2007 BMW M6- Formula 1 Inspired
Has the same 500-hp V10 as the M5 luxury sedan, 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds, 383 lb-ft of torque at 6,100 rpm, a 8,250-rpm redline

Welcome home, M6! It’s been a long break—20 years—but the speedy and sporty sibling from the 6-Series is back for another tour. A crash diet is par for the course leading up to a 20-year reunion, and this coupe has pulled it off; a pinch here and a tuck there means that this car is 275 pounds lighter than the M5.

How’d they do it? Through a Lotus-like reduction in kilograms wherever they could be nipped off. The carbon-fiber reinforced plastic roof saves the most weight, slenderizing the car overall and just as importantly lowering its center of gravity to enhance handling. The thin-spoked, aluminum wheels save 16 pounds all told, and further heft is done away with thanks to carbon-fiber bumpers and the fiberglass-reinforced side panels and rear deck.

Best of all, this more slender M6 has a partner in sublime: it comes in a ragtop version for the first time. There’s nothing like being one with the wind and the sun and the constellations, but the drawbacks are an extra 482 pounds and the fact that you won’t get a gander at that too-cool carbon-fiber roof every time you saunter up to it. But you’ll probably forget about that missed opportunity on those 10 Best Days of the Year, or when you have a hot date on a starry night (and she’s remembered her hair clip).

Dust never settles on the M6, which has the same Formula 1-inspired, 500-hp V10 as the M5 luxury sedan. Allow me to expound: that’s 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds and 383 lb-ft of torque at 6,100 rpm with a 8,250-rpm redline. It’s the same V10 that earned the International Engine of the Year Award in ’05 and ’06, the first time any engine has won in consecutive years.

Starting with the push-button ignition, you’ll find more switches, mode-selectors, and other adjustable doohickeys on the control panel than your eyes can probably process, but it’s all about a personalized and situation-specific driving experience. The problem is you have to think about it.

The interior is about BMW comfort, too, naturally. The pinnacle of luxury ranges from the highest-quality aesthetic appointments all around to the supple leather that feels—and smells—perfectly wonderful. And those uber-adjustable seats are as plush as they need to be. If you drive this thing like it’s made to be driven you’re going to spend a lot of time pinned back by that horizontal g-force. (Don’t worry—you’ll get used to shaking your head to pop your eyeballs back into position at the end of a drive.)

Like it or not, the M Series is teched-out to the gills. The 7-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox proved excessively complex (11 shift modes? Holy electrohydraulics, Batman!), so it’s been changed to a simpler 6-speed on the latest cars off the line. Then there’s the array of suspension settings that’s fun for some but overwhelming for most.

BMW’s iDrive system, which hasn’t exactly established a fan club in its 5 years of existence, gets in the way for all but the most techno-sophisticated driver. (Note also that you won’t get the maximum 500 horses unless you depress the Power button.) M6 buyers have the opportunity to take delivery of their new motorbabies at BMW’s complex in Spartanburg, S.C., and participate in classes designed to teach them the ins and outs of the vehicle and how to maximize its potential. Don’t pass up this worthwhile chance if you can help it.

Getting back to those M6 excesses, another area of overindulgence is in the car’s gas consumption. This is a serious guzzler, matching the mpg of the target of the Prius-driver’s icy stares: the full-sized SUV. The way you’ll drive it (I’ve heard the growwwwl that comes out of the quad exhaust, and trust me: a light touch on the pedal ain’t gonna happen) guzzles more gas than many SUVs—even some full-sized ones

GET IT: if you have the cash as well as the techno know-how to drive it to its full capabilities.

DON’T GET IT: if you want to drive a performance car, not program it.