BMW revealed 2013 6 Series Gran Coupe

BMW has revealed their challenger to the second generation Mercedes CLS, which has since been joined by a host of other premium car maker namely in shape of Audi A7. The extension to the current 6-Series range originally started its life as the BMW Concept CS in 2007, and subsequently appeared in almost finished form in Beijing Motorshow as BMW Gran Coupe Concept in April 2010.

The new Gran Coupe is described as an addition to the 6 Series Coupe, already a stunningly proportioned car with 4 door and added passenger capacity of up to 4+1 seater. To accommodate the afore-mentioned added capacity, the Gran Coupe is 112mm longer than the 6 Series Coupe at 5,007mm. Width remained at 1,894mm while the height of the car increased by 27mm to 1,392mm. The wheelbase extension is almost similar as the length extension at 113mm, bringing it to 2,968mm, similar to current BMW 5-Series F10. It is no surprise that all these cars, including the current 7-Series do actually share a huge commonality in their platform. The increase in length over the Coupe/Cabriolet sibling also brings an accommodating 460l of boot space.

BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe is powered by the series of familiar contemporary BMW engines. All powertrain are hooked to the 8 speed automatic transmission. The base model 640i is powered by the updated N55 3.0l  straight-six, Twin-Power turbocharged engine, dubbed N55HP. In this application, the powertrain delivers 315bhp@5800-6000rpm and 447Nm@1300-4500rpm of power and torque respectively. Paired to 8 speed automatic transmission, 640i is capable of 5.4 seconds century sprint and a restricted 250 km/h of top speed. Fuel efficiency is quoted as 7.8l /100km. More detail and photos after the jump.

Further up the range is the 650i. This model is powered by N63Tu 4.4l V8 with Twin-Power turbo. Compared to the N63 in the current 650i Coupe, the engine has been enhanced with BMW Valvetronic delivering 445bhp@5500-6000rpm and 650Nm@2000-4500rpm of power and torque. Power and torque are actually 45bhp and 30Nm up from the previous N63. Performance for this unit can simply be described as scorching hot, with mere 4.6 second sprint to 100km/h. Top speed, however, is electronically limited to 250 km/h. Fuel consumption figure stands at 8.8l /100km.

The 650i will also be available with an option of all-wheel-drive in certain market. With intelligent xDrive trickery, power split between each wheel can be optimized depending on the available grip, delivering an almost perfect power delivery to the tarmac. This is shown by an improved century sprint of 4.5 seconds.

Similar to the Coupe range, the Gran Coupe will also received the diesel powertrain, especially in the European market. In the UK, 640d Gran Coupe will be available from the outset. This model is powered by twin-turbo 3.0l diesel engine producing 309bhp and 630Nm of power and torque respectively. Performance is identical to the 640i, with 5.4 seconds sprint to 100 km/h. Fuel economy is better though, at 50.4 mpg.

Inside the car, 113mm increased in length and 27mm increased in height resulted in adequate seating for four, plus the rear centre seat which is also equipped with the seat belts. All seat height has been increased slightly for improved visibility. The cabin is pure 6 Series Coupe though, with its long horizontal lines extending all the way through the interior.The elegant lines of the door trim, familiar from the other BMW 6-Series models, continue into the rear compartment, incorporating the B-pillar as a design element along the way. The sweeping design of the door panels flows harmoniously from the front doors via the B-pillars to the rear doors. The center console also stretches through to the rear. Precise contours help to create an intriguing contrast with the interior's soft, curvaceous surfaces, producing a vibrant and dynamic collage of forms.

Any new BMW will not be completed without the long list of high-tech equipment. Included in the resume of BMW Gran Coupe are Adaptive LED Headlights, BMW ConnectedDrive, Rear-view camera and Surround View, Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian recognition, Lane Departure Warning System, Active Blind Spot Detection, BMW Head-Up-Display, Bang & Olufsen High-End Surround Sound System, Integral Active Steering, Active Roll Stabilization and Driving Dynamics Control with ECO PRO mode. Luxury Seating Package adds ventilated multi-contour, active seats, sunshades on both the rear side and rear windows and a four zone climate control system with additional controls located between the rear seats.

Right from the launch, the M-Sport and Individual Package will already be available. This is hardly surprising as bulk of the option is derived from the Coupe/Cabrio sibling. Essential items in the M-Sport package include new front fascia, side skirts and rear fascia, M Sport package exhaust tips in black chrome, black-painted brake callipers, LED foglamps, a sports exhaust system for the BMW 650i Gran Coupe, 19" light-alloy wheels in M double-spoke design with a 20" light-alloy wheels in M double-spoke design as option. Exclusive M paint finishes Carbon Black metallic and Imola Red non-metallic are offered with the package too. For the interior, among the features are M Alcantara/leather sports seats with blue contrast stitching, an M leather steering wheel with multifunction buttons and gearshift paddles, and aluminium hexagon interior trim. M-Sport package also adds door sill finishers sporting the M logo and an M driver’s footrest to the mix.

The 6 Series Gran Coupe is scheduled to make it debut at Geneva Motorshow in March 2012, where it will debut as 2013 model, hence explaining the MY in its name. For more photos of the svelte and elegance looking BMW Gran Coupe, head to the gallery below.