The BMW 6 Series is a remarkable car, an intriguing attempt at blending state-of-the-art electronics with award-winning mechanicals. The BMW 650i coupe and convertible succeed, offering a combination of comfort, luxury, sportiness, exhilarating performance and ease of operation that's hard to beat in the class. On the M6 models, it remains an attempt, perhaps a misguided one, as it inserts unnecessarily isolating layers of electronics between driver and car, muddying a unique, symbiotic relationship that BMW has painstakingly cultivated over decades. We prefer the standard automatic and manual transmissions to the high-tech SMGs.

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Tom Lankard filed this report from Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, and California's Northern Central Valley.