Not too long ago, we brought you official design sketches of the production version of last year’s BMW Gran Coupé Concept. Now, our man with the long lens has captured an actual prototype that is production ready with only a few splashes of BMW’s traditional swirly camouflage covering its sides and rear end.
BMW’s first ever attempt to rival the Mercedes CLS in the so-called four-door coupe segment will most likely carry either the 6-Series GT or 6-Series Gran Coupé moniker.
Whatever the name, the sporty looking sedan model will share its underpinnings with the new 6-Series and of course the latest 5-Series, which forms the basis for BMW’s flagship coupe and convertible models.
Compared to the concept car shown in Beijing last year, there are only minor changes to details such as the styling of the front and rear bumpers, the more practical door handles and exterior mirrors, and the shape of the tail pipes, all of which can be traced back to the 6-Series Coupe.
The engine lineup of the 6-Series will be carried over to the sports saloon with choices to likely include a 320-horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six and a 407-horsepower turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, plus a six-cylinder turbo diesel for Europe. All engines will be offered with eight-speed automatic transmissions with a 6-speed manual gearbox being a possibility for certain markets.
An ‘M’ badged model powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with some 560-horses found in the latest M5 is sure to follow.
Expect to see the new 6-Series four-door model in showrooms sometime next year.
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