In 2004, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a car so revolutionary that it created an entirely new segment. For years, the CLS four door executive coupe rolled around with no rivals until Audi changed that in 2010. When the 2013 model year shows its face, the A7 and CLS will have one more German heavy hitting four door coupe to play with. Scheduled to be worldly revealed at the 82 annual Geneva Motor Show will be the all-new, 2013 BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe which will be a first for the Bavarian automaker. Just like the other 6-Series offerings, the two door and convertible, the latest addition to the middle-ground family brings a certain level of mischievous adventure that isn’t present in the 5-Series sedans.
Like its soon-to-be rivals, the Gran Coupe blends the size of the middle-child sedans with the elegant power of the grand touring coupes. Just as the Audi A7 is an offspring of the A5 and A6, the four door 6er is a blend of the 5-Series and 6-Series coupe. “The new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé marks the beginning of a new chapter. It is BMW’s first four-door coupé and combines uncompromising driving dynamics with exclusive elegance and breath-taking design,” said Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, head of BMW brand communications. With a length of more than 5,000 millimeters and a nearly 3,000 millimeter wheelbase, the Gran Coupe looks to be somewhat spacious as its larger in both aspects than the CLS and A7. The rear seats fold down to offer up to 1,265 liters of cargo capacity but there is no hatchback access like the Audi. With its bold, shark-nose front, swooping hood and widened fenders, the four door 6er certainly looks executive. The overly rounded face of the last 6-Series is thankfully gone and the muscle continues on to the profile. This is easily the Gran Coupe’s most striking angle as the roof and C-pillar appear to go on for ever. Indented door sills help the length deception and by no means is this BMW ugly. It would seem that the German company is finally getting back to its roots that were once lost when a man by the name Chris Bangle was working.
When it makes its showroom debut, the Gran Sport will come in three variants: fast, faster and efficient. The base car will be given the 640i badge and will be powered by BMW’s award winning twin-scroll, direct injected TwinPower straight six. This dual VANOS petrol powered block will pump out a stout “320” horsepower and spin the rear wheels via the new, ZF eight speed automatic. For more oomph, the 650i can be ordered with the twin turbocharged 450 horsepower V8. Oddly enough, a diesel engine will be able to fitted under the Gran Coupe’s chiseled hood. The 640d will pump out a solid 313 horsepower using common rail injection and variable sequential turbos. It’s torque figure of 465 lb-ft and near 50 mpg highway fuel economy will surely impress even more. All wheel drive can be made available on the V8 and BMW’s electric steering and selective dampers will come standard on all variants.
The executive four door coupe segment is honestly not crowded, which makes building a success story seem difficult. Even still, both Mercedes-Benz and Audi have hit home runs with their versions so why not BMW? The 6-Series Gran Coupe certainly looks the part, has the size and will be smooth as butter no mater how it gets its power to the ground. Separating it from the pack will innovative features such as BMW Parking Assistant, Collision Warning with Active Braking, Heads Up Display and Speed Limit Info. What will also serve as a stand out will be BMW’s uncanny ability to astound drivers to the point where words simply can not describe how these cars operate.
