BMW M6 F06

What do you get when you combine refined comfort, excellent performance and attractive looks? The answer is the BMW 6 Series. It’s the perfect car when it comes to covering long distances in style, and BMW has truly perfected the art of the ‘grand tourer’. It’s a pleasure to drive and an engine that’s guaranteed to grab attention.

BMW has many different types of high-end cars, but there’s one sector that has eluded it – the four-door coupe market that Mercedes has stitched up with its CLS since 2004. Finally, for those for whom the 5-Series isn’t stylish enough and the 7-Series is too stark, BMW has a stylish new option: the four-door, six-row Gran Coupe with five seats.

This is a very stylish car, BMW chooses elegance over being deliberately odd (Audi A7 Sportback), uglier (CLS MkII) or just plain ugly (Porsche Panamera). Of the engine series for storming the heights, the 640d model with 313 hp is the most optimal.

The car is based on the 5 Series: therefore, it is superb. Comfort and handling combine to make you feel very good indeed. Only the sloppy sharpness in sporty driving mode is disconcerting, but that’s the price to pay for the car’s safety and stability on the road. And there’s enough of that in plenty.

The Grand Coupe F06 is the true embodiment of aesthetics, sportiness, comfort and luxury in perfect form. An elegant car with powerful engines and advanced chassis technology make a significant contribution to a sporty and dynamic driving experience.

The car also stands out with exclusive features and equipment, roomy and comfortable rear passengers and remarkable extended functionality, which is unusual even for upscale, four-door coupe-bodied cars.

Among the Gran Coupe’s unique design features, for example, are folding rear seatbacks and an auxiliary third seat that contribute to the car’s versatility.

Appearance

The exterior of the 2017 BMW M6 Grand Coupe is so striking, so wide and low, that it puts it almost in the supercar category in terms of customer attention. He knocks on the door of a Maserati Quattroporte and asks his daughter out.

The last generation BMW 6 Series Coupe had a very technical look, with sharp lines and heavy creases in stark contrast to the handsome Jaguar XK and the iconic Porsche 911. The latest model is clearly an evolution of this approach, but some of the lines have now softened and it’s wider and longer than before.

The wide, elegant lines and aggressive stance of the 6 Series Gran Coupe, evoke the true coupe spirit – sporty, agile and ready to excite at any moment. The 6 Series Gran Coupe is equipped with nine different wheel options in 18-, 19- and 20-inch diameters. Choose an eye-catching style and add all-season and high-performance tires to create the perfect custom configuration.

For example, the front grille has been updated with a reduced number of slats, down to nine from the previous ten. The front bumper has also been revised and the front fog lamps, with LED lighting, are now finished in gloss black.

There is a new design for the LED front headlights: the low beam is projected from the two upper reflectors and the high beam is projected from the two lower reflectors. The indicators are now integrated into an accent strip cutting through the top of the headlamp rather than the bottom, and the side mirrors are aerodynamically optimized.

The BMW M6 Grand Coupe is a stunning vehicle in any configuration. With seventeen body colors, including exclusive BMW Individual shades, a choice of wheels and packages that add exterior trim and new features, you can create your own definition of beauty.

Interior

Gone are the cramped rear seats of the M6 coupe and convertible, and in their place are two comfortable seats. You enter the car through the arched doors, which is quite nice. This detail, makes the car a bit more special than the BMW M5 it’s based on. And it needs to stand out somehow, because the interior is very similar to the one in the M5.

Inside the M6 Gran Coupe, you feel special. This is largely thanks to the low driving position. The ride feels sportier than the M5, with which it shares an engine and base. This adds to the uniqueness of the car, although it turns visibility in front of the front bumper into a real struggle. But not with the road, it’s the long, low hood and wide side skirts that add “some features”. But it is worth noting that one can get used to these inconveniences.

BMW interiors have always felt incredibly durable, but they often lacked a sense of character. Our test car was finished with red leather seats and a contrasting black interior. It’s an impressive place to spend time.

The seamless juxtaposition of analog dials and color digital displays provides the driver with a wealth of information, and the central navigation screen is one of the best in terms of size to clarity. What didn’t we like? The BMW M6 F06 is a very long car, but it doesn’t look as spacious as we might expect, thanks to the long hood and huge, steep windshield, as well as the cavernous trunk.

Consider the 2018 BMW M6 Gran Coupe when it calls this type of interior a four-plus-one seat. Yes, unlike the CLS, there’s a third three-point harness, but that middle passenger won’t find legroom or headroom. He’ll have more trunk space.

Otherwise, the interior of the 6 Series inside boasts one of BMW’s best interiors. Stylish, welcoming and beautifully built, it’s a more interesting but expensive choice than the 5 Series, and it makes you feel incredibly good about yourself.

The F06’s penchant for sporting luxury is revealed at a list price starting at around £60k. You can get a 5-Series for half that. It’s a good premium product, and the equipment and fitment levels reflect that, while the options list means you can spend more money for individual packages if you want to.

The 6 Series Coupe has an adjustable driving position, with electric seats and a steering wheel that is height and reach adjustable.

This one has a large 460-liter trunk, which is big enough for three bags of golf clubs, according to BMW. The Mercedes E-Class Coupe has 10 liters less, while the Jaguar XK has a smaller 330-liter boot. Visibility from a low coupe is never great, but BMW has dealt with this by making front and rear parking sensors a standard feature.

Engine

What the M6 Gran Coupe also shares with the M5 saloon is impressive driving dynamics. It’s a big, heavy car that has no problem turning on twisty roads. It’s also incredibly stable on the freeway and very quiet.

The M6 Gran Coupe is powered by the same three-liter V8 used in the M5, and you really can’t go wrong with it. Most of the time when you’re driving easily and civilized on city streets. But press the throttle on the BMW M6 Gran Coupe and the performance changes. The deep growl that turns into a metallic shriek as the revs build up tells you that you’re playing with more than 550 horsepower.

As is usually the case with BMW M cars, the M6 Gran Coupe is a standalone model from the regular Gran Coupe clan, and comes with only one engine. But what is that engine?

Traction from the wide rear tires is impressive, though with as much power as the M5, it can still hold the car back, especially in the wet. Overall grip is high, and while some will want a little more steering feel, the Gran Coupe is still responsive, as it is for a big car. The optional ceramic brakes are powerful and don’t lose power after extended use.

The BMW M6 Gran Coupe F06’s assaulting V8 sounds like fire-breathing, venomous fireworks, and the 3-liter gasoline has impressive torque. But we recommend settling for the growling diesel. Twin turbos mean minimal turbo lag, and the performance is awesome. They even whistle in their own beautiful way.

A seven-speed automatic transmission can only do two things. Quickly transferring enormous torque to the wheels and surprisingly comfortable shifts.

3.0 – liter V8 twin-turbocharged gasoline unit with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Power output is 552 horsepower and 502 Nm of torque.

It’s a powertrain you can’t complain about. It “accelerates with the ferocity you expect” and goes from fast to supersonic as you cross 5,000 rpm. This is a car in which you can be afraid of having your license taken away. Apparently, it’s very easy to accelerate to 280 kilometers per hour.

Torque is smeared across the rev range, although some testers think the standard automatic torque conversion would be smoother, but the ferocity of the dual-clutch gives it a different character. It’s still “quite capable of being civilized” when you need it too.

Electronics

The basic equipment of the updated 6 Series GranCoupe includes: dual-zone climate control, multi-control, power steering column with memory, power front seats with memory function for the driver’s seat, Hi-Fi audio system with nine speakers, navigation system. The multifunctional display, acting as a dashboard, has a diagonal of 10.25 inches. Sports seats are covered with high-quality leather, front seats have excellent lateral support and a lot of electric adjustments. The car has an array of capacious duffel compartments. In addition, the GranCoupe boasts a 460-liter luggage compartment capable of holding large-sized items. If you need to carry a large amount of luggage, you can use the through-loading system, as well as fold down the split backrests (40:60) of the rear seats and thus increase the volume of the luggage compartment from 460 to 1265 liters.

All other equipment of the BMW 6 Grand Coupe is completely identical to that of the two-door BMW 6 series coupe. It and the system of projection of the most important information on the windshield, BMW Night Vision, active cruise control, new-fashioned electric power steering, parking assistant and a lot of other electronic aids. The authors of BMW 6 Grand Coupe also took care of ecology and economy: Auto Start Stop system, brake energy recuperation system and much more.

Features

Despite the rough exterior, BMW has tuned the M6 Gran Coupe for a softer ride than the M5 sedan, though you don’t lose the hardcore element either, thanks to adaptive damper settings. The M6 Gran Coupe strikes a near-perfect balance between freeway cruiser and supercar. And everything from the steering to the throttle response to gear changes can be used to create the sports car of your choice.

The roof span also compromises rear seat space for passengers above 180 centimeters, though most people below that mark should find plenty of head and leg room behind the driver. With a 460-liter trunk, there’s also plenty of room for luggage, though the Audi RS7 is a more practical competitor thanks to its hatchback design – the Gran Coupe has a conventional sedan.

It also feels considerably sportier than most saloons, simply because passengers sit so low – we also like the frameless doors and the seatbelts, as if built into the seats.

Just for the price. For the amount of this car, you could buy real estate in Moscow. But for its money, Bavaria Motors offers great car looks, a comfortable driving experience, and a combination of coupe and sedan practicality, and there’s a lot to like here.

Options

It’s one of the most expensive BMW cars currently on sale, so it’s no surprise that it comes standard with leather upholstery, a touchpad display, a powerful Harman Kardon stereo and the most advanced version of BMW’s iDrive infotainment system.

BMW 6-series Gran Coupe, the long-awaited competitor to the Audi A7 and Mercedes CLS. This 640d has all the toys – dynamic damper control (infinitely variable damping), adaptive drive (active cross arms), integrated active steering (rear wheel steering). Switching between different driving modes – ECO PRO, Comfort +, Comfort, Sport and Sport + – should noticeably change the character of the car, but the 6 Series is comfortable, light and well-balanced throughout.

It always feels like a big car, and it’s “sporty”. Which is pretty rare in cars. The car is aggressive in sport mode, sounds formidable and is alarming for its price.

Somehow the BMW M6 Grand Coupe feels more agile and fluid than the two-door it’s based on. It feels much more fun to drive than the 5 Series. The ride is comfortable and adjusts to the driver. Many journalists feel that this car has more of Mercedes than BMW in it, but suddenly they are among the old-fashioned BMW fans? The refinement of the car is superb, even the rear-wheel steering feels more natural, more intuitive. Plus it has plenty of room in the back for both passengers and luggage.

The M6 Grand Coupe feels more special than its two natural rivals, the Mercedes-Benz CLS350 CDI and Audi A7 BiTDI Quattro, but then it costs around £10,000 more. Closer in price is the Porsche Panamera diesel, but it’s lower in power and performance compared to the Beemer.

The 3-liter TwinPower 640i petrol is even better, with more precise body control, sharper throttle response and a sharper howl instead of the 640d’s loud roar. It has a little more power at 316 hp, a whole bunch less torque – 332 Newtons per meter, at 1300-4500 rpm – and weighs 40 kg less, but still substantial at 1,825 kg.

Difference between restyling and prerestyling

The BMW M6 Gran Coupe is the most practical version of the 6 Series. This rocket ship, stands next to the M6 convertible and the regular M6 coupe. The modified version from Bavaria Motors has the best proportions also among super saloons like the Audi RS, Mercedes-AMG CLS63 and, to some extent, the Nissan GTR .

The changes to the BMW 6 Series aren’t so obvious – most noticeable are the new digital dials, which won’t appeal to everyone. Overall though these changes in slightly increase the appeal of what was already a great car, best realized by the impressive 3.0-liter diesel.

BMW has added some intrigue to the launch of the revised 6 Series. But so will the car benefit from something really exciting, such as innovations in a lightweight chassis or increased fuel injection – we’ll see in the BMW M6 Gran Coupe video.

But we’re here for change. So what are they? Well, there are some exterior styling tweaks that include revised bumpers front and rear, fully LED headlights as standard, new door mirrors, wider exhausts, a fresh light alloy wheel design and a few new colors. But really, unless you’ve parked the 6 Series facelift next to its predecessor, you’ll find it hard to notice that things have changed.

Inside the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, the differences in the photo are a bit more noticeable. Luxury leather trim is now standard on all models, and this helps increase the car’s sense of luxury. BMW ConnectedDrive is also included, which includes a built-in mobile SIM card so the car can automatically alert emergency services in the event of an accident. The most radical change, however, is the new all-digital display.

When you change the vehicle mode to Eco-Pro, Comfort and Sport, the color and design of the dials change. The display is very clear and actually easier to read than the analog type used on the older car.

In fact, the 6 Series has always been a sensible masculine coupe, especially in the 640 flavor of our test car.

Take the car for what it is – a confident, extremely comfortable, light, fast, surprisingly economical and very luxurious car.

Generations and configurations

3rd generation – restyled

03.2015 – 04.2018

3 generation

05.2013 – 02.2015