On the open road, the M6 masks its weight well and is perhaps the
“Ultimate Touring Machine.” But the satisfaction doesn’t carry over to
balls-out bombing runs, as we found out during our latest Lightning Lap track test.
Whereas directional stability and roadholding are impressive on any
paved road, and the car packs prodigious power, at-the-limit driving is
made difficult by a distinct lack of feedback from the steering wheel
and brakes. The steering offers three weight settings, but most of our
staff prefer the Comfort setting, the lightest of the three. The wheel
is simply needlessly heavy in the two other modes. And we think the
stability control could allow for more generous tail action in its
Dynamic setting.
Even so, the M6 is a considerably more agile and stiff vehicle than the
regular 6-series, in large part because its rear subframe is bolted
directly to the body. The M6 features an electronically controlled
active differential that can instantly shift between zero and
full-locking force, as well as electrohydraulic dampers, which operate
in clearly delineated Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus settings.
Our car was equipped with 20-inch aluminum wheels, a $1300 option, and
carbon-ceramic brakes, which set the buyer back another $9250. The
optional binders bite hard and display no sign of fade, but as
mentioned, we wish the pedal were a better conversationalist.
Despite its remarkable length of 193.0 inches, the M6 is not
particularly spacious. The driver and the co-driver sit low and
comfortably and are surrounded by a gracefully arched dashboard. But the
rear seats are a far less desirable place to be, because of difficult
ingress and egress and limited head- and legroom.
Priced from $109,275, the M6 coupe faces stiff competition in the sports-luxury segment, including the Jaguar XKR, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and Maserati GranTurismo.
Many customers in this class appreciate luxury amenities and ease of
operation above sheer performance, which is apparent in this car’s
execution. But what about those of us who still admire the
first-generation M6 and would gladly do without all the electronic
assistants and gimmicks?
We started to make an uneasy peace with the M6 far away from
civilization, sitting abaft of the controlled inferno in the combustion
chambers. We were perhaps a dozen miles into a blitz down a two-lane
road, a long, lingering gray cloud of fine dust trailing in our wake.
And out of the red mist, a realization came into focus: Unless the car
suddenly loses hundred of pounds and the steering and the brakes are
retuned, we’re going to have to suck it up and accept what the M6 has
become—the Ultimate Touring Machine.
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