New BMW 6-Series convertible gets real

New BMW 6-Series convertible gets real

The new 2012 model features revised front and rear ends that are the spitting image of what we saw in Paris. BMW's designers have softened the nose and widened the eyes for a look that's more in line with the freshly launched new 7-Series sedan. Out back, the Bangle Butt is gone, replaced with a rear end that is a bit easier on the eyes.

The convertible's power soft top raises or lowers in as little as 19 seconds--fairly quick by our standards.

New dashboard toys include a new 10.2-inch display that's managed by the console-mounted iDrive controller and linked to a new trick backup camera that's hidden beneath the motorized BMW logo on the rear deck.

Under its long hood, the BMW houses a new 4.4-liter V-8 that sends 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque through its flywheel, through an unspecified transmission, and out of the rear wheels. This new engine in both smaller and more powerful than the previous 4.8-liter mill and more efficient to boot. Performance, efficiency, and pricing numbers are also unspecified, with further details to be announced closer to the convertible's spring 2011 release.