Australians will get their first peek at the fastest accelerating and most expensive example of open-top motoring in the BMW family, the M6 Convertible, later this week when the Australian International Motor Show opens in Sydney.

The 373 kW V10 M6 Convertible is priced from $295,000 (RRP) and the first Australian customers will be behind the wheel of their car in time for the holiday motoring season.

“The BMW M6 Convertible is a dream car for the genuine enthusiast – the real connoisseur seeking to combine impressive driving dynamics with a stylish example of open-top motoring,” says Tom Noble, General Manager, Marketing at BMW Group Australia.

“The M6 Convertible is one of the most fascinating and exclusive cars ever built by the world-famous division of BMW, M GmbH, which is famous world over for producing ultra-performance luxury vehicles."

“The unique M6 Convertible will be a key attraction at the motor show. The open four-seater combines the dynamic performance of a super sports car with the exclusivity of a luxury convertible,” he said.

Taking up the usual policy of BMW M Cars, the dynamic driving qualities of the BMW M6 Convertible have been optimised on the race track. But through its high standard of motoring comfort, wide range of equipment and unique flair, the BMW M6 Convertible is at home on all roads the world over.

Measuring 4,871 millimetres in length, the BMW M6 Convertible is well over 5 centimetres longer than the BMW 6 Series Convertible, above all due to the aerodynamically optimised rear air dam giving the car a sleeker silhouette. Widely flared side sills, in turn, add a further touch of dynamism, with the M6 Convertible almost crouching on the road as if it were ready to pounce.

The absolute eye-catcher at the rear is the exhaust system with four tailpipes typical of a BMW M Car sticking out of the powerfully designed rear air dam. In all, therefore, the BMW M6 Convertible comes in an aesthetic look based on dynamism and exclusivity equally thrilling with the roof up or down.

The soft roof of the BMW M6 Convertible is made of three layers, a sound and temperature-proofing layer of polyurethane foam (PUR) coming between the rubberised outer cover and the interior lining. The soft top retains the dynamic roofline also characteristic of the Coupé.

The wide C-pillar of the BMW M6 Convertible even boasts the famous Hofmeister “kick” so typical and visible on all BMWs. And although the roof stretches over a largepassenger compartment, it folds up into compact dimensions when opened, the vertical rear window moving up and down electrically independently of the roof and thus taking up only minimum space.

Such separate operation of the rear window allows a draught-free supply of fresh air to the interior, while the roof itself opens and closes electrically either by remote control or by pressing a button in the instrument panel, taking less than 25 seconds to move from one position to the other.

The interior: a sports car openly presenting its class.
The BMW M6 Convertible offers a wide range of optical highlights also within the passenger compartment openly revealing all the class and style expected by the connoisseur of such a convertible. Indeed, these features range from generous seats and space all the way to the most attractive comfort features. Yet a further highlight is the tasteful combination of the most exclusive materials, with the design of the interior combining sportiness and elegance all in one.

In the driver-oriented cockpit the essential functions required in driving the car are arranged in perfect ergonomics on or around the steering wheel. The controls for all functions also relevant to the front passenger, in turn, are housed in the centre console also accommodating the iDrive Controller serving to activate and mastermind comfort functions through the Control Display.

In its purist design, the iDrive Controller looks and feels quite different from the “regular” unit in the BMW 650i Convertible, while the Control Display itself comes with enhanced menu guidance also comprising MDrive management. The speedometer and rev counter are housed within chrome surrounds, the instrument faces as such are black, the numbers on the instruments come in white and the indicator needles are in traditional BMW M red.

Head-Up Display (HUD), as featured in the M5 and M6 Coupé, presents driving information essential to the driver directly in their field of vision, with the driver being able to determine at the touch of a button what information they wish to see – either the standard display or M specific details.

Perfect seats for sports motoring.
The front seats have been specially optimised for the BMW M6 Convertible, offering excellent support above all with a dynamic style of motoring. And considering the usual conditions in a convertible, the two passengers at the rear also enjoy a high standard of all-round comfort.

As on all M Cars, the battery and tyre repair system are accommodated in the luggage compartment. Offering capacity of 300 litres with the roof open and 350 litres with the roof closed, the luggage compartment is nevertheless unusually large, conveniently accommodating one large and one small hard-shell suitcase or a medium-sized hard-shell case plus two 46-inch golf bags.

Convertible with a V10 power unit: an open confession to supreme performance.
Boasting a 373 kW V10 power unit, the BMW M6 Convertible makes a very open pledge to supreme performance. But even so, engine power alone is not everything. Rather, the fascinating potential of this drive unit is the result of supreme acceleration and outstanding muscle at all engine and road speeds.

On the BMW M6 Convertible, this ideal combination of engine torque and the overall transmission ratio ensures incredible thrust on the drive wheels in all situations, the performance character of the fast-revving V10 in the BMW M6 Convertible forming a perfect team with the transmission and final drive ratios for perfectly dosed transmission of engine power to the rear wheels.

The concept for generating this supreme power comes directly from motorsport: To develop its maximum power, the V10 power unit revs all the way to 8,250 rpm, a level of engine speed otherwise only found in a racing car. And specific output is outstanding for a normal-aspiration engine, at more than 100 horsepower per litre.

Variable bi-VANOS camshaft adjustment ensures an optimum gas cycle at all times, while all-electronic control of the individual throttle butterflies on each cylinder is yet another feature typical of motorsport.

High-speed engine technology and seven-speed SMG.
One thing the driver will never miss on the high speed power unit is superior output and muscle. But since fast overtaking also requires a fast and precise gearshift, the BMW M6 Convertible comes complete with BMW’s Sequential M Gearbox (SMG) and Drivelogic, seven-speed SMG transmitting the power of the engine ideally via the drivetrain to the rear wheels and also offering the option to shift gears manually with extremely short shift times.

The automatic drive function, in turn, makes fast cruising an outstanding experience of both comfort and performance, SMG enabling the driver to shift gears either on the selector lever or via paddles on the steering wheel. And the interruption of power when shifting gears is reduced to an absolute minimum in both the manual and automatic mode.

Drivelogic in BMW’s SMG transmission offers the driver no less than 11 driving programmes for an individual SMG gearshift tailored to his style of motoring. Six of these 11 programmes my be pre-selected within the manual gearshift function (S mode), with the driver choosing gears by hand.

The only exception is Launch Control for maximum acceleration from a standstill. The shift manoeuvres required in each case are completed independently by the transmission at the ideal gearshift point and with optimum slip control.

Adding to this freedom in choosing gears manually, the D-mode offers another five driving programs with automatic transmission.

“M” for muscle.
Interaction of the V10 power unit and seven-speed SMG offers the driver maximum driving pleasure at all times: Acceleration to 100 km/h comes in 4.8 seconds and the BMW M6 Convertible completes the standing-start kilometre in 22.9 seconds. This ongoing surge of indescribable power is finally limited electronically to a top speed of 250 km/h.

Lap times on the Nordschleife, the Northern Circuit, of Nürburgring, almost as fast as in the BMW M6 Coupé, clearly prove the sporting performance of the Convertible. Working consistently on the suspension, however, the engineers at BMW M have succeeded in making the Convertible a touch smoother and even more refined on the road. And indeed, this superior driving comfort comes to bear above all on “normal” roads away from the race track, where the BMW M6 Convertible handles even rough bumps with stoic supremacy. In practice this means that the occupants feel only appropriate feedback from the road of significance with a sporting style of motoring.

Variable M Differential Lock and DSC with M Dynamic Mode.
The variable, speed-sensing M Differential Lock gives the Convertible superior driving stability and optimum traction particularly when accelerating out of a bend. So even in very demanding situations, the car benefits from decisive advantages in traction, for example with the drive wheels running on different surfaces with very different frictional coefficients. In such a case the M Differential Lock immediately builds up a growing lock effect parallel to the difference in speed on the drive wheels, safely retaining superior thrust and drive power at all times.

The BMW M6 Convertible comes with BMW’s latest generation of DSC Dynamic Stability Control. While the first stage of DSC is conceived for maximum driving safety, the M Dynamic Mode is appreciated above all by the sporting driver, and the driver also has the option to switch off DSC completely.

EDC Electronic Damper Control likewise offers freedom of choice, three programmes varying the suspension and chassis all the way from sporting and firm to relatively comfortable.

Clearly, the driver does not need all the muscle of the V10 power unit in every situation. In city traffic or when cruising at a brisk speed, for example, the P400 performance programme is the ideal choice. Precisely this is why P400 is automatically activated when starting the engine, initially restricting engine output to 400 horsepower. But then all the driver has to do is press the Power button in order to unleash all the performance of the ten-cylinder, the extra power delivered in this way immediately ensuring significantly greater spontaneity and engine response.

High-performance brakes like in motorsport.
Reflecting the enormous power of the engine, the BMW M6 Convertible comes with a high-performance brake system featuring cross-drilled, weight-optimised compound brake discs. As a result, the Convertible comes to a halt from 100 km/h within just 36 metres, while its stopping distance from 200 km/h is less than 140 metres.

Two-stage brake lights at the rear help to prevent bumper-to-bumper collisions: Whenever the driver presses down the brake pedal hard, the area lit up in the lights is larger than usual, urging motorists following from behind to brake harder, too. And another safety feature is the use of very bright, fast-responding light-emitting diodes free of wear and not requiring any maintenance.

Top quality all the way: perfect blend of the finest materials.
An excellent balance of weight contributes to the superior driving behaviour of the BMW M6. Indeed, this virtually perfect balance is based on a mix of materials on the bodyshell using modern plastics wherever appropriate. At the same time these advanced materials are stiffer and stronger than comparable components made of conventional materials, not only helping to enhance the car’s driving dynamics, but also to ensure supreme vibration control with a very high standard of crash safety.

Electronically controlled safety systems.
The seat belts on all four seats come with belt force limiters, the integrated restraint systems on the front seats additionally featuring belt latch tensioners. Two-stage frontal and side airbags, in turn, also help to reduce the risk of injury.