There’s a lot of hyperbole about how great a driving machine a car is and of course we all know that BMW coined the phrase “The Ultimate Driving Machine” and while with some vehicles it may be a bit of a stretch, the 2012 BMW 650i certainly lives up to the moniker.

Powered by a standard 4.4 liter 32 valve 440 horsepower TwinPower Turbo V8 the 650i is mated to a very nifty 8-speed automatic transmission that’s quick and very responsive to the throttle. Some of the handling technologies that allow maximum performance include Driving Dynamics Control, Dynamic Stability Control and Dynamic Traction Control. Another safety option included on the test car was the $2000.00 Active Roll Stabilization.

This car isn’t inexpensive, and I’ll talk about that later, but it is without a doubt one of the crème de la crème of luxury coupes on the market today. The lines are striking as the 2012 iteration was redesigned and made use of lots of aluminum for more strength and lower weight. The Coupe and convertible are both wider and longer than their predecessors highlighted by a long sweeping hood with short overhang and the wonderful aggressive stance BMW is known for.

Making it look even better the M Sport package on my test car brings extra zing to the 6-Series making it more masculine with a front air dam, side skirts and rear apron that include M specific design cues along with chrome tailpipes and exclusive light alloy 20 inch wheels.

Inside the 650i I was pleased to see that the interior has been redesigned with more driver focus with the center console components angled slightly towards the driver. It’s plush and exudes luxury and comfort and once you slide behind the wheel onto the Nappa Leather, 20-way power Multi-Contour seats you know you’re in something special. Wrap your hands around the leather-wrapped steering wheel and tell the car where you want to go with the voice activated NavSysem and the 10.2 inch display lays out the route for you. Some other features that stand out include Surround View Cameras, Parking Assist, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian recognition, Speed limit information, Lane Departure Warning System and Lane Change Warning System to name a few.

But this car is all about driving and I have to say driving it was a blast. It’s quick and feels agile and as you accelerate you hear the powerful V8 blipping through 8 gears as the big coupe reaches speed quickly. You can enhance your driving experience by choosing your preferred handling package from one of four settings that adjusts the acceleration progression, engine responses along with power steering characteristics. The choices are Comfort, Normal, Sport and my favorite, Sport+ which offers stellar acceleration and handling.

It had been a long time since I’d been behind the wheel of a 6-Series and while I really enjoyed the previous iterations, this new model definitely takes it to another level. Like I said earlier, it isn’t inexpensive as the test car bases at just over $83,000 and came with some $20,000 worth of options including the $3700,00 Driver Assistance Package with Lane Departure Warning, Active Blind Spot Detection, Side and top View Cameras, Parking Assistant and Heads-up Display. The $4400.00 Sport Package, $1300.00 Performance Tires on 20” Wheels. Another option was the $1800.00 Premium Sounds System and the $3700.00 Bang and Olufsen Sound System and iPod and USB Adapter. All the options and destination charges brought the final price to $103,025.00 so clearly the 650i is not for the faint of heart nor Joe average buyer; that said, if it’s in your ball park, the 650i Coupe is one fantastic piece of machinery and is a very fun car to drive, so if you haven’t been in one in a while, I strongly suggest you get to your local BMW dealer and check it out. It could easily end up being your Ultimate Driving Machine.