M6 Cabrio show star unveiled

By Sam Hardy

27th June 2006

It’s got power, 6-appeal, and it’s utterly roofless! This is the new M6 Convert-ible, BMW’s sensational new supercar, which will be displayed for the first time at the British Motor Show in July.

Featuring the same 5.0-litre V10 engine as the Coupé, plus the tin-top’s seven-speed semi-auto gearbox and aggressive bodykit, the range-topping performance car will fight it out with Mercedes’ SL55 AMG and Porsche’s forthcoming 911 Turbo Cabriolet

Delivering 507bhp, the open-top model does 0-62mph in only 4.8 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. But BMW claims that without this limiter, the M6 Convertible could go on to a maximum speed approaching 200mph. Gearshifting is equally rapid. The Sequential Manual Gearbox lets drivers choose from 11 different settings, allowing shifts to take place in only 50 milliseconds in the most extreme mode.

To ensure the M6 Convertible maintains BMW’s 50:50 weight distribution, it gets light plastic front wings and carbon fibre reinforced bumpers, with the rest of the bodywork made of aluminium and steel. And a triple layered soft-top hood partly built from polyurethane foam is said to give the cabriolet the same sound insulation as a coupé. Sales for the newcomer start in September, with prices from £85,000.