2017 BMW M6 Review

For those who enjoy a comfortable grand touring car but demand the accelerative thrust of a high-speed bullet train, the 2017 BMW M6 might be right up your alley. Specifically, how does 560 horsepower and an even 500 pound-feet of torque sound? Pretty good, we imagine.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, we'd also like to remind you that the regular, non-M-badged BMW 650i makes a noteworthy 445 hp with a healthy 480 lb-ft of torque, and is good for a zero -to-60-mph sprint in 4.5 seconds. That's not bad for a car that would save you a considerable sum off of the M6's price. But perhaps you insist on driving the very best, and you know exactly how you'd make use of the M6's extra grunt. Or maybe you just want to up the bragging rights. In that case there's the M6's optional Competition package that brings the twin-turbo V8's output to 600 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Because, why not?  

As a complement to the power gains, upgraded M-tuned active suspension, steering, brakes, and electronically controlled rear differential provide significant improvement to this large luxury coupe's handling abilities. All of this performance hardware is balanced by a comfortable cabin trimmed in top-shelf materials, like fine-grain leather and carbon-fiber trim. The M6 comes so well equipped, that there are few additional options to significantly widen the aforementioned price gap between it and the 650i.

If you're set on shopping in the M6 price range, there are a few other attractive options. The 2017 Porsche 911 receives a new turbocharged six-cylinder engine and is lighter and more sport focused, though its rear seats are even less accommodating than the BMW's. If you're someone who likes convertibles, the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG benefits from a retractable hardtop, offering cleaner looks and more security than the M6 convertible's cloth top. However, it isn't quite as sporty as the M6 at this level, and it's a big price jump to get that performance AMG model. Moving just slightly upstream, the Maserati GranTurismo is a delectably stylish offering from Italy, with useable rear seats and exotic road presence.

All told, the BMW M6 strikes a very nice balance in performance and grand touring comfort. In other words, it does it all.

Standard safety features for all 2017 BMW M6 models include antilock disc brakes with advanced standby and drying features, traction and stability control, a hill-hold feature, front-seat side airbags, active front-seat head restraints and a rearview camera. Convertibles receive added rollover protection.

Also standard are the BMW Assist emergency communications system (including automatic crash notification and on-demand roadside assistance) and BMW Remote Services (including stolen-vehicle recovery, remote door unlocking and an integrated smartphone app).

The Driver Assistance Plus package includes a suite of safety aids including lane departure warning, frontal collision warning/mitigation, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, as well as 360-degree camera system and current road speed limit info.

In Edmunds brake testing, an M6 convertible came to a stop from 60 mph in 108 feet on its summer tires. That's a strong showing in general, but unremarkable for this class of car.

The 2017 BMW M6 is available in a single trim level as either a coupe or a convertible (the four-door M6 Gran Coupe is reviewed separately). Coupe models come with a carbon-fiber roof, while the convertible features a power-operated fabric top and a heated glass rear window that can be raised independently of the top to serve as a wind blocker.

Standard features include 19-inch alloy wheels, an M-specific front fascia and other sporty styling elements, adaptive suspension dampers, an active limited-slip differential, automatic adaptive LED headlights, LED foglights and taillights, heated power-folding auto-dimming mirrors, automatic wipers, front and rear parking sensors, automatic soft-close doors, keyless entry and ignition, ambient lighting, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery (with sun-reflective surfaces for the convertible), 16-way power heated front seats (with four-way lumbar support, adjustable bolsters and memory functions), a power-adjustable steering wheel, a synthetic-suede headliner (coupe only), extended leather trim and carbon-fiber accents.

Electronics features include Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, BMW's iDrive interface (with a 10.2-inch display), wireless charging (Qi standard), a Wi-Fi hotspot (3G), online services (including news and weather), smartphone-app integration, a rearview camera, voice controls, a navigation system and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system with HD radio, satellite radio and enhanced USB/iPod integration with message dictation. Also included are driver-adjustable settings for the suspension, transmission, steering and engine.

The optional Executive package adds a heated steering wheel, ventilated fatigue-reducing "active" front seats, a color head-up display (also available separately), a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and (for the coupe only) a power rear sunshade. The Driver Assistance Plus package includes a lane departure warning system, frontal collision warning, a blind-spot monitor and a camera system with top-down and around-the-corner views.

Also optional is the Competition package that delivers 40 additional horses for the V8 engine; 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels; revised tuning for the suspension, steering and rear differential; retuned stability control that provides a higher threshold for intervention in the M Dynamic mode; and a black chrome finish for the tailpipes.

New for 2017 is the M Driver's package, which includes one full day of high-performance driver training at a BMW Performance Center and a higher top speed limit (190 mph for the M6). BMW will no longer offer the higher top speed limit as a standalone option.

Other standalone options include 20-inch wheels in silver or black, carbon-ceramic brakes, additional trim pieces in carbon fiber, a six-speed manual transmission, color head-up display and a night vision system with pedestrian detection.

Powering the rear-wheel-drive 2017 BMW M6 is a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that produces an impressive 560 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Opting for the Competition package raises output to 600 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.

BMW is one of the holdouts in the performance luxury segment that insists on offering a traditional six-speed manual gearbox, one with a third pedal for the clutch, as a no-cost option. However, if you want the Competition Package, you'll have to stick to the standard seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual, which you'll shift using steering-wheel-mounted paddles rather than row a gearbox.

In Edmunds performance testing, a convertible M6 with the automated manual transmission sprinted to 60 mph in a mere 4.2 seconds. The coupe is roughly 250 pounds lighter, so expect it to be marginally quicker.

EPA fuel economy estimates for both the coupe and convertible stand at 16 mpg combined (14 mpg city/20 mpg highway) with the automatic and 17 mpg combined (15 city/22 highway) with the manual transmission.