The twin-kidney grille, quad headlamps and other classic cues quickly identify the 6 Series as a BMW. The 6 Series shares some key elements with the new 5 Series sedan, but it was designed from the ground up as a coupe rather than a sedan with two doors lopped off. Indeed, the new 6 Series is a classic BMW coupe: The front and rear overhangs (the distance from the wheels to the bumper) are short. The greenhouse is set back from the hood, observed by the relatively long distance from the trailing edge of the wheel well to the leading edge of the door. The 6 Series cars are shorter in overall length than the 5 Series sedans, yet the 6 Series benefits from a relatively long wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels). In short, you know it handles great just by looking at it.

The turn signals are located above the headlamps allowing the headlamps to be moved farther around the corners to the sides of the car. The grilles take front and center stage with no ledge in front of them. When viewed from overhead, the front corners look rounded giving the 6 Series a shark nose.

In profile, the lines are sculpted but clean. Side marker lights at the trailing edge of the front wheel wells give the impression of attention to detail. The Hofmeister kink, a traditional BMW design feature named after an early designer, shortens and shapes the trailing edge of the rear side window, subtly conveying an impression of a BMW.

From the rear, however, the new 6 Series cannot be identified as readily. The tail lamps and badge label it as a BMW, but the rear looks different from past BMWs. The first time I caught a glimpse of one racing ahead on a winding road, my brain registered "Chrysler" before correctly identifying it. The tail lamps wrap around to the sides, so there's no precise point where the rear of the car ends and the side begins. As with the new 7 Series cars, critics don't like the way the rear deck looks somewhat disconnected from the rear fenders. BMW points out that the high deck improves rear grip at high speeds and allows for a big trunk. In any case this is a tidy, attractive car that looks very sporty. It looks best in silver and other lighter colors; the design details blend together on darker cars.

The roofline of the convertible is nearly identical to that of the coupe, and the soft top looks great when it's up. The convertible features a fastback roofline with fins on the trailing edges that frame the vertically mounted glass backlight (rear windshield); the rear glass can be raised or lowered like a side window by pressing a button. A reinforced B-pillar and extensive reinforcements on the lower sides of the convertible's monocoque were added to increase chassis rigidity.

The 6 Series comes standard with adaptive headlamps that aim toward the inside of a corner as the steering wheel is turned. This helps throw light around the bend, reducing shadows and improving visibility for the driver. Sometimes just that extra nanosecond of warning can make for a safer and more enjoyable drive.