Yes, it's what appears to be a genuine first-generation BMW M6 (or a really, really good fake). I was out for a walk and spotted this red shark parked in a handicapped zone next to Alameda Hospital. You see, handicapped drivers here in the Bay Area don't allow their disabilities to dilute their love for fast German cars.


Fewer than 2,000 E24 M6s were sold in North America during the 1983-89 period. The '87 came with a 256-horse six and a price tag of $55,950 ($106,695.07 in 2008 bucks), just a few grand less than a new Porsche 928S.


This example is in very nice condition for a street-driven 21-year-old car. Sure, 256 horsepower in a 3,570-pound car isn't such a big deal nowadays, but this thing was a fearsome factory hot rod in its time.

FAST: G-POWER M6 HURRICANE Convertible with 635hp

One of the world's fastest and most powerful convertibles is made by G-POWER. 635hp and 635 Nm torque; these are the attributes of the latest G-POWER development for the BMW M6.

Being a straight offshoot from the legendary G-POWER M5 HURRICANE BI-Kompressor system with 730hp, the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system EVOI is a less radical alternative to achieve the desired increase in power output for all current V10 engines coming from the M-GmbH.

Thanks to the so called G-POWER "softcharging" technique, featuring a relative boost of 0,4 bar, the additional stress and wear for the engine and drivetrain is kept to a minimum, despite of the impressive increase in power output. Especially the acceleration performance in mid range, a weak point of the fast-revving concept favored by the engineers of the M-GmbH, underlines the dominance of the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system. Equipped with the G-POWER BI-Kompressor EVOI system the BMW M6 is finally capable of that superior performance characteristic most customers would have expected from the beginning.

Acceleration performance benefits from the perfect performance characteristic of the G-POWER equipped V10 engine accordingly. With a sprint time from rest to 100 km/h of 4.6 seconds and to 200 km/h in 11,9 seconds the 2-ton convertible accelerates like a true sports car. The 300-km/h barrier is shattered after 34,5 seconds from standstill. Contrary to the production car the G-POWER M6 HURRICANE convertible is not limited electronically to a top speed of 250 km/h but to 320 km/h. The determining factors therefore are weight, tyres and most important the soft top of the M6 convertible.

The G-POWER M6 HURRICANE convertible is available as a fully converted car starting at 183,000 Euros. Any existing M6 - sedan and wagon - can also be upgraded with the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system EVOI along with numerous items from the extensive G-POWER tuning accessories lineup. For M6 coupé drivers only is the 730 hp version of the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system available as well.

As Dr. Hardigree mentioned, I was busy earlier today hooning around in a $100,000+ torque monster. So, he quite capably covered QOTD duties for yours truly by asking you all what you would drive if you were the Pope. An inspired Question if I don't say so my own self. Lots and lots (and lots) of good answers, but one in particular tickled our funny bone the mostest. The notorious no_slushbox said:

BMW 6-series bored and stroked to 6.6 liters, with an appropriately updated rear badge.

Coming out of Albania after the notorious Commander Kokolari escort incident, Michael Ross put the hammer to the floor of the Polizei M5 and took us down toward the Adriatic, which may well have been the most breathtaking bit of a trip full of face-melting, soul-widdling vistas. Coming into the city of Budva, a 2,500 year-old-burg on the coast, Mister Ross was laying on the throttle while Herr Roy alternated through horn, emergency lights, siren and navigation duties. Then the cops showed up.

The officer was nonplussed and wasn't particularly well-versed in English. But what he did know is that an Yank and a Brit dressed as Italian highway patrolmen driving a seven-year-old German performance sedan with a large dent in the roof and Adidas stripes on the side simply didn't add up. Ross calmly informed the officer that we weren't cops and weren't claiming to be officers of the law; that we were raising money for a charity benefiting the London Metropolitan Police (which was actually true, if a bit of a stretch). Unswayed by Ross' calm demeanor, he ordered Roy into his B.O.-stanky VW Golf, put his fellow officer in our shotgun seat and told Ross to follow him to the station.

On the way, in the thick of Budva traffic, we ran across a few other Gumballers. The officer attempted to interdict them, but two cars simply ignored his order, while the Russian couple in the M6 who'd picked up Morley and McConville the day before in Macedonia followed his directions and came to the station with us. Note that at the time, we had no idea that these two had anything to do with the Macedonian situation, so scattered and rumor-laden was the communication.

Once we arrived, they took our passports and forced us to stand around in the cop shop's foyer for around an hour and a half. They used police report forms for toilet-seat covers. The Montenegrin men seemed disturbed by the Polizei crew's leggings. I was mostly thankful that their jackets were long. The Russians grew impatient and finally asked why they were being held when they hadn't been charged with anything and obviously weren't driving a fake BMW police car, which is what had been reported.

Then Alex hit upon the strategy of proving that plenty of cars on the rally were fake police cars. He showed the officers Ross' Bentley from the '06 Gumball, the Polizia Stradale Intercettore in RCMP and Guardia Civil livery, the Polizei CL he'd contested on the Bullrun and in a masterstroke, the M5 shot a few days before at the Hahn airport with a couple of genuine German Polizei Mercs. Ross stifled a "They were very authentic," which was a good thing, given that I was curling my toes trying to stifle guffaws.

Apparently, Ross and I played it off okay, because with that, the chief, who came across like practically every gruff elder statesman of a podunk station ever portrayed told us to lay off the lights and let us go. We hit Croatia soon after. It was time to turn on the radar detector. It was also the next-to-last fun moment we had on the rally. What had begun with the Polizei roadblock in Hahn was all about to come undone in the next twelve hours. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
">Travels With Commander Kokolari; More on the Gumball 3000 [Internal]

Americans have been giving each other what-for since the beginning. After some fits and starts, a dash of Manifest Destiny here and there and some border clashes with unruly people of French descent and Spanish/Native ancestry, we mostly got on with the process of being annoyed with each other and banding together for a war on foreign soil now and then. Yeah, there was that conflict that inspired Across Five Aprils and now and then we shoot our presidents. But Europe's got a different issue.

After spending centuries upon centuries killing each other, the Europeans decided to band together and be far more civilized than their uncouth progeny across the pond. And became saddled with many of the problems America has been dealing with with better humor for the last 40 years or so. The Germans are deathly afraid of Nazis and Turks. The French outwardly loathe the North Africans. Even the genial Dutch have issues with Arabs, and the Dubliners are wondering where the hell all these fookin' Poles came from. But possibly no nation in Europe is quite so xenophobic as the Brits. They conquered the world and the world came back to conquer them. And they don't like it one bit.

They flirted with appeasement, and there was a prominent Nazi-sympathzing fascist movement in England until Hitler sent over the Ju-88s and Bf109s. So it makes sense then, that Clarkson would maintain an affinity for BMW, and beyond that, the Continent's own Camaro SS, the M6 cabrio. Rationally, the 6 sucks. It is not affordable. It is not tossable. It is not attractive. It really just isn't that good. It is not as rad as the E39, from which it should have learned some tricks, nor as imposing or cool as its 6-series forebears. We've not had a chance to experience the M version, but Clarkson claims a liberal application of horsepower and the open-air experience make him want to mate with the car. We're just not convinced it's worth the money. And we're not driving any M6 press cars in the UK until BMW provides us with proof they've all been slathered in Purell. – Davey G. Johnson

BMW M6 Convertible [Times, UK]

Related:
Jalopnik Holiday Gift Guide: Jeremy Clarkson's "The Good The Bad The Ugly" [Internal]

For those who don't know, 330 kilometers per hour is 205 miles per hour. To achieve this bonkers velocity on Norway's E6, Ronan had the limiter pulled from his M6. We think he's a little nuts, especially as there were other cars on the road, but we're also a bit jealous. Our favorite part is when he slowed down to a nice, comfortable 260kph for the bends. That's 161mph to you and me. [Updated to hide my lack of metric knowledge] – Jonny Lieberman

Related:
Hoon Of The Day: The Time To Make The Donuts Is Not In Front Of A Police Car [Internal]

It took a minute and a half for Neiman Marcus to sell out every single one of its special edition BMW M6s. That's no hyperbole; the upscale retailer and caterer to all folks bougie sold all 50 Bimmers, at $139,000 a pop, in 1:32, mostly by phone. Psychologists say the Ruby Black exterior finish accented with Piano Black trim elements, and power sports seats wrapped in a custom Gold Brown shade of supple BMW Individual Merino leather penetrated the psyches of the idle rich, causing a kind of madness called Bimmentia. Go, scarcity economics, it's your birthday... – Mike Spinelli

Related:
Happy Bimmerdays: Neiman Marcus to Offer 2007 BMW M6 Convertible

Never one to shrunk from tarting a BMW M6 to within an inch of its life, Hamann created a new body kit for BMW's bi-portal bulkmeister. Note particularly the major flaring going on around the wheelular region, including brake-cooling ducts wide enough to make foie gras from errant waterfowl. Note too the various tunnel-tested aero fittings, diffusers and the like. Finally, going slightly mad, the boys worked in a set of scissor doors only a Miami plastic surgeon could love. All in all, a strong showing from the folks who can't leave well enough alone (not that we'd entirely want them to). [Gallery] – Mike Spinelli

Related:
Hamann's BMW M6 Tuner Kit [internal]

Luxury department store Neman Marcus has chosen a BMW M6 for its annual Holiday Catalog of Really Expensive Crap. Every year, the company picks some manner of flashy ride, has its own edition built, and offers it up to Neiman's well-heeled, ADD-addled customer base. Inevitably, the entire inventory of 50 or so cars sells out in 75 minutes, with subsequent press release touting same. This year's $139,000 Neiman Marcus edition 2007 M6 Convertible Limited Edition gets a Ruby Black paint job with Piano Black trim, power leather seats and an eleven-speaker sound system. The buyer also gets to pick them up at BMW's factory, with business-class tickets provided. Want it? Call 866-303-2696 on October 18th. American Express Onyx Centurian cards accepted.

Related:
More Neiman Marcus editions [internal]

According to Wikipedia, Greece's Addiki Odos motorway "was designed under strict safety-related technical specifications, including a hard shoulder in either direction, traffic island, a high quality skid-resistant asphalt pavement, dense lighting and fencing." All of that in the name of safety. Sounds like a perfect venue for a three-camera shoot of a nightime run by a leather-suited shipping magnate and his sidekick Balki (we'd imagine), during which the speedo of the BMW M6 they were in became quite well acquainted with the number 340 (as in km/h, or 211 mph). According to the YouTube blurb, it was "Just to see how much crazy we Greeks are!" Much crazy, indeed, guys. Lay off the ouzo. [Thanks to Greg for the tip.]

Related:
Pinned: Hitting 205 in an M6 [internal]

BMW tuner Lumma has a new, carbon-look kit for the new, carbon-fiber-roofed BMW M6. The package turns the pregnant fish — a visually stunning pregnant fish from some angles — into the Halloween Lord of the autobahn. Aside from all the skirting — front spoiler bumper with park distance control and headlight washing system, mudguard extensions in the front and back, doorsills with compressed-air brake shafts and rear aprons with air diffuser — the kit includes suspension-lowering and computer remapping that bugs out the limiter, increasing top speed to 186 mph. Throat-breathing apparatus sold separately.

Yet Another Eurotuner - Lumma BMW M6 CLR 600 [Modern Racer]

More at World Car Fans

Related:
Lumma Tunes the BMW X3 [internal]

Lumma's New Ride:

M3 Coupe Spy Photo:

From Dubspeed Driven

Yet Another Eurotuner - Lumma BMW M6 CLR 600 [ModernRacer.com]

Related:
Spy Photos: 2007 BMW M3 Coupe, Nude as the News [internal]

It happened over the weekend, so those with "active lifestyles" may have missed the online outing of BMW's M6 Convertible. The story is this: Brochure shots were leaked, e-mails were sent and viewers were horrified/delighted. Here's the complete set.

Related:
Official Shots of the BMW M6 Cabrio Leaked [internal]

A leaker is in BMW's midst, and he's sent digital imagery of the new M6 convertible pinging to all points on the globe. The pics hit our inbox this afternoon, linking us to a global e-mail chain of bleary-eyed 'Netheaded car junkies who've been waiting for this moment for more than a year. But never mind the backstory. Check out the new super six Bimmer, ragtopped. Whether you think it looks like a Bangled blowfish, or a bubble-butt'd beauty, it's most definitely done up in production-model finery (no more leather cladding for this whale). The pics have dropped in advance of the M6 cabrio's coming-out at the British Motor Show next month. Cast your eyes over the art, after the jump.

More at Autoblog.nl

Related:
Secret BMW Planned for London Show? [internal]

We're still pissed at the Forza Motorsport kids for not having a 2CV in the game. This must change, and it must change immediately and without compromise. Right now they're in the midst of dyno pulls for the second edition of the racing sim, and they've posted a bit about having an '88 M6 on the dyno. It's got an oversize straight six and makes about 460 ponies at the crank, which isn't exactly something to sneeze at. It's also unavailable for road use.

Turn 10 Dyno Spotlight: Eric Brannfors' 1988 BMW E24 M6 Monster [Forza Motorsport]

Related:
Microsoft's Forza Motorsport for Xbox: The Missing Cars [Internal]

The fans at World Car Fans procured some shots of the new M6 convertible that we're pretty sure will be unveiled at the Paris motor show later this year, along with a slightly facelifted coupe snapped at the N rburgring. Unfortunately, while the M6 coupe is growing on (some) of us, the convertible just gets more and more ungainly by the day. Maybe the fat meats will do the trick. Methinks not.

BMW M6 Convertible Spy Photos [World Car Fans]

Related:
Spy Photos: 2008 Jaguar XKR Convertible [internal]

The Motoren Werker who happen to be Bayrisch have announced plans to sell the M5 and M6 in China, beginning this summer. The German automaker sold nearly 24,000 cars in China last year, 15k of which were produced by its assigned dance partner, Brilliance Automotive. We can assume with a nearly ironclad certainty, however, that the M cars will be of German origin. That said, well-to-do hoons who power lunch over dim sum are stoked.

BMW to introduce M5, M6 sports cars to China this year [Forbes]

Related:
Bangled Airbus: BMW Design Shows off Airline Interior [Internal]

German tuning haus Hamann is offering up new ways to tart up a BMW M6, including aerodynamics packages (in fiberglass or carbon fiber), premium alloys and (natch) performance-boosting engine kaboodle. The company's HM/M +60" sport kit includes high-performance headers, metallic sports catalytic converters, a sports rear silencer (ka-plow), sports air filter, engine computer mapping and a top-speed-nannyectomy. All told, the company's top-line package adds 60 hp to the car's V10 output (40 lbs.-ft of torque) and boosts top speed to a hair from 199 mph. Hamann will be hawking its line of Bimmerware to viscounts and bankers at the Geneva show later this month.

Related:
More on Hamann [internal]

After allowing its team of designers and engineers to toke on a nuclear-powered crack pipe, which produced the Tension concept — unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show last year — someone at BMW tuning house AC Schnitzer grabbed the freaky knob and dialed it back to a more acceptable factor. The result is the ACS6 Sport version of the BMW M6 coupe, which reflects the company's latest tuning kit package, adapted from its M5 design line. Toys include carbon fiber aerodynamics add-ons, custom alloys, stainless-steel exhaust and various suspension-tuning gadgets. No word on engine tuning toys for the V10 at this juncture.

Related:
Frankfurt Premiere: AC Schnitzer Tension Concept [internal]

BMW blog The Bavarian Falcoln posted a home video taken inside the cockpit of a BMW M6 in pursuit of a Honda CBR1000rr and a Suzuki GXR-1000 at full clip. BF notes the pegged speedo indicates 330kmh (205mph), while the tach reads upward of 7700 rpm. Those bikes never had a chance.

Video: 205 MPH in a BMW M6 [The Bavarian Falcon]

Related:
Hoon of the Day: Smoky M5 Action [internal]

BMW had reams of news of their own wonderfulness laid forth with peculiar pronunciation by Tom Purvis, the UK-born head of BMW North America. So is the Z4 hardtop a "Coop" or a "Coopay," Tompkins? You can't have it both ways. Or we guess you can, since you're the boss of us. He spoke strongly of wanting to bring diesels to America. All in all, it was one of the more impressive speeches of the day, actually if a little long. The BMW M6 was at the centrepiece of his presentation. But we already know all about that car, so we won't bore you with the details. But the picture shows you that it was blue, and that's somehow significant, we're sure. Can we have one to drive already?

Related:
BMW M6 to Make North American Bow in Los Angeles [Internal]

Bimmer's Camaro for the post-IROC set, the M6, is set to debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show, and really, is there a more perfect venue? Of course, you already know the details a spinny filet mignon of a spitfire V-10, twisty-happy suspension, carbon-fiber roof, discreet-yet-intimidating M badging, etc. But now it's here. Or almost, anyway. Just a few more weeks, boys and girls.

Related:
Spy Photos: New M6 Images Leaked [Internal]

BMW's V10-powered M6, as close to an F1 car most coupe buyers can get without a paddock pass, is making its debut in the UK. Like its M5 cousin, the M6 is powered by BMW's F1-derived 507hp mill. Only 400 of the cars will be offered in 2006, with the current waiting list more than covering that number, for the equivalent of around $95,000.

More at German Car Fans

Related:
Spy Photos: New BMW M6 Images Leaked [internal]

Tuning house, AC Schnitzer offered its take on the 507hp, V10-powered BMW M6. They pulled out every toy from their toybox and tossed it at the Bimmer with either reckless abandon or malice aforethought. The company has no plans to produce this really bad boy, but says it would cost in the neighborhood of $320,000 if it did. Man, we're so tired from running around this gigganormous Frankfurt show, we almost wish they'd at least build it in pill form. We'd pay.

Related:
First Look at the New BMW 7-Series, AC Schnitzer Style [internal]