BEAUTY IN A BANGLE? The BMW 6 Series convertible gets the looks for just 80 grand.(News)

Byline: MARK VAUGHN

]] Say what you will about Chris Bangle, or what you see in the photos, but out in the world we all really live in, people loved the look of this car.

Bangle quickly directs credit for the looks of the 645Ci convertible to BMW Design- works head Adrian van Hooydonk, although the basic shape still has that signature Bangle trunk-lid-from-hades. Which was why we found the universal, unsolicited praise of the convertible somewhat surprising.

You would expect it from the polite valet staff at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where we picked up the car. And maybe one or two further positive comments could be attributed to the same kind of politeness you get when wearing, say, a striking new hat-the acceptability of which might be left open to interpretation. But when the general contractor refueling his pickup at the gas station at five in the morning liked it, and when the local city planning commissioner sought us out in our backyard to ask about the car parked out front, maybe it really is a good-looking car.

People who liked cars liked it, people who normally don't like cars liked it, people who asked what it was liked it and people who knew exactly what it was and were dang-glad to finally see one in the flesh said they liked it.

Imagine what they'd think if given a chance to drive one. Underneath all those looks is a solid BMW machine. The convertible shares many mechanicals with the V8-powered 5 and 7 Series sedans. Its wheelbase is 4.3 inches shorter than the 5 Series, but overall length is almost the same, thanks to its lengthier snout.

It drives like the big BMW it is, which is to say it is a 5 Series joy. The 4.4-liter V8 has all the technical advances BMW offers in internal combustion, from Valvetronic variable lift and Vanos steplessly variable intake and exhaust timing to intake runners that constantly adjust from eight inches to 24 inches in length. That makes for peak horsepower of 325 at 6100 rpm and torque of 330 lb-ft and a wide, wide band of both across the tach. BMW lists a 0-to-60 time of 6.0 seconds, half a second slower than the coupe but still mighty quick.