2014 BMW 6 Series Preview: 2013 New York Auto Show

Any A-list purveyor of luxury automobiles offers its clientele an expressive and expensive way to tell the world they’ve made it. Sometimes, these models come and go, like the Acura NSX and Lexus LFA. Other times, these models serve as icons for a brand, sporting machines offered annually no matter how low the sales numbers go, like the Audi R8 and Jaguar XK.

The 2014 BMW 6 Series is such a car, and in the past decade has expanded to include a convertible and a so-called 4-door coupe. In seeming celebration of the 6 Series model’s resurrection 10 years ago, BMW announces upgrades for the 2014 model year.

What’s New for the 2014 BMW 6 Series:

• Next-generation iDrive is standard
• Dynamic Digital Instrument Cluster debuts
• New multi-lingual full speech recognition and dictation technology
• 640i Gran Coupe now offered with xDrive all-wheel drive
• 650i Convertible Frozen Brilliant White Edition arrives
• M6 Gran Coupe on sale June 5, 2013
• M6 models now offered with manual gearbox
• M6 models now offered with M Carbon Ceramic Brakes

New 2014 BMW 6 Series: Styling and Design

BMW has not announced any styling or design changes to the 2014 6 Series lineup, aside from the new 650i Convertible Frozen Brilliant White Edition, of which 100 copies will be assembled with or without xDrive all-wheel drive, as the buyer prefers. Naturally, this limited edition model is dipped in BMW Individual Frozen Brilliant White Metallic matte-finish paint. Frozen Black mirror caps, black kidney grilles, a black convertible top, and Ferric Gray BMW M Performance wheels sized 20 inches in diameter help to set this unique version of the 650i Convertible apart.

Inside, the Frozen Brilliant White Edition is upholstered in Black Nappa leather and trimmed with Gray Poplar wood. Standard equipment for this model includes the M Sport Package and the Executive Package. Models equipped with xDrive also have a standard Cold Weather Package.

New 2014 BMW 6 Series: What’s Under the Hood

For 2014, the BMW 6 Series is equipped with the same engines as last year. The only differences are that the 640i Gran Coupe is now offered with optional xDrive all-wheel drive, the M6 powertrain is now installed in the new M6 Gran Coupe, and that all M6 models can now be specified with a no-charge manual gearbox option. When driven in Efficient or Sport driving modes, the new manual transmission automatically matches revs when the driver downshifts. In Sport+ driving mode, the driver is responsible for properly matching revs.

A new option for the 2014 BMW M6 is a set of M Carbon Ceramic Brakes with self-polishing rotors and gold brake calipers, which reduces weight by an impressive 42.6 pounds while improving braking performance.

New 2014 BMW 6 Series: Features and Technology

With the new 650i Convertible Frozen Brilliant White Edition, BMW introduces its new Dynamic Digital Instrument Cluster to the 2014 6 Series. This allows the instrumentation to change depending on the BMW Driving Dynamics Control mode that the driver has selected.

Additionally, the 2014 6 Series is equipped with a next-generation version of BMW iDrive. Called iDrive4.2, the new system includes a revised and refined design and operating system, according to BMW, as well as simplified speech command technology. Highlights include improved graphics with 3-D map and menu elements, new destination entry options, new navigation map menu options designed to make it easier and faster to access information, interactive map-view “pie” menus displayed in radial format, and an automatic perspective view of the next guidance point while following directions from the navigation system.

The 6 Series models’ BMW ConnectedDrive technology is also upgraded for 2014, adding multi-lingual full speech recognition technology with a dictation function, allowing the driver to compose and edit SMS text messages, emails, and voice memos.  The system also allows two smartphones to be paired with the system at the same time.

New 2014 BMW 6 Series: What Autobytel Thinks

When people buy a car with a price tag that starts north of $75,000, the vehicle is a personal accessory as much as it is a form of transportation. In this class, what we have to say matters little. If you like the way the 2014 6 Series looks on you, rest assured the rest of the car is better than it ever has been. We’ll take the keys to the new M6 Gran Coupe, please.