What Is It?

2005 BMW 645Ci Convertible

What's Special About It?

Following closely on the heels of the new 6 Series Coupe, the 645Ci drop top promises all the fun of an open-top car combined with the performance of the ultimate Ultimate Driving Machine. The 645 convertible sports a 325-horsepower, 4.4-liter V8 that utilizes variable valve timing and variable valve lift to give it a 0-to-60-mph time of about 6 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155. To further enhance the driving experience, the 645Ci offers Active Roll Stabilization which works to reduce body lean during spirited driving. There are also three transmission choices, all six-speeds. There is a traditional manual transmission, Steptronic Automatic and a Formula One-inspired sequential manual gearbox that uses fingertip shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel.

For better or worse, the 645's driver interface is the much maligned iDrive system, but recent improvements promise easier operation than the original setup. In order to keep the interior at a noise level befitting a luxury car, the newly developed convertible top uses a plastic middle layer that insulates against heat and noise while a rubberized outer layer keeps the elements out. As you would expect in a convertible of this caliber, the rear window is glass, but what you might not expect is that it can roll up and down independent of the top itself. The top is fully automatic, of course, and it can be raised or lowered completely with the flick of a switch — you can even raise it with the car moving up to 20 mph.

What's Edmunds' Take?

A performance convertible is one thing, but a drop top offering the power and refinement of a BMW 6 Series with the unparalleled fun factor of open cockpit driving makes for a car that is simply hard to resist. After a notable absence from the high-end four-place coupe and convertible categories, the new 6 Series firmly establishes BMW near the top of the pecking order once again. — Brian Moody