Well this isn't the full test but i now have the two Elite 6500 scopes. One the 4.5-30x50 version and the other the 2.5-16x50.

Quick initial impressions and general thoughts:

They look handsome and chunky. All turrets and dials work smoothly. Eye focus infinitely superior to previous Elites ie it's a quick-focus bell now.
Rainguard awesome as always (my other scope i was comparing these to fogged up immediately in this lovely cumbrian weather we're having but the elites weren't affected at all)

They really are incredibly versatile: It can't be overstated how cool it is to zoom a 2.5 wide-angle scope up to 9 or 10 and then not have to stop, but to continue all the way up half as much again. Likewise, if you want 30x mag (which many manufacturers won't go anywhere near) you have to put up with 8x min, which knocks a great deal of shooting on the head. But at 4.5x you really are having your cake and eating it.

Optically, my quick initial batch of tests reveals that the 2.5-16 is a belter. It is bright, clear, sharp and unfussy as a really good 2.5-10 scope like a 4200, for example. Yet you can continue zooming a hell of a lot further, which is brilliant. Still clear and bright at 16x. Comparison-wise, it is like a good medium/high end scope - 4200/monarch/grand slam ie it represents totally excellent value for money but isn't quite 100% as good as your £1000 scopes with regard to absolute resolution at the top end(which, unknown by many, is the crucial key to low-light peformance) At 2.5 it will focus on your feet and at 16x it still only needs about 18yards to focus. SF is marked to 10yards

The 4.5 -30 is again bright and clear, which bushnell's typically excellent contrast and it zooms a treat up to about 24x, where like all high-mag scopes, you start to need to be careful with your eyebox. It retains its brightness from 24x upwards better than the 4200 8-32x40 and is still bright at 30x. It is, however, a shade fussy at this mag and not as sharp and crisp as i'd like. I mean, you're still able to see bullet holes and flies on the traget and all that -it just isn't JUMPING out at you like 24x does on a swaro 6-24x50 PH/PV for example. Flare control is frankly poor at 30x, but much better controlled under 24x. I doubt you'll be pointing at the sky much for 30x shots anyway!
It's is a brighter 8-32x scope than the 4200 is, which is far sharper IME than the Burris BlackDiamond. The Leupolds don't go anywhere near that mag. Unfortunately i haven't tested the Nightforce NXS 8-32. The truly excellent Weaver Grand Slam 6-20 can't be compared, nor the likewise superlative Conquest 6.5-20 as 20x is a million miles away from 30x or 32x. So that represent a significant achievment, AND you can zoom down to 4.5x, where it is gorgeous (neither scope compromises at all at the bottom end, although across-the-glass focus is not totally uniform so pannning is slightly harder on the eye than a Swarovski PH/PV, the only scope i've used that is perfectly uniform all the way across and pans without subtle changes of focus giving you a headache)
Close focus and rangefinding is really excellent (the HFT boys will love this). It is marked down to 25yards on the SF dial.

If you look at the competition in the 6.5x mag range, you have to buy a 6500 at this price. If you want such versatility (why wouldn't you?) it is a no-brainer, as the shermans say
There is competition to the 2.5-16 in that the Z6 is similar but again, way over twice as much money.
Nobody anywhere is doing a 4.5-30 so there you have it.... IME the 4200 8-32x40 is the best 8-32 and this is better but with a 4.5 bottom end! For not a great deal more. Or imagine it is an excellent 4-16x50 SF like the nikon monarch, for example, but with at least 10x more tack-sharp mag built in for, again, not a lot more money It's not perfect and i'm sure in time someone luxurious will do it with a tack-sharp 30x top end but i assure you it will be $2000. I have, as a matter of interest, used a PM11 5-25x50 and i wasn't exactly blown away by the 25x setting on that either, so the bushnell elite 6500 really has done something impressive here, as at 25x this scope is still great and with a good bit to go!

Detailed testing in sunshine/dusk/night/rain to follow, and turret tests. HTH ATB Richard Utting