Sun like it hot - BMW 6-series
It isn’t often that I get to drive a car that costs more than a million (R1 167 500 to be exact) and there were at least R30 000 worth of options that I could identify, so the topless Beemer cost exactly what I paid for a four-bedroomed double-story house in Fourways six years ago…
But anyway, it is ultimately pointless comparing car prices and house prices, though interesting for dinner party conversation nonetheless.
The 650i Convertible is a superb piece of state-of-the-art automotive technology and with its twin-turbo V8 it is a rocketship too, and you really need to keep an eye on the speedo if you’re not going to risk arrest and/or the very rapid acquisition of AARTO points. Fortunately, thanks to the head-up display (HUD) you can monitor both your speed and view a permanent reminder of the actual speed zone that you’re in, without taking your eyes off the road. This information is projected into the windscreen, directly within your line of sight, so there are no excuses for not being aware of how fast you were going, or the prevailing speed limit.
The car also offers a range of settings that allow for real performance driving, so not only do you get 300 kW and 600 Nm but you also get the gearbox, suspension and steering ‘tweaked’ to use it in the best possible way. And when you really lean on the ‘loud’ pedal, the engine does reward with a most engaging sound…
But you can also drive in a more sedate manner by using the Comfort setting, and if the weather permits, putting the top down as well. BMW eschews the ‘hard’ folding roof approach which has become popular, and this is a proper convertible, the fabric cover stowing neatly behind the (tiny) back seats. With a glass rear screen raised and a wind deflector fitted – only possible with the rear seats unoccupied – there is excellent protection from the elements. Heated seats and a potent ventilation system mean al fresco motoring can be enjoyed with minimal sacrifice, as long as you don’t intend exploring the 250 km/h potential.
Modern high-end motor cars are great road maps (pardon the pun) for what the future holds for the broader motoring public as far as technology goes, and the HUD is certainly one that has merit for widespread use, adding safety and awareness when it is linked to GPS navigation systems which are cognisant of speed zones. Like the airbag and ABS brakes, it’ll undoubtedly filter down to more prosaic motoring offerings and who knows, one day I might have a car with HUD and integrated GPS parked permanently in my driveway, helping to keep me on the right side of AARTO.
