BMW's new 645Ci Convertible makes its official world debut on January 5th, at the 2004 North American International Auto Show at Detroit's Cobo Hall. The 645Ci shares its 4.4-liter V8 with the 645Ci Coupe, and makes 325 hp through all of its available transmissions: a six-speed manual, six-speed STEPTRONIC automatic or a six-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG). Here is the complete story of this remarkable new convertible from BMW.

By introducing the new 6 Series Convertible, BMW has created a dream car in both its looks and technical highlights. Thanks to its new side fin roof, the 6 Series Convertible, like the 6 Series Coupé, stands out through its sheer presence and elegant lines - the fins offer the same visual effect as wide C-pillars, with a coupé-like, exclusive look. And with the roof down, the Convertible clearly reveals its unique character, skillfully combining the athletic attributes of the sporting Coupé with styling elements of a luxurious 2+2-seater Convertible. At very first sight, therefore, the new Convertible offers a glimpse of the exceptional driving agility so typical of the BMW 6 Series.

A car for the demanding customer

Driving with the roof down, the purchaser of a convertible wishes to express his or her personal lifestyle. Precisely for this reason, BMW has created this unique, authentic variant of the 6 Series for the true aficionado of open-air motoring. So that each and every customer is able to choose his own exclusive car rendering his personal dreams in motoring.

In both cases the supreme innovative power and exemplary quality standard offered by BMW guarantee that the Convertible and the Coupé come with optimum driving pleasure, supreme motoring comfort, outstanding safety and everyday driving qualities all in one.

V8 power unit for dynamic open-air driving pleasure at all times

The Convertible is entering the market in the guise of the top-of-the-range 4.4-litre 8-cylinder BMW 645Ci. Maximum output is 245 kW/333 bhp, maximum torque 450 Newton-meters/332 lb-ft. Infinite adjustment of virtually all relevant parameters such as valve timing (bi-VANOS), valve lift (VALVETRONIC) and the length of the intake manifolds enables the engine to adjust perfectly to all demands and requirements.

The big advantages for the customer are supreme power and performance, fuel consumption of only 12.8 liters premium plus/100 kilometers or 18.2 mpg US on the manual gearbox model and only 11.5 liters (20.3 mpg US) on the automatic transmission version certainly economical for an 8-cylinder engine of this caliber, as well as superior environmental compatibility (EU4/LEV). So this is definitely an outstanding engine in an outstanding car, with qualities confirmed not least by the International Engine of the Year 2002 Award.

Ideally combined with one of three six-speed transmissions available on the new model - among them BMW's well-known SMG Sequential Manual Gearbox carried over from Formula 1 and controlled by buttons on the steering wheel - the 645Ci Convertible offers a standard of driving performance only very few sports cars are able to match: Acceleration from 0-100 km/h comes in 6.1 seconds (manual gearbox version; automatic transmission model in 6.2 seconds) and top speed is limited electronically to 250 km/h or 155 mph.

Lightweight construction and driver assistance systems

Driving the 6 Series Convertible is a genuine pleasure in every respect - particularly thanks to the extra-stiff body which, benefiting from the special carrier structure, reduces vibrations to a level otherwise only matched by an excellent two-seater roadster and quite unique in the 2+2 convertible segment.

At the same time consistent lightweight engineering limits the weight of the 645Ci Convertible to just 1815 kilos or 4002 lbs (manual gearbox model; automatic transmission version 1820 kg or 4013 lb), allowing axle load distribution of almost 50:50 again so typical of BMW.

Together with rear-wheel drive ideal on a car with this kind of weight distribution and keeping the steering free of any adverse influence from the drivetrain, the all-aluminum chassis and suspension has everything required for driving characteristics far above the usual standard even in this class, serving in particular to ensure extremely precise response and behavior.

Among the wide range of BMW chassis and suspension control systems improving the very good regular suspension of the 6 Series Convertible to an even higher standard, particular emphasis should be given to DSC Dynamic Stability Control with its wide range of features and "intelligent" Dynamic Drive available as an option. Dynamic drive compensates body sway in bends almost completely and, by carefully distributing sway motion front to rear, reduces the steering angles required on the road. This, in turn, keeps the Convertible very stable and calm under all driving conditions, allowing the driver to choose a particularly agile, direct and sporting style of motoring.

Active Steering for even better handling

BMW's innovative Active Front Steering (AFS) serves to additionally boost the safe and comfortable driving pleasure already "standard" on the 6 Series thanks to BMW Servotronic. Now, benefiting from Active Steering available as an option, the driver is able to control his/her 6 Series Convertible even more directly at low speeds and, as a result, with a far higher standard of agility and precision, while the steering becomes less direct at higher speeds for even better and smoother directional stability.

Active Steering also features yaw rate control and is networked directly with the DSC system. It is thus able to intervene at an early point in time via the steering angle on the front wheels, stabilizing the car and allowing small corrections, which in turn reduces intervention of DSC Dynamic Stability Control in the lower response range. In a nutshell, therefore, Active Steering and DSC form an ideal team.
Adaptive Headlights for even greater safety on the road.

Optional Adaptive Headlights are another breakthrough innovation from BMW. These headlights significantly improve the very good illumination already provided by the bi-xenon lights on the new 6 Series Convertible, the swiveling headlight units illuminating the road ahead and the surroundings up to 90 per cent better than before.

To provide this superior function, the control unit for the high and low beams receives the latest information from the car's on-board network on the steering angle, yaw rate, and road speed, swiveling the bi-xenon headlight modules in both directions as required while on the road by means of an electric motor. The result is a significant improvement of safety when driving on winding roads at night.
Roof with perfect noise and heat insulation.

The newly developed roof clearly underlines the practical qualities of BMW's new Convertible: The noise- and heat-insulating layer made of PUR plastic between the rubberized outer layer and the inner lining dampens exterior noise just as effectively as it braves the wind and weather. The result is a very low noise level within the 6 Series Convertible, allowing relaxed conversation within the car even at high speeds.
The vertical rear window between the fins on the roof is made of glass and is electrically heated. As a further feature, the rear window can be retracted completely into the luggage compartment bulkhead by means of an electric motor with the roof both open and closed. This creates a draught-free ventilation effect similar to that offered by a sliding roof in a saloon.

It almost goes without saying that all side windows can also be retracted fully into the body of the car.

Opening with full power operation, the softtop disappears completely within a matter of seconds beneath the firm cover on the roof compartment. And once the roof has been closed, the variable roof compartment folds up conveniently with just one turn of your hand, providing even more space within the luggage compartment.
The all-electric process in opening the roof starts with automatic release of the front roof bracket on the upper windscreen frame, comfort opening enabling the driver to open or close the roof completely from his cockpit simply by pressing a button or turning the key on the door. Indeed, this you can even do when setting off or in stop-and-go traffic up to a speed of 30 km/h or 20 mph, all windows closing in the process and the softtop locking and unlocking.

The wind deflector, finally, turns the Convertible into a two-seater almost free of draughts. And whenever you need all four seats, the deflector folds up conveniently into the luggage compartment.

Driving comfort for up to four adults

As a fully-fledged 2+2 convertible, the 645Ci Convertible offers all passengers supreme seating comfort, luxurious features, and an ambience full of style and elegance. Electrical adjustment of the driver's and front passenger's seats featured as standard, with a triple memory function on the driver's seat, adds the final touch of convenience to the seats finished in sophisticated Dakota leather and with an ergonomic body contour.

Sports seats available as an option and also adjustable electrically come with even firmer upholstery and offer even better body support particularly under dynamic driving conditions. A further feature in this case is the adjustable thigh supports.
Judging by the usual benchmark in a convertible, the rear-seat passengers also enjoy the very best in style and luxury: Although the roof is low and aerodynamic like on the Coupé, even adults will enjoy ample headroom at the rear. The two extra-deep, separate leather seats and the contoured backrests offer passengers good side support.

Both rear seats are convenient to reach thanks to Easy Access on the driver's and front passenger's seat. A big advantage in this context is that the seat belts are integrated in the front seats themselves, meaning that the passengers need not fear tripping up when getting on to the rear seats or when getting out again.
Last but certainly not least, luggage compartment capacity of 300 litres with the roof open and 350 litres with the roof closed enhances the practical benefits of the new Convertible. This is sufficient space for one large and one small hard-shell suitcase or, respectively, two 46-inch golf bags plus a medium-sized hard-shell suitcase. And thanks to optional through-loading as well as the ski-bag, the driver and passengers are able to take along two pairs of skis or a snowboard without limiting space available inside the passenger compartment.
Dynamic harmony within the interior.

Inside, the Convertible bears a clear resemblance with the 6 Series Coupé, again following the philosophy of "dynamic harmony". The term "dynamic" relates in this case to the tension and motion of surfaces and lines, "harmony" standing for the way in which these surfaces and lines interact and relate to one another. As a result, the interior corresponds perfectly with the attractive exterior design of the 6 Series Convertible.

Perfectly finished materials such as high-quality leather, wood or metal, as well as careful choice of matched and contrasting colors in discreet style, create a luxurious ambience without neglecting the need for superior function. Accordingly, all functions significant to the driver are located ergonomically on or around the steering wheel. And nearly all functions relevant to both the driver and front passenger alike are to be found in the area of the center console.

The central control element in this area is the Controller allowing the driver (and front passenger) to mastermind nearly all comfort functions in the 6 Series Convertible via the Control Display.

Head-Up Display presenting the most important features to the driver.
BMW's highly innovative Head-Up Display available as an option projects important information while driving directly into the driver's line of vision. This includes the current road speed, navigation instructions, speed limits and feedback from the Check/Control. The virtual image provided by the Head-Up Display is presented in front of the driver seemingly on the road ahead, allowing even more relaxed and thus safer motoring, since the driver is no longer required to take his eyes off the road.

Innovative voice entry system

Like the Head-Up Display, the innovative voice entry system enhances BMW's iDrive control philosophy in the interest of even greater motoring comfort and safety. This system is available in conjunction with the Professional navigation system and the Car Communication Computer (CCC).

The key feature of voice entry is the option to select all essential iDrive comfort functions by voice entry while driving, without taking one's eyes off the road even for a split-second. This allows the driver to activate nearly all display functions through his voice alone.

Since the system operates independently of the individual speaker or voice, there is no need to train your voice in a time-consuming process of trial and error.
An intelligent text-to-speech function serves in addition to read out e-mails, SMS messages, the names of radio stations, as well as lists of other selected items.
Entering defined short commands, the driver is also able to activate an extended range of iDrive functions, and last but not least the Control Center enables the user to access BMW Online services providing selected internet-based options.
Audio system in HiFi quality.

A HiFi system with 8 loudspeakers fitted as standard offers optimum audio quality for the driver and passengers enjoying the new BMW Convertible. And the optional TOP HiFi system with a total of 11 loudspeakers, finally, turns the new BMW Convertible into a genuine open-air concert arena. In this case the central loudspeaker integrated in the instrument panel, subwoofers in the rear side panels, as well as the five-channel LOGIC7 equalizer concept ensure a particularly authentic all-round sound effect in studio quality, regardless of the audio format the driver may prefer.

Supreme passive safety also when driving with the roof down

The BMW 6 Series Convertible meets the toughest safety standards, one important feature being the automatic rollbars fitted as standard and activated whenever required, regardless of whether the roof is open or closed. The new Convertible also comes with the most advanced restraint systems such as inertia-reel belts with belt latch tensioners integrated in the seat backrests, intelligently controlled head and side airbags, as well as knee airbags for the driver and front passengers (USA).

Interacting with the ultra-stiff body and, in particular, the specially reinforced A-pillars, these safety features in the 6 Series Convertible offer excellent crash safety of the same supreme standard as in the 6 Series Coupé.

Source: BMW AG

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