There's no point on trying to get around it – the first topic of discussion with the new 6 is bound to be its appearance, if for no reason other than how radically (conservatively?) it departs from its forbearer. In the metal, the 6 Series convertible looks much lower, flatter and more angular than the car it replaces. This is particularly true at the rear, an inevitable result of its more conventional trunklid and 5-Series-like taillamps. Up front, the headlamps are more conservative, too, without the droopy lower edge and eyebrow turn signals of the outgoing E63/E64 model. The new light fixtures bookend a nose with a bit more forward thrust to the leading edge of the hood, which leans over a wider twin kidney grille. Contrary to expectation, however, the profile of the new 6 Series actually has more surface character than its predecessor, with an additional crease that plunges dramatically from the leading edge of the side vent. And the lower stance isn't an illusion – at just 53.7 inches tall, overall height has been given a haircut by a fraction of an inch, accentuating the 6's chopped-top look. You can judge the looks for yourself, but an informal poll among the journalists at the launch revealed something of a split between those who came to appreciate the previous model and the more cautious new look, with most favoring the 2012 design.

In a way, the crisper look of the new 6 Series almost feels like it could be an evolution of the 1989-1999 8-Series, had that GT lived long enough to progress to present day. The body panels are of varying construction – steel, aluminum (doors, hood) and plastic composite (roof, trunklid and side panels), so fitment of the pieces with materials of different properties must have been a task for BMW's engineers and paint experts, who have done flawless work.

At 192.6 inches long and 4,500 pounds, this big boy shadows competitors like the Mercedes-Benz E Class Cabriolet and Jaguar XK in nearly every dimension – it even outstretches the Bentley Continental GTC. Thanks in part to its new structure derived from the 5-/7-Series chassis, it's 2.6 inches longer than before, and at 74.5 inches, it's marginally wider, too. The new model is thus a bit porkier than the outgoing E64, so it's helpful that the 650i Convertible has more brawn: 400 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 450 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 rpm from its twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter N62 V8. That's 40 hp and a whopping 90 lb-ft more than its predecessor. It also has two more ratios in its automatic gearbox – eight cogs are on offer from the well-liked ZF 8HP70. Interestingly, a six-speed manual is also available (though it was unavailable for testing), and in a reversal of fortunes, the three-pedal setup will be sold Stateside and not in Europe. Apparently, those on The Continent are growing increasingly enamored of high-performance automatics, while there were enough U.S. enthusiasts grumbling for a self-stirrer that BMW has obliged (North America is the 6-Series' biggest market anyhow).

When blurring the coastal mountain road scenery surrounding Cape Town, there are plenty of reasons to slacken one's pace – if only to take in more of the panoramic vistas, vineyards and beautiful people vying for eyeball time. Despite this, we can't quite bring ourselves to back out of the 2012 BMW 6 Series convertible's new V8 engine long enough to stop and smell the king protea flowers (though we do oblige a family of wayward baboons who've decided that the middle of the road is a perfectly acceptable spot to shade one's self from the waxing sun).