BMW 6 Series (E63)

The BMW E63/E64 6 Series is the chassis designation for the second generation BMW 6 Series. The BMW E63/E64 replaced the BMW E24 6 Series 14 years after production had ended, whilst adding a convertible to the lineup. The BMW E63/E64 6 Series uses a shortened chassis from the BMW E60 5 Series (which formed the fifth generation BMW 5 Series), and shares similar functions including the BMW iDrive. The BMW E63/E64 6 Series' design was based on the BMW Z9 Concept, whose exterior was redesigned by Adrian Van Hooydonk, whilst David Carp designed the interior of the car. The BMW E63/E64 6 Series was introduced in autumn of 2003 in the Frankfurt Auto Show, and premiered in the North American Auto Show.

The development process of the BMW E63/E64 6 Series was documented in a three-part documentary by the Discovery Channel Canada Series named Birth of a Sports Car. The three episodes were organised from design, testing and production respectively.

630C/i and 635d models were not sold in America, and were only sold in Europe and other parts of the world, whilst all 645Ci and 650i models were available to all. Production started on 18 March 2004 and ended on July 31, 2010, being replaced by the 2011 BMW F06/F12/F13 6 Series, whilst adding a four-door coupe called the Gran Coupe to the lineup.

BMW

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (German pronunciation: [baˈjɛɐ̯ɪʃə mɔˈtɔʁn̩ ˈvɛɐ̯kə]; German for Bavarian Motor Works), usually known under its abbreviation BMW, is a German luxury automobile, motorcycle, and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. Headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, it also owns and produces Mini cars and serves as the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad, and plug-in electric cars under the BMW i sub-brand. It is one of the best-selling luxury automakers in the world. The company is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock market index.

History

BMW was established as a business entity following a restructuring of the Rapp Motorenwerke aircraft manufacturing firm in 1917. After the end of World War I in 1918, BMW was forced to cease aircraft-engine production by the terms of the Versailles Armistice Treaty. The company consequently shifted to motorcycle production as the restrictions of the treaty started to be lifted in 1923, followed by automobiles in 1928–29.

In Depth

In Depth is a three-hour program that airs monthly on C-SPAN 2 as part of their Book TV programming, and features a different writer each month. Each interview covers the breadth of that author's writing career, and incorporates viewer calls and e-mails. The show is typically broadcast live the first Sunday of each month. The first program was on February 6, 2000, and was a discussion with historian John Lukacs. For the first several years of the show, episodes were not produced during the summer months.

There have been a few exceptions to the practice of featuring one single author, as with the programs featuring the Strand Bookstore, Frank Williams and Edna Greene Medford's discussion of writings on Lincoln, and John K. Wilson and Jonathan Karp's discussions of the writings of Barack Obama and John McCain.

Sometimes, the profile will include taped footage of the author's own home or office, so as to give further perspective on how they approach the task of writing. On occasion (as with the programs with Shelby Foote and Harold Bloom) entire three-hour interviews have been conducted live at the home or office of the featured author.