First Drive: 2007 BMW M6 - MotorTrend Magazine
a seven-speed, paddle-shift, sequential manual gearbox that Mark Webber might think got stolen from his BMW Williams. The powertrains in the two Ms are identical: that astounding V-10 coupled to the shift-without-a-clutch-pedal seven-speed SMG. Up top is a roof made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFP), a material BMW first employed on the noggin of the limited-edition M3 CSL. Compared with the conventional steel roof on the 645Ci, the M6's carbon top is 55 percent lighter. Specially developed, 19-inch forged-aluminum wheels, with spokes as thin as the plot of a Steven Seagal movie, save nearly four pounds per corner over comparable rims, BMW says. The M6 also wears side panels and a rear deck made of lightweight fiberglass-reinforced plastic. And in a move sure to keep M6 owners awake at night with parallel-parking catastrophes dancing in their heads, the bumpers are made of the same exotic CFP as the roof, reducing weight over conventional designs, BMW claims, by 20 percent up front... The combined effect of the M6's more svelte design and its lightweight pieces means its V-10 has roughly 275 fewer pounds to lug around than the M5's. At the same time, the M6's chassis can cut and parry more easily, thanks to a CG nearly two... Source: www.motortrend.com
