Under the bonnet of the svelte coupé, the engine is built to deliver an impressive 362bhp. Press the standard start-stop button, and the car hums into life. Impressively refined at idle and through the revs, the power plant fills the role of both relaxed cruiser and gutsy performance engine. At any speed it provides strong pace in an effortless manner.
BMW’s engineers have fitted a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, rather than a lazy automatic, so the 650i is a proper driver’s car. The Sport model has 19-inch alloys, plus an M-branded steering wheel and gearlever.
This car does not disappoint and delivers excellent body control and with the engine offering such a spread of usable performance, the 650i is a tremendous all-round performance machine.
Sharp handling, strong brakes and involving dynamics mean the BMW 650i combines great driver involvement with superb comfort making it an ideal choice for a car hire experience. As with all 6-Series models, the 650i has a revised version of BMW’s iDrive cabin control system, along with rear seats that provide more room than many rival models.
Plenty of hi-tech toys are available, but even without the gadgets, it’s the old-fashioned basics of a smooth, powerful engine and traditional rear-drive handling that make the 650i stand out.
