2012 BMW 6 Series Preview

BMW unveiled the next generation BMW 6 Series–the 2012 BMW 6 Series Concept–at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The sleek new design is modern by any measure, yet maintains the stately BMW extravagance-free appearance. It includes several new additions like full-LED headlights, smoothed rear and boot line, and a more emphasized face with a wider chin. BMW designers have listened to the critics and lost the controversial, widely-disparaged boot bump.

Performance

The 2012 6 Series is based on the 5 Series platform. It will be offered with all the engines and transmissions seen on the 5 Series, from a 3.0-litre turbo diesel to a twin turbo V8. Watch for a M6 variation to include the new M5 driveline. The top of the line diesel model will be the 640d, powered by the N57 turbocharged straight-6 common rail diesel engine outputting 306 horsepower. The first U.S. 2011 6 Series model will appear in March of 2011 in the form of BMW 650i Convertible.

Interior Specifications

The 2012 6 Series has a supremely luxurious, open interior. It makes great use of black leather and stainless steel. A new steering wheel fits more closely with the newly imagined design. The rustic shading of the dashboard ties the entire presentation together.

Safety Features

The safety features incorporated into the 5 Series have made their way to the 6 Series as well, in the form of stability control, antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags plus front and rear side curtain airbags. Optional rear-seat side airbags are also available. The lane-departure warning system alerts the driver via steering wheel vibrations should the car begin to veer out of its lane. A night vision system displays hazards that would be beyond normal headlight range. The AWD models have standard hill start assist and hill descent control.
The 2010 BMW 5 Series earned only three out of five stars for driver protection in a frontal crash, but it did receive five stars for front passenger protection and front and rear side protection. In the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing, the 5 Series was awarded a top score of “Good” in the frontal-offset test but received the second-lowest rating of “Marginal” for side safety due to the potential for torso injury risk to riders seated in front.

Competition to the 2012 BMW 6 Series

The 6 Series is comparable to other luxury cruisers like the Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class and Lexus ES350.

The Willys Pickup

The Willys Pickup was similar to the Willys Jeep Wagon and the VJ-2 and VJ-3 Willys Jeepster. It was introduced in 1947, with model designations of 2T and 4T. These trucks were equipped with the 134 cubic inch "Go-Devil" engine and the three-speed Borg-Warner T-90 manual transmission from the CJ-2A. The truck received a facelift in 1950 and became the 473, with the new "Hurricane" four-cylinder engine as an option. This model introduced the v-shaped front end with five horizontal bars, as well as an updated gauge cluster. The steps on the side of the pickup box were deleted. After 1950, the two-wheel drive model was discontinued. In 1953, the model designation became 475 and the grille bars were reduced to three. A 226 cubic inch six-cylinder 6-226 model was introduced in 1954, and sales of 475 models dropped considerably. The 6-226 was dropped in 1962 in favor of the 6-230 Tornado OHC engine.


The truck was originally sold as a 1-ton 4wd/2wd with a 1/2-ton 2wd becoming available in 1950 (model 473HT). The 2wd half and one ton trucks were discontinued in 1951 and sold as 4wd only. The load capacity was later upgraded but the truck was still sold as a 1-ton pickup.