Hooijdonk worked on the design for several years.  It is to him we owe a peculiar appearance of BMW E60. The car was produced in Germany and Egypt. Years of release from 2003 to 2010. Today we will talk about the body is 2 generations of the six. But we’ll pay tribute to the first one.

The first cars of this model appeared in 1976, in E24 body. The father of the protagonist of our review was produced until 1990. After the model’s successor appeared, production was curtailed. Contrary to the fact that many people consider the six to be the heir of the eight – it is far from so. The only thing they have in common is the body type. Everything else is categorically different.

BMW M6 E64 in a new body, built on the basis of the fifth series, in a sedan body. The long hood, seriously displaced backward cabin catch the eye. In general, Bavaria Motors has done everything not to upset true fans of the 6 model.

A year later, Bavaria Motors decided to continue making money on the BMW 6 E63 E64. It was then that the Cabriolet modification came out. The car had a soft top that folded electrically. After the release, in 2007, the car underwent a slight redesign, the main changes were related to the design of bumpers and optics. After another three years, the story of the sixth series from BMW came to an end. Again. Instead of it began to produce cars in the body of F12 and F13.

Appearance

The E64 has borrowed a lot from the F10. The six has a pronounced front, part of exactly the same brakes, brake disks and calipers as on the 5 series BMW in the F10 body.  The trunk opens very interestingly. From the outside – through a button on the alarm system or a BMW nameplate. But there is no servo drive to close it.  The rear rack is particularly good. This is the first car that has both an effective engineering solution and a work of art.  Very nice, huge carbon fiber roof. The designer wanted to make an aggressive nose, but the “shark” turned out to be cartoonishly good-natured.

Engine

Let’s talk about the technical characteristics of the BMW 6 Series II E63 E64. In view of the fact that the car was produced in 6 modifications, we will talk about power units based on the average performance numbers of each. The maximum speed of all cars is limited to 250 kilometers per hour. Gross vehicle weight varies from 1600 to 1935 kg. Moreover, the permissible gross weight exceeds almost 2 tons. As for all the interesting question about consumption, then depending on the model, diesel versions consume from 9 to 9.5 in the city, gasoline from 11 to 20 liters. Outside the city, things are much better. 6 liters on average for diesel engines and from 6 to 9 liters, in the case of gasoline engines. All cars have a tank capacity of 70 liters.

On this car you can find both gasoline engines with the index N52B30, N62B44, N62B48, N53B30 and diesel engines with the index M57D30 . As for the gasoline engines, they are mostly inline 6-cylinder engines that are capable of producing 260 to 180 horsepower and 300 to 315 newton meters of torque. Of all stands out the atmospheric v-eight, which has a useful volume of 4.8 liters and contains under the hood 370 horses that produce 500 newton meters of torque. Only 3 gearboxes are 6-speed manual, automatic with the same number of gears, and 6-speed robot with two clutches.

Interior

As for the interior, inside the car has clearly defined dynamic contours. Ergonomics is at an ideal level. And the exclusivity of trim means that the car belongs to the business class. Climate control works so perfectly that you forget about the weather outside the car windows. The six is equipped with an active safety system, which is able to control the brakes, than provides reliable protection for both driver and passengers.

Three-spoke and specially designed for 6 series steering wheel, which is made of fluted leather, allows a comfortable grip. As for completions, the car is equipped with adaptive headlights, braking force indicator. In top kits a glass sunroof with servo drive and touch control is installed.

Electronics

The car has a multi-lever suspension design. For driving comfort, Bavaria Motors has equipped the car with electric power steering, which can change the gear ratio of the rack. The mode depends on the driving style. Brakes are disc brakes, ventilated. The six is equipped with a brake energy recovery system, a high-precision fuel injection system, innovations in the gearbox, which significantly reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, while not underestimating the level of performance of the car.

As for the gearbox, Bavaria Motors sold the car with automatic transmission, manual and robot. The base package is equipped in the usual way for all business class models in the electric package, the proprietary iDrive operating system, and the patented DSC stabilization system.  For those who like more responsive steering, the proud German offers the Active Steering system, which changes the gear ratio of the rack, depending on the choice of driving mode.

In order to reduce the weight of the car, aluminum and composite materials were used. Separately, it is worth talking about tuned versions of the 6 series from BMW. In 2005, BMW M6 is released, which has 507 horsepower on board. Along with the addition of horsepower under the hood, aggressive air intakes were added to the body, and the body sides were reshaped. In addition, to complete the image of external aggression, the Germans installed branded 19-inch wheels.

Features

Another novelty in the BMW 6 Series was the plastic fenders with memory effect. This means that in the event of a minor accident, the fender flexes, but does not burst. And after a few hours, it regains its former shape. But that’s in cases of minor accidents.

The side support of the front seats deserves special attention. We are talking about the driver’s and passenger’s seat. Moreover, they have not usual statistical form, but are equipped with a special system. Germans have packed special rollers in lateral support. Which at turns at high speed become stiffer, and support the driver, depending on the side of the turn.

Options

In the base configuration, the Six from Bavaria Motors received options such as:

• Electromechanical steering with optional integral active steering;
• Motion dynamics control system
• Dynamic Damper Stiffness Control and Adaptive Drive suspension control system.

The car is also rich in modern developments for the comfort and safety of drivers and passengers. Among them:

1. Adaptive LED low- and high-beam headlights with cornering light function.
2. LED fog lights and taillights will help in foggy weather.
3. The rearview camera will help when parking.
4. The new feature turned out to be Surround View, a system that is designed for all-round vision.
5. Speed Limit Info speed limit indicator, which synchronizes with Google maps.
6. And BMW Night Vision.

In order to individualize the customer, the Germans offer a wide palette of colors, and in the M6 version, in addition to the standard ones, there were 4 unique ones. Seats for driver and navigator, which are equipped with ventilation. Premium segment leather upholstery, ceramic overlays and a top audio system with surround sound support.

Difference between restyling and prerestyling

Because of the decades of difference, the cars are strictly different from each other. The styling, the interior. Everything. Even the dimensions are bigger. The only thing that has not changed is the shark grille and signature outlines. It is related more to the restyled Five than to the first version of the Six.

Let’s start with the main differences in the restyling. Aggressive, flat shark’s face was replaced by a more rounded one that meets modernity and aerodynamics. Two headlights, by which people recognized BMW cars, have been replaced by one, also rounded headlight. On top are installed turn indicators, with LEDs.  The double radiator grille remains – it is one corporate attribute of BMW style. The “Quadratisch, praktisch, gut” has been replaced by a modern, rather unusual and bright body.

A specially designed new M06 engine was developed for the 1976 BMW sixes. These were inline power units that had two overhead camshafts. The valves were installed in the shape of the letter V. This ensured efficient ignition of the fuel mixture and proper turbulence in the combustion chamber, which was ahead of its time by several decades.  First-generation sixes were equipped with a 4-speed manual or a troublesome 3-speed automatic. A few years later, there was an automatic with four speeds and a 5-speed manual. For connoisseurs of safety, BMW even in 1976 installed ABS on these cars. But this option was in a separate configuration. After 3 years, the concern BMW stopped producing the carburetor version. It was the installation of a new engine that allowed this model to last until 1988. And in 84, traction control system and electric drives for seat adjustment were installed in the basic equipment of the car.

As for the new BMW, the car’s length, height and width have been significantly increased. But the ground clearance has become noticeably less. The outdated gearbox was replaced by 6-speed mechanics and automatic transmission. Top kits were equipped with a 7-speed robot, which had two clutches. The outdated M06 engine was also replaced by a 6-cylinder engine. But if before the restyling, almost all models were equipped with v-shaped power, the updated version received in-line engines. The v-eight, which had a useful volume of almost 5 liters, was put exclusively in top kits.  But that in the eighties, that in the two-thousandth, the car has an attractive appearance. These are cars for egoists. Restyling is not provided for every day, unlike the prerestyling version. The suspension is stiff, there is little space, even the spare is not provided.

Sixes are related by the fact that they are equipped in accordance with modern trends of business class. The 2003 model year has collected all the features for which the old six was loved and transferred them to the modern base.

Results

To summarize, the second-generation Six has an aggressive, attractive and unlike anyone else appearance. The interior of the car is exceptionally admirable. Excellent dynamics, which takes the car off the ground from 6 to 5 seconds.

As far as daily use of the car is concerned, it’s pretty tough. The space in the back is catastrophically insufficient for adults. But a small child or a kitten will fit quite well. This automobile is created for explosive starts from a traffic light, smooth roads, perfect driving. It perfectly proves your self-esteem to everyone around you. Sport suspension allows you to feel any bump on the road. Which is especially advantageous on race tracks. It is also worth highlighting the fact that the protagonist of our article acted as a safety car in races such as Formula 1, and various motorcycle races.

Generations and configurations

2 generation – restyling

09.2007 – 07.2010

2nd generation

04.2004 – 08.2007