BMW introduced the 650i nameplate for the 2006 model year as the V8 flagship of the revived 6 Series, replacing the earlier 645Ci coupe. In its first production run, the 650i was offered in coupe and convertible form and sat at the top of BMW’s luxury grand-touring range, combining the 6 Series’ long-hood, two-door design with a more powerful V8 and a strong emphasis on high-speed comfort and everyday usability. That first era ran through the end of the original E63/E64 6 Series generation and then ended when the model line was paused.
BMW brought the 650i back with the new-generation 6 Series that launched for the 2012 model year. This revival marked a major redesign for the nameplate, first as a coupe and convertible and later, in some markets, as a Gran Coupe. The second production period continued the 650i’s role as the V8 step above the six-cylinder 640i, and it became especially associated with the 6 Series’ elegant long-distance touring character rather than outright track focus. Across this era, BMW also offered xDrive variants in some body styles, broadening the car’s appeal while keeping the model positioned as a premium performance grand tourer.
The 650i nameplate remained part of the 6 Series family until the model line’s final years, before BMW discontinued the classic 6 Series coupe, convertible, and Gran Coupe range and shifted the brand’s two-door luxury-car spotlight to the 8 Series. Because the 650i returned after a production gap, it should be treated as a nameplate with multiple production periods rather than a single continuous run.