This V-10 powertrain is certainly more tractable and enjoyable to drive with the six-speed manual than with the SMG transmission that originally was the sole offering in the M5 sedan. A car with 500 horsepower and ten cylinders under the hood has an undeniable allure, but there's still something somewhat strange, somewhat un-BMW-like, about this M6 coupe. It's not a sport coupe, really, since it weighs so much and is so big. Yet it doesn't have the grace of a true luxury coupe, either, like the Mercedes-Benz CL. I don't quite know what to make of it.
The car is huge compared with a 3-series, but it doesn't offer the interior volume of a Mercedes CL. It's far too heavy to be a real sports car, but it's more than just a big coupe. It just never made sense to me. Then I got another chance behind the wheel of an M6. I'd completely forgotten how amazing this engine is. Push the M button and unleash the whole 500 hp and suddenly it doesn't matter how huge the car is. You're looking at 100 mph before fourth gear, and there's about 8000 rpm at your disposal. You don't get AMG-like torque, but the high revs and surprisingly wide powerband make up for it.