BMWs bearing the tricolor M badge have been for quite some time the darlings of sports car fans. M3s, apart from the E36, have been worshiped; M5s likewise – even the 1-Series M Coupe-based received raving reviews.
In every family, though, there’s a black sheep: in BMW‘s M-family, it’s the M6. This is kind of weird, as it’s supposed to be pegged at the top of the food chain. It just couldn’t cut it, though, against rivals such as Porsche’s 911 Turbo.
The all-new, second-generation of the 6-Series wasn’t very well received by the motoring press, either. Can the new, third generation M6 coupe change that perception?
On paper, it has all the right ingredients: 560HP and 502 lb-ft (680Nm) from the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that directs power to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and the “clever” M-differential.
The problem is that, there’s another car with the exact same specs and performance but with two more doors and much better accommodations for the rear passengers that costs US$16,200 less in the States.
No, we’re not talking about the M6 Grand Coupe that has not yet been launched onto the market, but the M5.
Its US$89,900 price tag makes it a bargain compared to the US$106,100 M6 Coupe. Sure, the saloon has a higher center of gravity and is heavier – but only by 130 pounds (58 kg).
Car and Driver associate editor Jethro Bovingdon took the two M-cars to the Anglesey track in Wales where he was joined by professional racing driver and Le Mans winner Andy Wallace to find out if the M6 can outperform the M5 and justify their price difference.
Sibling rivalry: don’t you just love it? In this case, it certainly makes for an interesting video, which you can view after the jump.
By Andrew Tsaousis
VIDEO